For the uninitiated, the file format m4p is an audio format for Apple that is proprietary to them. It's similar to the ubiquitous mp3 format that everyone is familiar with, but doesn't have the playability or mobility of mp3's. It only works on Apple or Mac devices, or PC's running a Mac program such as ITunes. Mp3's, however, are recognized by just about everything.
I think I'm gonna start using either MusicMatch's download store or walmart.com to download music. I toyed briefly with the idea of putting a Mac emulator on my PC and then running Amadeus2 or something. Ben has said that that will convert m4p's to mp3's easily. But, downloading something in a .wav or .mp3 format from the other 2 services seems to be just as easy, since it would then be able to be converted to anything I want it to be.
It seems so cumbersome to do it the long way, even with a RW disc.
I don't know. Maybe I'm impatient, but it just seems like there is an easier way to do this.
By the way, I'm sure if there are technical inconsistencies or errors in my post, that my resident Mac expert Ben will straighten me out.
And, so you know, I'm not a Mac-hater. I just think that music from ITunes is too cumbersome to deal with with the devices that I use.
I swear I am not a Mac-hater...
Really, Ben, I'm not.
(*methinks he doth protest too much...)
Thursday, August 17, 2006
m4p problems...
Posted by Daishi at 12:54 PM
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4 comments:
I'm indifferent to people's computer preferences, so no need to apologize. I don't own a computer myself, so I can't be terribly concerned about what other people choose.
I've owned a couple of MiniDisc players. I enjoyed them, but realized it was a technology living on borrowed time. While I wouldn't tell you to get rid of yours, I would point out that you're using a technology that necessitates a more complex process for doing what most people can do rather simply.
The m4p format is simply a DRM (digital rights management) codec designed to prevent the unauthorized duplication of songs. The problem you're facing has less to do with Apple vs. Windows compatibility and more with DRM; you're trying to do something unusual.
Microsoft also has a proprietary format (wma) that has DRM encoding to prevent unauthorized duplication. The reason most online vendors are moving away from the mp3 format (or, at the least, tacking their DRM schemes onto it) is to prevent illegal copying. There are rumors the introduction of Microsoft's Zune player will initiate some balkanization into their own little DRM sphere, so one has to be careful.
The vast majority of people buying music online use iTunes and load their music onto iPods in one smooth, seamless operation. That doesn't mean you should. It just means Apple didn't set things up for someone with a MiniDisc player and a PC.
Have you tried Sony's Connect store? If anyone would make this easy for you, I'd expect it'd be Sony (they invented the MiniDisc player, after all). I bought an album on their site once. I forget the format it was in, though.
SonyConnect uses either .omg or .oma formats. I probably should use it, but I was hoping that there was a way to convert downloaded files to some sort of more easily used format. I guess the only way to get a non-proprietary format is to do it illegally.
Now that I think about it, I can't remember why I went with ITunes over Connect. That's lame.
And I suppose I could burn/rip/reconvert those .omg files to mp3's later if I wanted.
I suppose my problem is that I was expecting an easy solution that was legal. Unfortunately I didn't take into account that the media player I have has its own format, and it's not mp3 friendly.
I guess next time I'll do a bit more research into what I'm buying.
Maybe I'll even pay attention to what is going on. Doh!
You're fine - but the reason you're seeing so many proprietary formats in the legal music downloading business is because the RIAA and the studios would only permit online sales if DRM was enforced - a generic mp3 file can't do that.
As usual, you are correct. It sucks that people can't be honest, doesn't it?
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