Itunes to MP3 Converter needed (Freeware)

[NemesiS]

Does anyone know of a decent free Itunes to MP3 converter. Everyone I have tried are all shareware and then want me to pay to register.

New convert to Itunes but i didn't realise they came DRM'd

Cheers in advance

[charlesr]

Isn't the point of DRM to stop you converting it to mp3? I don't think anyone can answer you without breaking the forum rules. Don't know much about itunes though so perhaps someone can correct me.

[Brad]

Some (most?) songs you buy from iTunes are DRMd.
If you make a CD out of the songs (using iTunes), delete the tunes and then import them form the CD you made they will be DRM free.

[charlesr]

In future, perhaps buy CDs and rip them to whatever format you like. Or there are a few DRM-free music services like amazon, but I've not used any of them and the amazon one is mp3 only, whereas itunes does the option of lossless I believe. I think the play.com one allows you to redownload if your PC explodes, which is coolness.

[Brad]

Yeah, think iTunes offers iTunes+ for some artists, which means no DRM. I never buy DRM'd music myself.

[funkydan]

Some (most?) songs you buy from iTunes are DRMd.
If you make a CD out of the songs (using iTunes), delete the tunes and then import them form the CD you made they will be DRM free.

Does that work? I'm pretty sure iTunes/Apple would have methods in place to stop you doing that otherwise everyone would be doing it!

[NemesiS]

Charlesr- If i have legitimately paid for these songs and want to convert them, surely thats not infringing the forum rules by asking someone to name a converter to convert songs i own, if it is then fair enough .

I just need a converter rather than backing them up to CD and ripping them to MP3. I have also changed my settings in Itunes but it doesn't really help.

[Brad]

Does that work? I'm pretty sure iTunes/Apple would have methods in place to stop you doing that otherwise everyone would be doing it!

Yep. It's a pain in the arse though cos you're wasting a blank CD (unless you use a CDRW of course). The DRM lets you make a certain number of CDs but you only need to make 1 and then re-rip and job done.

It does make the whole DRM thing look stupid (which it is). You can make as many copies of bought music as you like using only Apple supplied software so really, why bother with DRM at all?

Nemesis - you know what DRM is right? Basically the music is copy protected so it will only play on a certain number of devices that you have registered with Apple. It won't allow conversion to a format that has no DRM e.g. MP3.

[charlesr]

Back them up to a virtual CDR. Saves on the discs.

[Strolls]

If you make a CD out of the songs (using iTunes), delete the tunes and then import them form the CD you made they will be DRM free.

Does that work? I'm pretty sure iTunes/Apple would have methods in place to stop you doing that otherwise everyone would be doing it!

It works - in fact, this method of conversion is often recommended by online stores themselves - but it's lossy.

Charlesr- If i have legitimately paid for these songs and want to convert them, surely thats not infringing the forum rules by asking someone to name a converter to convert songs i own, if it is then fair enough.

You don't own the songs, though - you rented them (for the life of the iTunes store). This applies to anything you bought on the Xbox Arcade or Playstation Store, too.

Stroller.