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I purchased the latest Doves album from iTunes. Four of the tracks are protected m4a files and won't show on my Sony phone's music player. All DMR removal options appear to be paid-for apps. Is there a free way to convert these files so that they can be played outside of Apple?
They should play on the Apple Music app on Android if you’re signed into your iTunes account.
no idea about converting the files directly but on Mac you used to be able to use Soundflower to redirect the audio stream from e.g. speakers to a sampler or other device. Real time so very tedious.
If I remember correctly Handbrake will remove DMR.
XLD app?
or audio hijack for realtime
Thanks but tried Handbrake and it doesn't allow protection removal. I've downloaded the four protected files from Amazon and merged into one album folder. Cost me another 4 quid but worth it to finally realise I can break free from Apple. Needless to say, I'll use Amazon to purchase digital music from here on.
Strange that apple should apply DMR, when the same music is available from others without. When they used to it was at the insistence of the record companies rather than apple choosing to do so.
Strange that apple should apply DMR
It may be a requirement of the label or artist to allow the tracks to be sold online through the Apple Music store.
EDIT in Music app select the track and the File>Convert>AAC, should create a new copy with no DMR. I expect that you will need to be logged into the account that purchased the track to allow the conversion to take place. On this laptop the converted file shows AAC Audio file on the details tab of get info pane rather than Purchased AAC on the original.
Four of the tracks have it? Nothing I’ve purchased from iTunes has had it for… years. Odd. There is a tag that says who purchased it… but that can be edited/removed, and shouldn’t block playback on anything.
Make a playlist, urn a CD, re-RIP back into iTunes. That was Apple’s work-around when DRM was a requirement from the music industry.
I’ve started using Apple Music, five months free access, although I haven’t linked my music library to it, but I’ve been going through Uncut Magazine for all the best album reviews and downloading them onto my phone. I tend to use KaiserTone as my preferred music player, but it sees those tracks as DRM protected, which makes sense, so I’m using the Music player app instead. Downloaded well over sixty albums so far! 😁
Make a playlist, urn a CD, re-RIP back into iTunes. That was Apple’s work-around when DRM was a requirement from the music industry.
That was also a fix for some Sony CDs which wouldn't play on certain (strangely usually top-end) CD players. Turned out they weren't red book standard.