Napster

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Originally posted by Viper Zero
No, GatorMX is not spyware. All it does is download the .wsx file and puts it in your winmx folder.
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winmx has this built in.
 
Originally posted by meme
Why were you using "biggrin" ?
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:biggrin: was the old smilie code for :D before :D replaced it. When we moved from our old forum software (Ikonboard) to our new forum software (vBulletin), the new replacement text was introduced.
 
Thread ressurection... :sick:

I've just downloaded the all-new legal Napster here in the UK... it's got a free trial for 7 days, and then you pay for it... but I was going to subscribe as a birthday present for someone, but they have a Mac and will probably be using iTunes and buying an iPod soon too... but the iTunes store doesn't seem to be available here in the UK (or am I wrong??), so I'm trying out Napster...

But I've just downloaded my first tracks (ahem, first ever legal tracks :sly: ), and they are in .wma format, and I can't seem to convert them to .mp3 as they are protected...

So, a few questions...

1. Can iPods, iTunes and Apple Mac computers also play .wma files?
2. Can you convert .wma to .mp3 legally?
3. Can you buy songs from iTunes from the UK using a debit card?

Any help would be much appreciated... 👍
 
Hmm, I'm sure you could aquire software that removes the protection if that is a problem.

The other weird thing about one of the napster deals is that you can only listen to the music straight off the server, you can't actually download it :irked:
 
Touring Mars
Thread ressurection... :sick:

I've just downloaded the all-new legal Napster here in the UK... it's got a free trial for 7 days, and then you pay for it... but I was going to subscribe as a birthday present for someone, but they have a Mac and will probably be using iTunes and buying an iPod soon too... but the iTunes store doesn't seem to be available here in the UK (or am I wrong??), so I'm trying out Napster...

But I've just downloaded my first tracks (ahem, first ever legal tracks :sly: ), and they are in .wma format, and I can't seem to convert them to .mp3 as they are protected...

So, a few questions...

1. Can iPods, iTunes and Apple Mac computers also play .wma files?
2. Can you convert .wma to .mp3 legally?
3. Can you buy songs from iTunes from the UK using a debit card?

Any help would be much appreciated... 👍
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Hello TM,
- wmv and .wma files cannot be read by itunes and Quicktime.
- Windows media player (mac) is available for free download.
- To convert WMA, ASF & WMV files to MP3 or WAV on Mac:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/23003
-Here is a free PC app that converts wma to mp3. Everybody needs iTunes!
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/win/35199


- UK iTunes payment info. Debit cards are accepted.
http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/store/buy.html
That should do the trick.

Edit:
It appears that EasyWMA is now priced at $10 USD. My copy came as freeware.:grumpy:
 
Heads up! If you are using Napster you may want to read this.
 
eek39co.gif
 
Remember when Napster was cool?
 
Thanks Sam, that's very helpful indeed... 👍 :)

I didn't know that about Napster, Alpha... if that is indeed the case, then it sounds like a waste of money... :grumpy: Thanks for the article! 👍 Going to have to read the small print...
 
Have you guys checked out Rhapsody?

I guess it's about the same as Napster.. Thing is, though, they have a few different levels of subscription.

See, I don't have an iPod, or anything similar for that matter, so for me, Rhapsody offers the Unlimited package. That's $10 a month, and you get basically the same thing as the Napster to go thing, except without the unlimited transfering of songs to mobile devices.

They do offer unlimited downloads of DRM-WMAs, for storage on something like a laptop, so you could still listen to your music while offline, but yeah.

They also offer their own Rhapsody To Go thing, like Napster, which is $15 a month as well and basically offers the same stuff as Napster. I was just giving a heads up on the $10/month Rhapsody thing.
 
You guys are all just kidding and playing along right? :dunce:
 
VIPFREAK
You guys are all just kidding and playing along right? :dunce:
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I was being serious about Rhapsody.

Let's look at it.. Mathimatically.

I pay $10 a month and listen to as much music as I want. I'm not looking at any of the songs I listen to as something I own, but rather just something I.. Uh.. Listen to.

It's the same thing as, say, those little satalite radio things. You pay so much a month to listen to music, but if you stop paying, you aren't able to listen to music anymore.

When you stop looking at it like like "I'm paying $10 a month to download whatever I want, whenever I want," but rather like a 24/7, music only, you select the songs, decent quality radio station, then it seems like a good deal. Because it is.

If one day I decide to stop paying the dollars for music, so be it. Because I'm not looking at like it like a downloading service, all I'm losing is the ability to listen to my huge custom radio station. Not all of my billions of songs I downloaded.

Now, of course, this wouldn't be of any use to someone who relies heavily on portability, but for less than a CD a month, you can listen to as many artists as you want, for as long as you want, on demand in your house (or anywhere with a computer and an internet connection), I mean, come on.

👍
 
Burnout
Now, of course, this wouldn't be of any use to someone who relies heavily on portability, but for less than a CD a month, you can listen to as many artists as you want, for as long as you want, on demand in your house (or anywhere with a computer and an internet connection), I mean, come on.

👍
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yeah well you can do the same thing at yahoo music for free so...
 
OK, now I've had a bit of a chance to look into it, and here is what I make of it...

Napster, on the surface, seems like an unbelievable deal... £10 a month for unlimited legal downloads... even after just 3 days of free trail, I've already legally acquired a shocking 627 songs :sly: , but with a download speed of > 850 KB/s (he he, T3!!), I can download a 4 MB song in just 5 seconds...

The problem is that they are not .mp3's.... they are DRM .wma files. DRM is Microsoft's Digital Rights Management protection system, which means that I can download and listen to the songs (as if they were .mp3's) on my PC, but can't burn them, copy the files to CD, or move them on to a portable device (like my Creative Zen mp3 player)... in other words, because I haven't paid for the full access .mp3 (which costs the same as iTunes at 79p a song), then my usage of the files is restricted.

The thing about keeping the files is this:

Once you're subscription stops, you can no longer access the files using the Napster software and Napster will delete them from your computer if you leave them in the original desitination folder... if you move them, however, Napster cannot delete them... they are still legally yours though, since you paid for them on the basis that you possess the protected files (which cannot be shared).

So, in other words, I am downloading like mad until Friday, and then I may keep my subscription, but since I can't listen to the songs anywhere other than this computer, it might just be a waste of time...


P.S. Could someone possibly move this thread into the Music forum?? :) :)
 
I think the songs have a timer on them so they'll stop playing after a certain date,IIRC.
 
Really? Nuts... :grumpy:
 
Yes, I did... thanks Jack 👍

... but I also discovered that 'Napster To Go' means buying the unprotected .wma file (at about 79p per song), and so it won't work with the mega-cheap (practically free) DRM-protected .wma files :(

Either way, they have you by the jaffas...
 
Oh my mistake. I didn't realise 'To Go' was different to what you meant. :dunce:

I wasn't fishing for gratitude I just wasn't sure if you saw it. ;)👍
 
:lol:

Yes, I did check it out... I didn't know Napster To Go was different either, but it's called that because 'Napster To Go' songs can be transferred to your MP3 player (because they are unprotected) but normal protected .wma files cannot :grumpy: They don't tell you that though... they should call those files 'Napster To Stay Well And Truly Put'... 💡
 
There is a program called Tunebite that automatically records songs that you play using Windows Media Player, automatically making an unprotected copy of the song that you have. It apperantly is legal because "it is completely legal to record and playback on a different reproducer of yours" and it "does not bypass any digital copy protection and therefore conforms with all digital copy protection measures". The program is only a trial though, so you'll either need to buy it or crack it somehow.
 
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