how do you convert .wma files to .mp3?

[edprush]

I paid to download 2 .wma files from walmart.com and I was wondering if I can convert them to .mp3s.

 

[0roo0roo]

there is no lossless method. its like photocopying a photocopy. it can be done, but its not optimal

 

[edprush]

What do you recommend?

 

[x1v]

nt

 

[secretanchitman]

easy cd-da extractor.

works for me...

 

[edprush]

I guess it's impossible to convert .wma files to .mp3 if they are licensed (like my .wma's are).

 

[Pretty Cool]

Obviously, those Walmart files are copy-protected so programs that convert only non-protected .wma to .mp3 will not work. I have tried Tunbite, but it did not work very well. Soundtaxi is another utility that claims to work, but I do not have enough experience with that utility to give you an answer.

 

[neutralizer]

If you have the license to burn them as an audio cd, burn it either as a disc or image and then rerip into mp3. Some sound quality will be lost though.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Well if there is DRM included with the song, the only thing you can do is burn the music onto a cd, then rip it back into your computer and use maybe itunes to recode it. And what are you doing buying stuff on walmart.com

 

[TheVrolok]

If it's DRM and you CAN'T burn it with your license you can always play it and use an audio capture program to capture the wave out from your soundcard and then convert that captured audio into an mp3. However, I will not be held responsible for any loss in quality.

 

[edprush]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Well if there is DRM included with the song, the only thing you can do is burn the music onto a cd, then rip it back into your computer and use maybe itunes to recode it. And what are you doing buying stuff on walmart.com

I couldn't find anywhere that I could only d/l singles in mp3 format. Walmart was at least using a file format I'd heard of and a player (Windows Media) that I already had.

Do you have any better suggestions?

 

[shortylickens]

If you cant do a staight digital conversion you can try running a dubbing cable form your line out to your line in. But like TheVrolok said, the quality will degrade, even over that short a distance.

I wonder, are there any apps around for dubbing internally?
I mean, you play a song with one program and it copies the audio data before it even gets to the sound card.

 

[Evander]

i have never done this personally with a drm wma, but have you tried playing with winamp and then using:
Preferences -> plugins -> output -> waveout

here's a related link:
http://www.betanews.com/article/AOL_Updates_Winamp_After_DRM_Snafu/1108766330
http://www.rarewares.org/others.html

If that doesn't work, search for "Total Sound Recorder". It's not free though but maybe the trial version will be good enough to get this one job done.

But like others mentioned, first see if it's possible to burn to cd and then rip to mp3 (like itunes is said to allow). I looked at walmart homepage and it says you can burn to cd so I'd say you're good to go:
"How do I burn a CD?

Start by playing the song using Windows Media Player. This will ensure the license has been activated, which will allow you to burn it to disc.
On the Windows Media Player File menu, select CDs and Devices, and then Burn Audio CD.
In the left pane, select the playlist in your library that contains the songs you want to burn. After you do, the number of songs and total time will be displayed at the bottom of the pane.
To add or to remove songs from the playlist, click Edit Playlist. Add additional songs from your library or clear the check boxes for the song you want to remove. Change the song order by clicking and dragging the song into position.
Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW in your CD drive.
If using a CD-RW disc that already has songs or data on it, click Erase Disk to erase the CD.
To change CD settings, such as the CD write speed or quality level, click Display Properties and Settings.
In the right pane, select Audio CD.
Click Start Burn.
It's best not to use your computer or run other programs on your computer while burning a CD."

 

[tfinch2]

You can use this, but you might lose some quality

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

 

[edprush]

Originally posted by: Evander
i have never done this personally with a drm wma, but have you tried playing with winamp and then using:
Preferences -> plugins -> output -> waveout

here's a related link:
http://www.betanews.com/article/AOL_Updates_Winamp_After_DRM_Snafu/1108766330
http://www.rarewares.org/others.html

If that doesn't work, search for "Total Sound Recorder". It's not free though but maybe the trial version will be good enough to get this one job done.

But like others mentioned, first see if it's possible to burn to cd and then rip to mp3 (like itunes is said to allow). I looked at walmart homepage and it says you can burn to cd so I'd say you're good to go:
"How do I burn a CD?

Start by playing the song using Windows Media Player. This will ensure the license has been activated, which will allow you to burn it to disc.
On the Windows Media Player File menu, select CDs and Devices, and then Burn Audio CD.
In the left pane, select the playlist in your library that contains the songs you want to burn. After you do, the number of songs and total time will be displayed at the bottom of the pane.
To add or to remove songs from the playlist, click Edit Playlist. Add additional songs from your library or clear the check boxes for the song you want to remove. Change the song order by clicking and dragging the song into position.
Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW in your CD drive.
If using a CD-RW disc that already has songs or data on it, click Erase Disk to erase the CD.
To change CD settings, such as the CD write speed or quality level, click Display Properties and Settings.
In the right pane, select Audio CD.
Click Start Burn.
It's best not to use your computer or run other programs on your computer while burning a CD."

Do I have to actually burn it to a cd? Can't it be 'burned' to a folder on a hard drive?
I just didn't want to waste an etire cd on two songs but if I need to, I will.

thanks.

 

[Evander]

With other cd burning programs you could probably make an image file of the cd and then mount the image using of virtual cd drive like daemon tools. But with the Windows Media Player burner I would guess that's not an option (i never use it though). Save yourself some trouble and just burn the CD. Or CDRW, that way there is no wasted cd since you can delete contents afterwards

 

[edprush]

Thank you. I will try it and report back as to how well it worked.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: edprush
Thank you. I will try it and report back as to how well it worked.

If you would use the software I recommended, you'd be listening to the mp3s already.

 

[Xyclone]

db PowerAMP

 

[Drakkon]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: edprush
Thank you. I will try it and report back as to how well it worked.

If you would use the software I recommended, you'd be listening to the mp3s already.

have you even tried putting DRM protected WMA's into audacity even? I know i've tried and every time it craps out on me...

I use a prog called:
http://www.musicstacker.com/
you have to listen through all the songs but i just set it up overnight with a buncha music and by morning i have a ton of new mp3's. All its doing is taking speaker output and recording it so you can loose some quality but if they are napster/walmart songs you dont loose much

 

[edprush]

Originally posted by: Evander

But like others mentioned, first see if it's possible to burn to cd and then rip to mp3 (like itunes is said to allow). I looked at walmart homepage and it says you can burn to cd so I'd say you're good to go:
"How do I burn a CD?

Start by playing the song using Windows Media Player. This will ensure the license has been activated, which will allow you to burn it to disc.
On the Windows Media Player File menu, select CDs and Devices, and then Burn Audio CD.
In the left pane, select the playlist in your library that contains the songs you want to burn. After you do, the number of songs and total time will be displayed at the bottom of the pane.
To add or to remove songs from the playlist, click Edit Playlist. Add additional songs from your library or clear the check boxes for the song you want to remove. Change the song order by clicking and dragging the song into position.
Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW in your CD drive.
If using a CD-RW disc that already has songs or data on it, click Erase Disk to erase the CD.
To change CD settings, such as the CD write speed or quality level, click Display Properties and Settings.
In the right pane, select Audio CD.
Click Start Burn.
It's best not to use your computer or run other programs on your computer while burning a CD."

Was I supposed to rip it to CD as a .wma ?

That's what I did and it still doesn't allow me to convert to mp3.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Drakkon

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: edprush
Thank you. I will try it and report back as to how well it worked.

If you would use the software I recommended, you'd be listening to the mp3s already.

have you even tried putting DRM protected WMA's into audacity even? I know i've tried and every time it craps out on me...

I use a prog called:
http://www.musicstacker.com/
you have to listen through all the songs but i just set it up overnight with a buncha music and by morning i have a ton of new mp3's. All its doing is taking speaker output and recording it so you can loose some quality but if they are napster/walmart songs you dont loose much

http://www.digg.com/music/Convert_DRM_.wma_to_non-DRM_.mp3_with_Audacity

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: TheVrolok
If it's DRM and you CAN'T burn it with your license you can always play it and use an audio capture program to capture the wave out from your soundcard and then convert that captured audio into an mp3. However, I will not be held responsible for any loss in quality.

This is what Tunebite does..

Open Tunebite, add DRM protected files to the list you want to record to MP3..
Tunebite will then launch the appropriate player for the DRM protected content, and in the background, Tunebite will record in real time. (This is the only downfall.. its real time, so it takes forever).

Supposedly Tunebite 2 supports high-speed dubbing of the playback & recording, sort of like the old cassette to cassette recording days..

 

[corkyg]

The issue is but two songs in .WMA format with assumed DRM protection.

DRM

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Pretty Cool
Obviously, those Walmart files are copy-protected so programs that convert only non-protected .wma to .mp3 will not work. I have tried Tunbite, but it did not work very well. Soundtaxi is another utility that claims to work, but I do not have enough experience with that utility to give you an answer.

Tunebite didn't work for you? Did you try throttling back its accelerated playback? It worked quite well for me even at 4x.

Originally posted by: edprush

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Well if there is DRM included with the song, the only thing you can do is burn the music onto a cd, then rip it back into your computer and use maybe itunes to recode it. And what are you doing buying stuff on walmart.com

I couldn't find anywhere that I could only d/l singles in mp3 format. Walmart was at least using a file format I'd heard of and a player (Windows Media) that I already had.

Do you have any better suggestions?

The only places you'd have a chance of buying real MP3 format files is from the artists themselves if they're operating on their own. They Might Be Giants sells songs in MP3 and even some FLAC right on their website. The MP3's are even encoded using LAME.