How to remove DRM from wma files?

[Comdrpopnfresh]

My school waives bandwidth usage when we use a music provider called "Ruckus." The service allows you to download files for free as a student where non-students have to pay for the subscription service. Ruckus fully allows transferring of songs to portable devices, but only the ones that are 'play4sure' and support drm.

I don't intend to distribute the music illegally- everyone here at school can get it for themselves from ruckus, so there'd be no point.

However, having an ipod means I can't put ruckus-sourced songs on it.

Is there a drm-removing program that'll work with Vista32 to strip the drm and allow me to legally listen to music on my ipod? I like getting free music, but when I can't use it with the device of my choosing, I'm forced into a situation to either use a drm-free pay service or procure songs illegally.

I'm not interested in software to remove the drm by means of running xp or another os virtually- I only want a straight program. I'm somewhat familiar with tunebite and fairuse4wm, but I'm under the impression tunebite isn't a full digital reproduction, as it loops the output+input of sound devices to rerecord the media. So that's not a choice I like much either.

Basically, is there a version of fairuse4wm, or something similar which works with Vista32 with the latest updates installed, and windows media player version 11.0.6001.7000?

 

[lxskllr]

Does the Ipod support wma? If not your best bet is to burn it to a cd, and re-rip as mp3.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Ruckus restricts burning of the downloaded tracks. You have to pay to have burnable tracks, which I think are still drm-protected. Burning tracks to cds constantly and then ripping is a mass of time and wasted materials I want to steer clear from. Itunes does convert wma files- I convert all media added to my itunes library to the aac format. But that cannot be done with drm-protected files.

 

[lxskllr]

I used fairuse before under XP, but I haven't since. I quit using music services that incorporate DRM. I guess fairuse doesn't work under Vista?

 

[0roo0roo]

i would so not support such a service with my business.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

FairUse4WM doesn't work on the latest version of WMA DRM so I'm afraid you're out of luck there, at least for now. You're getting free music on the condition that you play by their rules so I guess you're stuck - either take the free music and use it on whatever device you can, or pay for your music. TBH I'm amazed that Apple is so stubborn they're not supporting PlaysForSure songs, but it's a real bastard of a DRM method.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Are there licensing fees involved with supporting drm and separately being 'playforsure' certified? If there are, I place the blame on microsoft. Either apple doesn't give in, and the services microsoft sways keep a portion of the market open for microsoft licensed products, or apple gives in and pays the fees. The damn drm doesn't even do what it's supposed to, given there are programs out there that strip it.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
The damn drm doesn't even do what it's supposed to, given there are programs out there that strip it.

Looks like its working pretty good. How many acceptable solutions have you found?

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

It's supposed to keep people from illegally sharing, not selectively baring compatibility with devices the end user has a right to choose and be able to use equally to another.

 

[tcsenter]

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
It's supposed to keep people from illegally sharing, not selectively baring compatibility with devices the end user has a right to choose and be able to use equally to another.

I must have missed the part in the constitution where end-users have rights to play DRM-protected content on any device of their own choosing. I swear I've read that thing all the way through several times.

DRM is supposed to selectively bar compatibility with devices. You're thinking of something different, like Unrestricted Digital Rights Unmanagement or UDRU, better known as "buying the CD".

Did you recently wake-up from a coma that you were in for a decade or longer?

 

[lxskllr]

Alternatively, give Jamendo a try. You won't find the mass market twats there, but there's tons of good music to be had for free. Just open up your mind, and your ears ;^)

 

[The Boston Dangler]

op, what you're asking for is exactly what drm prevents. it sounds like you'll have to convert the ruckus tracks to pcm, then reconvert to the format of your choice. i wouldn't bother physically burning cd's, unless ruckus forces you to.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Play the song while you have Audacity open and record what's being played?

 

[Nothinman]

Ruckus fully allows transferring of songs to portable devices, but only the ones that are 'play4sure' and support drm.

Sounds like you just answered your own question. In order to play the songs legally you need to use a device that Ruckus supports.

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender
Play the song while you have Audacity open and record what's being played?

Sounds like this is how to do it. Alternative you could connect a male to male jack from the speaker slot to the microphone slot and use some other kind of recording software.

Also, youtube is the new google. A search for "remove drm" returns many results.