convert mpeg4 to mp3
 

Hi,

I just signed up for iTunes and downloaded a song, but it's being downloaded in MPEG4 format. Any ideas on how I can easily convert to MP3 so that I can play the songs on my clie?

-Chris

In iTunes. go to Edit, Preferences, Importing, change Import Using the MP3 Encoder, make sure setting us Good Quality 128, then click OK. Now right-click on the song you want to convert and select Convert Selection to MP3.

Nope, no luck. I still get the same annoying message:

"<name of song> could not be converted because protected files cannot be converted to other formats."

It seems that the import setting only applies when you import music in.

Ah, you must have bought a music track off an online music store? If that is the case, the only way that I know to get around that is to burn the song to an audio CD (or audio CD image) and rip the track back off the CD and convert it to mp3.

Yep, that seems like what I'm seeing in a lot of different posts to sites. Thanks for the confirmation on this.

It's not really that big a hassle to do. I bought my first two music tracks off walmart.com a few weeks ago and when I went to try to convert them for my clie and it would not let me, I was like "wtf, I paid for these." The license also told me I was allowed to only make about 5? copies of the song to CD and that was it. Quite rediculous. It only took five minutes to burn the image of the audio CD, rip it, and convert it to MP3 (with no accompanying copyright junk). I'll probably but more music from the likes of walmart, but I'll have to take the few minutes to convert them.

I tried all this and when I ripped back from CD the mp3 was only 500k (not the 5.9MB on CD) and just hissing sound. Any suggestions?

What program did you use to rip it and what bitrate?

Hmm...
 

I have this same problem.. downloaded a bunch of music from itunes and found out it really doesnt work with any mp3 players exect ipods. I've tried burning a cd using Nero 6 ultra but it wont even recognize the mpeg4 files...

Also, what is a good ripping (and burning mpeg4) software to use?

converting
 

Use the software e.i. itunes to make the audio cd most want you to
make a playlist then burn this to a cd after you make the audio cd then use your favorite ripper to convert it to mp3

I frequently use copytodvd (works for CDs too, of course) and audiograbber to rip. Like mropus said, you'll have to use the program with which you can actually play the copyrighted files to burn them to a CD. For example, the tracks I got from walmart would only work in WMP because only that app would download the license everytime I wanted to listen to the songs, so I used WMP to burn the songs to a CD in audio CD format, then ripped them, etc.

Thanks! It works!

Why don't you just BUY the CD that you want to rip and burn? If you can afford to have 5-6 PDAs, then you shouldn't even be thinking about how expensive CDs are. They're only $13 CAD at the most, unless you're crazy enough to buy it the day it's released which is almost ALWAYS $10 more than the regular price. I understand your want and need for MP3s to put onto your devices (whether it be a PDA or an MP3 player), but if you're willing to spend thousands of dollars on PDAs and MP3 players with all their optional gadgets, then you should be able to dish out no more than $20 for a CD that you want, and not burn it.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not one of those freaks who would kill you for not "supporting the arts" and all that kinda cr@p. i'm just tired of people with 2 laptops, a zillion different PDAs, and like 5 iPOD/ iPOD Minis (each one with a different colour face plate) complaining that CDs are far too expensive. obviously there's something wrong with them, and they've got way too low of a reservation price on CDs if they can blow away money on all those gadgets just to say that htey have them.

wouldn't quite say those are my 2 cents, but it sure feels good to say that a second time. the first was on the bus when some 16 year old kid was complaining about hte prices of CDs and Xbox/PS2 games all the while playing with his iPOD hooked up to his laptop, WHILE ON THE BUS.

daver

bleh... he already paid for the music once; why should he pay for it again just to get it on a CD? You sound like you're addressing a music pirate, and kanic and unregister3d appear to have purchased the music legally.

Wow...loosen the necktie man. These guys ARE buying music. I myself would rather pay to get a single song than buy an entire CD to get the one song I want. I also happen to think that CDs are too expensive for what they give you. There are sometimes only 1-3 songs you really want from an entire CD. So why should I pay almost $6.70 per song(3 songs on a $20 CD) just to get the tracks I want? I've not seen ANY musician on MTV Cribs that was struggling on what they were being paid..... I mean, a CD costs what, like $.10 to make...maybe? The people who are really screwing us are the recording companies. They are the ones making the most off of the 'intellectual property' of their artists. So yes, I think CDs are overpriced, just like gasoline. OPEC=RIAA

Besides, it seems like you have more of a problem with people having gadgets that you don't have. Don't worry, once you get out of school and have a job, you can buy all those things you want.....