Comments on: I Want My Walkman Back http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html Sun, 12 Oct 2008 10:22:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Jason Kuznicki http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-212 Jason Kuznicki Sat, 30 Jul 2005 13:46:16 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-212 Thanks for the suggestions. It's funny, I expected this to turn into a discussion of copyright restrictions; instead, it became a discussion of practical workarounds so we don't have to bother with them. I've now gone with Scof's suggestion. For some reason the WMAs <em>still</em> won't convert to MP3s, but that's okay with me. I am now in the process of re-ripping every CD I own. It's tedious, but in the end it means I can break free from Windows Media Player, which I have always detested. (By the way, Vorbis sounds wonderful in theory, but I want to use the portable player I already own and also be able to listen to my files on any future devices I may have.) Thanks for the suggestions. It’s funny, I expected this to turn into a discussion of copyright restrictions; instead, it became a discussion of practical workarounds so we don’t have to bother with them.

I’ve now gone with Scof’s suggestion. For some reason the WMAs still won’t convert to MP3s, but that’s okay with me. I am now in the process of re-ripping every CD I own. It’s tedious, but in the end it means I can break free from Windows Media Player, which I have always detested.

(By the way, Vorbis sounds wonderful in theory, but I want to use the portable player I already own and also be able to listen to my files on any future devices I may have.)

]]> By: Matthew http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-209 Matthew Sat, 30 Jul 2005 05:18:06 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-209 If I remember correctly, vorbis has significantly better sound quality but it also is a much larger file. If you're not worried about storage space at all you might as well just convert to raw wavs. If I remember correctly, vorbis has significantly better sound quality but it also is a much larger file. If you’re not worried about storage space at all you might as well just convert to raw wavs.

]]> By: Matthew http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-208 Matthew Sat, 30 Jul 2005 05:16:29 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-208 Media Player will rip to mp3 now, i think it used to only go to wma, but the format never caught on so they've put it to the back burner and accepted mp3s superiority. I think it still rips to wma by default, you might have to tinker with the preferences. Media Player will rip to mp3 now, i think it used to only go to wma, but the format never caught on so they’ve put it to the back burner and accepted mp3s superiority. I think it still rips to wma by default, you might have to tinker with the preferences.

]]> By: A Steve http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-205 A Steve Sat, 30 Jul 2005 03:01:16 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-205 I've been ripping to Ogg Vorbis rather than mp3 lately. I just wish more CD burning programs supported it. I’ve been ripping to Ogg Vorbis rather than mp3 lately. I just wish more CD burning programs supported it.

]]> By: Anon http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-198 Anon Fri, 29 Jul 2005 21:19:17 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-198 1. Install Linux (optional) 2. Convert all your music to Ogg Vorbis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorbis) 3. Use a portable player that supports Vorbis 4. Enjoy your music and have some peace of mind. Wikipedia also has a list of portable players that supports Vorbis. 1. Install Linux (optional)
2. Convert all your music to Ogg Vorbis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorbis)
3. Use a portable player that supports Vorbis
4. Enjoy your music and have some peace of mind.

Wikipedia also has a list of portable players that supports Vorbis.

]]> By: Jason Kuznicki http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-196 Jason Kuznicki Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:52:15 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-196 I do have the CDs still, but I was just wondering whether there was a way I could plunk the wmas onto the portable player. Also I was complaining about our overly restrictive copyright regime... I do have the CDs still, but I was just wondering whether there was a way I could plunk the wmas onto the portable player. Also I was complaining about our overly restrictive copyright regime…

]]> By: Michael LoPrete http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-194 Michael LoPrete Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:20:16 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-194 Dolphin, another option would be to make music CDs out of the wma's. the files on a stanard music CD are (so far as understand) basically wholly uncompressed .wav files, and you would probably get less quality loss burning to a Cd and then ripping than from the direct conversion, for whatever reason. Speaking of walkmans, by the way, have you checked out sony's latest offering in the flash drive music player market? It's pretty swanky. Sony had fumbled for a while with the digital music player thing, so it's good to see them back on track. Dolphin, another option would be to make music CDs out of the wma’s. the files on a stanard music CD are (so far as understand) basically wholly uncompressed .wav files, and you would probably get less quality loss burning to a Cd and then ripping than from the direct conversion, for whatever reason.

Speaking of walkmans, by the way, have you checked out sony’s latest offering in the flash drive music player market? It’s pretty swanky. Sony had fumbled for a while with the digital music player thing, so it’s good to see them back on track.

]]> By: dolphin http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-193 dolphin Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:11:05 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-193 I'd re-rip them as MP3s, like others have suggested. If you no longer have the CDs and can't get conversion sofwater to work with them, you can rip them from the WMAs (I'm not recommeding this unless other options fail). Just run your computer's line out to it's line in and then rip from the line in (most rippers will do this and I KNOW MusicMatch will). I’d re-rip them as MP3s, like others have suggested.

If you no longer have the CDs and can’t get conversion sofwater to work with them, you can rip them from the WMAs (I’m not recommeding this unless other options fail). Just run your computer’s line out to it’s line in and then rip from the line in (most rippers will do this and I KNOW MusicMatch will).

]]> By: worm eater http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-192 worm eater Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:03:28 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-192 <i>there can be loss of quality through the conversions</i> This is probably the best reason not to convert between formats. But if Jason is having trouble just getting the files onto his player, converting them is most likely not an option anyway. Any DRM that would keep the file off of a device would also prevent conversions to DRM-less formats. there can be loss of quality through the conversions

This is probably the best reason not to convert between formats. But if Jason is having trouble just getting the files onto his player, converting them is most likely not an option anyway. Any DRM that would keep the file off of a device would also prevent conversions to DRM-less formats.

]]> By: Michael LoPrete http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-191 Michael LoPrete Fri, 29 Jul 2005 18:43:30 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-191 "Can you convert the wma’s to mp3’s? Yes, I think so; but if it's like my experience converting mp3's to AAC or vice versa, you're better off re-ripping the CD; there can be loss of quality through the conversions, and I'm not sure how much faster converting is (my assumption is that it's negligible. “Can you convert the wma’s to mp3’s?

Yes, I think so; but if it’s like my experience converting mp3’s to AAC or vice versa, you’re better off re-ripping the CD; there can be loss of quality through the conversions, and I’m not sure how much faster converting is (my assumption is that it’s negligible.

]]> By: Scof http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-190 Scof Fri, 29 Jul 2005 17:57:34 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-190 Can you convert the wma's to mp3's? I use this: http://www.poikosoft.com/ It's frickin great. Can you convert the wma’s to mp3’s? I use this:

http://www.poikosoft.com/

It’s frickin great.

]]> By: worm eater http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-189 worm eater Fri, 29 Jul 2005 17:12:18 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-189 The thing is, file sharing has not been shown to hurt music sales. In my experience, downloading a few songs by an artist generally makes me more willing to buy their albums, since I become more familiar with their music (I don't listen to the radio). At the same time, I can sometimes find music that I really enjoy on the peer to peer networks that is simply not available anywhere else. So while I generally think that it is immoral simply because it is breaking the law, in my experience downloading music illegally has led me to buy more music, get more excited about music, and get music that I <i>can't</i> buy. PS yeah, you should be able to rip the files in as MP3 with no DRM -- then they will be playable on all digital music players. A few albums actually try to keep you from ripping them as MP3 -- but this is still pretty uncommon. And there are always workarounds. The thing is, file sharing has not been shown to hurt music sales. In my experience, downloading a few songs by an artist generally makes me more willing to buy their albums, since I become more familiar with their music (I don’t listen to the radio). At the same time, I can sometimes find music that I really enjoy on the peer to peer networks that is simply not available anywhere else. So while I generally think that it is immoral simply because it is breaking the law, in my experience downloading music illegally has led me to buy more music, get more excited about music, and get music that I can’t buy.

PS yeah, you should be able to rip the files in as MP3 with no DRM — then they will be playable on all digital music players. A few albums actually try to keep you from ripping them as MP3 — but this is still pretty uncommon. And there are always workarounds.

]]> By: Chris Berez http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-188 Chris Berez Fri, 29 Jul 2005 16:52:12 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-188 Damnit, what's wrong with Bad Company? They have some great songs. Granted they don't hold a candle to a bands like The Velvet Underground or the Pixies, though. Now, if you wanna talk about artists that are embarassing to admit to liking in public, try Tori Amos and Ani Difranco. Oh, the shame... Damnit, what’s wrong with Bad Company? They have some great songs. Granted they don’t hold a candle to a bands like The Velvet Underground or the Pixies, though.

Now, if you wanna talk about artists that are embarassing to admit to liking in public, try Tori Amos and Ani Difranco.

Oh, the shame…

]]> By: Michael LoPrete http://www.positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-187 Michael LoPrete Fri, 29 Jul 2005 16:42:22 +0000 http://positiveliberty.com/2005/07/i-want-my-walkman-back.html#comment-187 Two possible solutions come to mind: 1. Download the music you own. You have a copy already, and so i don't think you do anything illegal when you get another. 2. Re-Burn your CD collection, making sure to do it in mp3's (at a quality rate somehwere between 128-192kbs; 128kbs will make the music about 1meg per minute in size and is find for 95% of people). Turn off all DRM - you're not sharing it, no one will hack your computer to steal it, so there's no reason to cripple your files in any way. You're also probably better off getting something besides windows media player. My choice is iTunes, and though interfacing is probably less pleasant when not using an iPod with it, is still doable... another good choice (I think) is MusicMatch or even WinAmp. Two possible solutions come to mind:

1. Download the music you own. You have a copy already, and so i don’t think you do anything illegal when you get another.

2. Re-Burn your CD collection, making sure to do it in mp3’s (at a quality rate somehwere between 128-192kbs; 128kbs will make the music about 1meg per minute in size and is find for 95% of people). Turn off all DRM - you’re not sharing it, no one will hack your computer to steal it, so there’s no reason to cripple your files in any way.

You’re also probably better off getting something besides windows media player. My choice is iTunes, and though interfacing is probably less pleasant when not using an iPod with it, is still doable… another good choice (I think) is MusicMatch or even WinAmp.

]]>