copy protected WMA to MP3/other?

[97tbird]

I got an account with Ruckus.com to download unlimited music (it's free for any US student with a valid .edu email address now). I normally listen to these songs with WMA, and would like to convert/burn these files. Neither works because they're copy protected.

Is there any free program out there that can convert/burn these copy protected WMA files?
I feel a bit bad asking this, but at least i get the music in a nice legal way...

Thanks.

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

Here dude, try this website http://www.copyprotectedwma.com/. I have never used it before, nor have I used ruckus, but it may be worth a shot.

 

[eljefino]

Worst case you can always do a loopback cable to record the audio out.

Some sound card drivers allow the output channel as an input source, just don't monitor the input while you do this or you'll get feedback.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Worse yet, the free Ruckus only gives you the right to play those files for 1 month. After that, I guess you'd have to re-download them if you wanted to listen to them again.

 

[97tbird]

QP,

I think that's the case with the free Ruckus for the general public. For the college students, you can have the songs as long as you want afaik. They do check you graduation status with the college every term.

edit:
I just read that the license for already downloaded songs renew automatically when you play them again; but in most cases according to FAQ (for college student accounts), they're playable as long as you have the account.

 

[Virtuoso]

There is a program called Tunebite that uses WMP to play your files and then encodes them into MP3s. I reccomend doing this at night or at a time of non-use though so it has your PC's "full attention".

 

[CivicFan]

I signed up for Ruckus in the morning and still haven't received the activation email. Should it take this long (4 hours already)?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Strange. I got my confirmation within 1 minute. Did you give them an email addy that ends with .edu?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Quote:

---

There is a program called Tunebite that uses WMP to play your files and then encodes them into MP3s. I reccomend doing this at night or at a time of non-use though so it has your PC's "full attention".

---

And to ensure no additional quality loss, it would be preferable to save Tunebite's output as .wav and use that for CD burning. Otherwise, transcoding from one lossy format to another, quality takes another hit (like photocopy of a photocopy), but I guess it's better than nothing if you want to transfer the audio to an mp3 player.

 

[sxg6]

I use TotalRecorder for things like that. It's not a converter, it just has the ability to record any audio you are playing on your pc in perfect quality. The only downside is that you have to sit through the entire song, which isn't bad if you only have a few tracks to do.

http://www.highcriteria.com/

 

[97tbird]

I did it!!!
got the great and free audacity recorder, and recorded the WMP song as it played, and saved it as MP3.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[sxg6]

I decided to download audacity, very nice program!

 

[Quattro Pete]

I tried recording in audacity as the WMP played, but somehow the recording came out very flattened, ie. the bass notes were severely reduced. Gonna have to play around with the settings some more...

 

[97tbird]

yeah there's a bunch of stuff to adjust. my test came out great: no loss in quality...i set my bit rate to 256 kbps in MP3. (input should be set to "stereo mix")

 

[97tbird]

i wonder if there's a way in audacity to make it start recording asa wmp starts playing the track...so far I've had to hit play in wmp and then really fast hit rec on audacity...(or vice versa)..i wonder if it records any "dead space" if I start the audacity first and wmp song 2nd...or does is really just record when there's actual data being played? (ie doesn't record anything else other than the song even if you hit rec early?)

 

[Quattro Pete]

It starts recording as soon as you hit the record button. But once you're done recording, you can always go back and delete the silcence at the beginning and end of the recording before you save the file.