MP3 Player Issues

[2.2 Straight six]

i have a SanDisk Sansa MP3, which despite its good looks and intersting array of feautures is a totally useless mixture of metal and plastic.

firstly, it won't "accept" music with a licence, so anything i legitimately buy for my listening pleasure can't be used on it. however, any music i steal via downloading can be used. so this idea of saving the music industry is flawed.

the second problems is getting the music onto the tempremental thing. when i first got it, any unlicenced music went on fine, in fact it seems it even took on some licenced music but it wouldn't play it. it displayed a message and skipped the track. i then went through the music and deleted it as per the instructions.

to delete the music, you are told to connect it to the computer, then use explorer to view the files, and delete a you would any other file on your computer. i did this, and for a while the devide "said" it had all the music still on it, the song list had all the titles, but no actual music. this caused it to freeze until switched off. i tried formatting it. but got a message along the lines of "the device could not be formatted" however, all title/music was gone.

now i try to upload music and it doesn't work. media player puts the music into "error" drop downs in the sync menu. the problem? "unknown error"

so my question is this, how do i remove ALL the licences for ALL my music so i can put it on the device? (i will store a copy of the licences on CD)

and any ideas about this error, and how to rectify it?

i don't know a lot about computer, except hitting them makes me feel better.

oh, and to save making another thread. is there a program out there that will allow me to watch NTSC/region 1 DVDs on my euro-spec computer?

Thanks in advance,
Chris.

[Neutrino]

I replied to your PM quite a while ago but you never got back. So let me ask you again, where do you get you music. We need to know so we can tell you if its posibile and what specific sofware you need to remove your particular version of DRM.


So post the type of music files and where you got them from.

[2.2 Straight six]

sorry about that. i forgot about it amidst "family issues" (long story)

they're all WMA files. media player converts them for me.

some are from CD, other are downloaded.


i know it's wrong, but it feels so right...

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

sorry about that. i forgot about it amidst "family issues" (long story)

they're all WMA files. media player converts them for me.

some are from CD, other are downloaded.


i know it's wrong, but it feels so right...

when you rip from Cd you should just rip them as unprotected wma (setting in media player for ripping) or use another piece of sofware to rip them as regular unprotected mp3s.

for the stuff you DL use this on wma files:
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail...M/1156529648/1

[2.2 Straight six]

Thanks.

[2.2 Straight six]

what does it mean by "recover keys" i don't understand that.

EDIT- it found some keys. seems it's ok.

can i just convert all my music in one go? or do i have to go through each album and do it that way?

i have 8gb of music and it'll take weeks to do it manually.

[Neutrino]

well i never used that since i never touch anything with that kind of drm so i'm not sure if it has a mass drm removal feature.


If its file by file i guess the best would be just to remove the drm on the files you need to listen on the mp3 player right then.

How is yout entire collection drm'ed though. Stuff you ripped from cds should not be unless you selected to add drm in wmp while ripping. In that case i would recomend re-ripping your cd colection with something else (flac would be nice if your player has support). and use that software just for the DL stuff.

[2.2 Straight six]

ahh crap...the "acquire licences" thing was enabled.

what happens if i find the file with the licences and delete it?

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

ahh crap...the "acquire licences" thing was enabled.

what happens if i find the file with the licences and delete it?

you will most likelly lock yourself out of those files. Those licences allow the DRM'ed files to be played.

[2.2 Straight six]

well that sucks...

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

well that sucks...

welcome to the world where our "Fair use rights" under the copyright laws mean squat due to corrupt piliticians overiding them with new laws. *cough* DMCA

Yes law abiding citizens that pay for music can't use it ain't it great.

Best thing you can do is vote with your wallet and pay only for non DRM music DL or non DRM Cds. you have to hurt them where they care, do not give them money to screw you over.


Anyway it looks like you'll have to re-rip those cds of yours and use that program to remove the drm on the files you DL.

[2.2 Straight six]

i'll hit them where it hurts, i'll steal my music.

i don't see why the MP3 player companies can't just make players that allow DRM files to play. it's rediculous.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

i'll hit them where it hurts, i'll steal my music.

i don't see why the MP3 player companies can't just make players that allow DRM files to play. it's rediculous.

no no they make players that play drm files. Its jut that they decide what drm works or not. take apple for example they made sure only the Ipods can play iTunes music. Microsoft is doing the same thing with zune (won't even support their own "Plays for sure" stuff - the irony).


Its all about vendor lock in

[2.2 Straight six]

gah!

i'm going to buy another HP handheld, like my old one (which i sat on...) because it worked flawlessly (until i sat on it) and played all my music without any problems.

screw the stupid SanDisk thing. it can spend another month on my desk untouched.

[ghostrx7]

i love my sandisk, i get all my songs off limewire, put them on my sync list in windows, and walla...