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What's new in JHymn 0.9.2:

Fixed a compatiblity problem in the FairKeys feature caused by a recent Music Store change. (JHymn is still not compatible with Music Store accounts with which purchases have been made using iTunes 6, however.)

Unfortuantly for those of us that upgraded to iTunes 6.0 without looking first, JHymn no longer works with iTunes.

Since iTunes 6 came out and broke the Hymn Project I have stopped buying music from the iTunes Music Store and have instead taken to browsing torrentz.com and other similar sites (but never downloading from them, of course, as I have heard that doing so is illegal.)

Perhaps I am in the minority, but I want to do whatever I want with music I purchase. If I can't do that with iTunes then I simply won't spend money there.

But JHymn does. http://www.hymn-project.org/

http://hymn-project.org/jhymndoc/

If you can't buy downloadable music online without DRM, piracy begins to look pretty appealing. Pay and be restricted, or pirate and play anywhere?

There are tools to strip the DRM and get a plain old AAC file or you can just burn them to CD and re-rip to mp3.

Yes---I've had success using software from Project Hymn to strip away pesky DRM.

The DRM could be stripped out easily from earlier versions of iTunes' songs using Hymn, but they haven't cracked the new one yet.

While I am not a fan of DRM at all, the iTunes model is pretty reasonable. My only real complaint is they won't let you stream the videos using the built-in share functionality of iTunes.

If you install and buy anything with iTunes 6, hymn can no longer snag the keys to unlock anything you bought previously, and can't crack the new stuff, yet. So you're screwed once again.

Read the warning here.

I only know of one tool: hymn (Hear Your Music aNywhere) (formerly called PlayFair) http://hymn-project.org/

You must be referring to Hymn, which has been broken (disabled) by iTunes 6.

So it has in fact been resiliant about being cracked.

Then use JHymn to unlock the tunes. I don't pirate music, I use it all by myself. But I would not buy from the iTunes music store if JHymn wasn't available. I've already had problems with songs not authorizing on my computers for one reason or another, and it is just about the most annoying thing.

In fact, the latest iTunes patch broke JHymn, and I'm not buying any more from Apple until JHymn has a way to get around their latest tricks.

That doesn't really answer the AAC on different platforms problem... does it? I don't know -- I only listen on my Mac at the moment. But I can always rerip them to mp3 if I have to for a small quality penalty. A bit annoying, but I'm also betting AAC will be common enough in the next few years...

Cheers.

Well, you can de-protect your ITMS purchased files with Hymn.

I don't know what the hell you'd do with protected Windows Media files. Cry I guess.

I know how you feel. I have an iPod Photo. I have a car stereo and Treo cell phone that use MP3s natively. My "workout music player" is a Cretive Labs Muvo TX that plays MP3s and Windows Media Files.

The key for me is to use "lowest common demoninator" file formats, which means MP3s. iTunes is a fine Ripper, so I have it set to "Import Music" (that is, rip from CDs) in MP3 format (usually 192 kpbs, but sometimes 160). Stuff winds up in iTunes' library automatically.

OK, so that handles ripping my CDs and making them work on the iPod.

When buying music from the iTunes Store, it comes as AAC files with DRM. Big hassle, since it only works in the iPod (and iTunes, of course.) Fortunately, you can use Hymn (or JHymn) over at http://www.hymn-project.org/ to convert these store-bought songs into MP3s with just a few clicks. Problem: it doesn't work with iTunes 6, at least yet. The solution here is to keep using older iTunes. Since I don't need to download and play video, I still use iTunes 4.9, available from http://www.5star-shareware.com/Windows/Music/Multi mediaPlayers/itunes.html, or version 5.x is over at: http://www.oldapps.com/itunes.htm.

Now how to pull out iTunes files for other players? idleTunes to the rescue! It can take any playlist in iTunes and copy the MP3 files out to another folder, with the files named and numbered how you like them. It does other good things too. And for free. Get it from: http://www.idletunes.com/.

And that's how I keep my music flowing between all my devices. Works great. Hope this helps.

If you want to buy songs from the iTunes music store, you need an IPod...

Plain and simple.

Open Source will never change that.

It already has.

Or even better, use software from the Hymn Project to convert your protected AACs in to DRM-free ones without having to burn and re-encode your music.

That's not true either. Alright, so maybe you're not supposed to be able to use iTMS without an iPod, but with a simple little java program you can convert into non DMS mp3's.

http://www.hymn-project.org/download.php

Or use hymn.

Will this work with JHymn, which decrpyts the locked files and can translate them to mp3 (for those of us with mp3 players != iPod*)? Or have they chosen to make it harder for us to exercise our fair-use rights by breaking JHymn (like they did with 4.5, 4.7, etc.)?

Everyone seems to love Apple but no one talks about the dirty tricks they play on non-iPod users who still like iTunes (for example, in one release of iTunes, all files it found that were converted by JHymn were permanently locked!!)

Somewhere near here: http://www.hymn-project.org/

http://hymn-project.org/

it strips the DRM out of the files

There are ways of getting around the DRM. For one, you can just use a converter. I just converted about 50 or so of my protected files into MP3's that can be played on any ordinary MP3 player, using JHymn.

> Apple's iTunes demonstrated many people are willing
> to live with some DRM and hardware/vendor lock-in."

Or are willing to pay for their music and then liberate it using Jhymn.

Personally I can't see why anyone would collect music in iTunes DRM, it has no real value, at least if you have a CD you can re-sell it and use it with whatever device you want.

It's easy enough to strip off the DRM. Hell, iTunes will burn a fully standards-compliant audio CD for you if you can't figure out Hymn. Either way, you can play your downloads on whatever device you want. I played my iTMS downloads on my Palm (transcoded to Ogg Vorbis at first, but now it'll play AAC) long before I bought an iPod.

I do all these things using iTunes and Hymn (http://hymn-project.org/).

I am getting a response, and can see the site... Its at: http://www.hymn-project.org/

right?

Note: You can't convert DRMed files you purchased to mp3 in iTunes...

I have a directory of iTunes Music Store downloads on my server at home that says otherwise. Using just iTunes itself, you can burn .m4p files to CD, rip the CD, and encode to whatever format you want. iTunes combines ripping and encoding in one step, with the option to encode to AAC, MP3, or Apple Lossless. You can also rip to WAV if you want to use an external enecoder to do Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, or whatever. With Hymn, you can get rid of the DRM to get .m4a files that can directly be transcoded to another format if necessary.

I used to transcode my downloads to Ogg Vorbis for playback on a Palm with AeroPlayer, but I probably won't be doing that as much now that I have an iPod. Getting rid of the DRM on iTMS downloads is still useful, though, as the unprotected files can be played and tagged by third-party apps (mplayer and xine don't like .m4p files).

Unless, of course, there are AAC to mp3/ogg/wmv converters out there than can convert Apple's DRMed version, and if there are, please tell me where, because I've looked and haven't been able to find any that work.

http://hymn-project.org/jhymndoc/ removes the drm protection on Apple DRM songs you own.

What will happen when Apple goes bankrupt? Or when the next generation of mini-players comes out with a new DRM?

You must be thinking of the OTHER music companies, that re-authorize every month or what have you.

If Apple went out of buisiness, you music would continue to play on your current Mac until the end of time.

However, like you say eventually you'd want to move the music. Two options then:

CD's - I can burn any ITMS song to CD as much as I like (limit of ten burns a playlist, but I can always make new playlists...)

Hymn - I can convert protected AAC files into unprotected AAC files, which I can then play on anything that undrestands AAC (most PC players, not many portables) or convert it from there.

So yeah I feel sorry for anyone buying music from anywhere other than ITMS or AllOfMP3.com. I still don't like to use AllOfMP3 though as I don't feel it gives artists as much as it should. Perhaps in the future I'll buy from ITMS, then buy the non-lossy version from AllOfMP3. Too much work though, so I probably wont...

The wired article covers this, but the plugin does integrate with hymn to allow removal of DRM as music is copied to your ipod. This allows you to keep your ipod a DRM free zone.

Stupid retard.

You're right, digital signatures and encryption have never been cracked.

~jeff

No, not Apple. Apple has gone out of their way to ensure that you have somewhat generous rights with the music you purchase from their store. This is keeping the RIAA people happy.

More like: Sponsored by the RIAA and Microsoft!

If you aren't happy with the DRM on the iTMS songs, I suggest the HYMN project.

http://www.hymn-project.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t =637&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

Try it yourself or see the forum.

I have no problem with DRM because there will always be people like DVD Jon who will crack it. That way, everybody wins: the companies get money from people that legimately download songs, and the people who don't like DRM will be able to get rid of it. I've run several songs that I've downloaded from iTunes through JHymn and produced MP3 files without DRM. So, let companies feel secure and buy DRM music. Then, remove the DRM portion of it.

Your songs will live and die on that iPod like a caged animal and your investment will forever be tied to Apple's largesse--and the life-span of your iPod.

I disagree. Just get this.

SiO2

I'm not entirely convinced that legality is the issue (home-taping/burning and modification by the purchased user, if AFAIK "fair-use"). It is more the fear (and in some respects rightly so) of the RIAA and Apple of the said purchased media being deseminated.

Pure and simple, distributing copyrighted material (whether you burn CDs using iTMS tunes or you break the DRM) is illegal. However, what you do with your purchased music in private (e.g. for yourself, on your own computer) is your business, so long as you are not deseminating it to those who didn't buy it, or you are not using the said copyrighted material for public performance. Electronic media, in terms of copyright, does not disallow personal backups, remixing for fun (no profit), or any sort of arbitrary modification. You own that file, albeit, not the media therein (the music in this case).

In the cases of fair-use, home-taping has been defended (likewise photocopying library books for personal/academic/private use). There are certain rights that extend to the public over what they own.

In the case of DVD Jon and others, what they see that they are doing (and arguably they are) is cleverly extending the capabilities of the end-user in lines of usage. When exploited for desemination, profit, and piracy, it is not the process or tool that is wrong, but the use. The tool does have legitamate, legal uses (playing purchased media on your Linux box, for example).

I personally think PyMusique, Hymn, and the FairPlay mechanisms for VLC are legitimate and can (and should) be used for Fair Use. If exploited, like any other tool, for illegal ends, then the people infringing on copyrights should be prosicuted (albeit the RIAA has been in recent years more proactive is fining grandma and various 12-year olds that busting pirating rings).

I have been using Hymn for months now, for fair-use purposes. I buy from iTMS (when you ride the Boston T every morning and evening, your iPod is your best friend) and I frequently get gift cards from family. I and my fiance think it is great, however, if she buys something and I buy something and we want to make a mix CD for our car when we go on a trip, something that allows extended fair-use would be great.

I personally, and I don't think I am alone, think what DVD Jon is doing is great because it is useful to the consumer (although as a side effect, the pirate). The consumer can better enjoy the beniefits of the purchase.

This will probably be corrected by iTMS with a subsequent version of iTunes and I have no problem with that. Apple is there to make money from their sales (so preventing piracy is a good motive) and they have to protect the fidgety record labels who are still uncomfortable with digital media, although CDs themselves are not secure in any regard. Those (like DVD Jon and myself) who see a need as a consumer to modify their legitamately purchased music to use it on all computers/OS they have, should make an effort to archive their media in forms they can use, with the technology at their disposal, and if the DRM system is changed, keep up or enjoy what they already bought.

Somebody mentioned subscription services, and I don't think that subscription services are only legally de-DRMed if you currently subscribe to the service, e.g. it is blantantly illegal to rip and crack a storehouse of music and continue to use them once you no longer subscribe. However, with these models, fair-use would apply to burning CDs for your car, ripping tracks and making MP3s for your iPod or whatever. It is when the use is exploited and people are not being pais is when you have a problem.

Good point. But since they're both music in file format it would be nice if Apple would trust me enough to convert the ACCs to MP3 -- I'll keep dreaming I guess.

Meanwhile, another poster mentioned Hymn which seems to convert ACCs to MP3s. That's just what I need!

Hmm ... does iTunes have an API that would enable me write a Hymn plug-in?

Sam

I used Hymn to remove DRM from some songs so I could move them to an older model Creative MP3 player. It seemed to work fine for me.

Sorry, this is a lame arguement. You should add "... and I am anal about not introducing artifacts into my purchased music..." or "... and I don't want to use Hymn to remove the protection". You see, you can always convert your AAC tracks into a CD/loseless and recompress the music into mp3/ogg/whatever, or just rip out the Fairplay protection and keep the music.

However, the argument that you're supportting still stands: iTMS really has no serious competitors... I wonder why no other players will team up their (good) player with a (good) site and at least make a good run at being 2nd in this market? I mean, almost all other pay-for-music services totally suck (except maybe allofmp3.com, but that's a whole 'nother story). Is there simply NOONE else out there with the guts and innovation enough to take on Apple? Jeez, it's not like they're Microsoft...

I agree, but the only "DRM that I can live with," is DRM that I can remove.

Heck, with Hymn they could even add support for iTMS files, outside of the US anyways. Not that it matters. If I wanted to change portable players I'd just find one that played unprotected AAC and run my music through Hymn myself. But there don't seem to be any options out there!

The arstechnica article says...

Additionally, while the court ruled that the Toner Loading Program is not copyrightable, it agreed that the Printer Engine Program was a copyrighted work. However, the argument that SCC's Smartek chip provided unauthorized access to the Printer Engine Program was dismissed on the basis that it was the consumers' purchase of the printer that established such access, and the program in question was freely available to read electronically in memory. SCC's actions thus constitute a legal replacement of Lexmark's Toner Loading Program.

If that's actually what the judge said (I'll have to read the case when the EFF publishes it), that would set a very interesting precedent. Essentially, it seems it would make hymn perfectly legitimate. In hymn's case, the user has purchased the player and the music, and is authorized to play the music. iTunes has an EULA that Lexmark didn't, so I suspect that will come into play, too.

Here's my writeup about the DMCA, which I wrote because a project of mine might have been subject to its restrictions.

um...JHymn removes the DRM from iTunes purchased songs. JHymn Article on Slashdot
Link to the main site

iTunes DRM isn't liberal enough. It breaks the most basic kind of interoperability: You can't listen to music on a non-iPod mp3 player.

Still, at least there are fixes available (hymn and iOpener). AFAIK, there's no equivalent fix for Microsoft DRM yet, but that's only because so few people use it that no-one has bothered to develop one.

or just get hymn...

Disclaimer: I don't mind paying money for good songs at all. I use JHymn to play songs on other platforms for which iTunes is not available. JHymn works beautifully for this purpose.

Robertson said he's not worried about the record labels and their requirements for rights-management technology. ... "I think the labels are interested in one thing: selling," he said. "If you build the audience they will come.

I think he's probably right, but I wonder if the bigwigs at the record labels are willing (or even care) to listen to his argument. It's not as if Apple didn't try:

When we first went to talk to these record companies -- you know, it was a while ago. It took us 18 months. And at first we said: None of this technology that you're talking about's gonna work. We have Ph.D.'s here, that know the stuff cold, and we don't believe it's possible to protect digital content. ...

And the way we expressed it to them is: Pick one lock -- open every door. It only takes one person to pick a lock. Worst case: Somebody just takes the analog outputs of their CD player and rerecords it -- puts it on the Internet. You'll never stop that. So what you have to do is compete with it.

At first, they kicked us out. But we kept going back again and again. The first record company to really understand this stuff was Warner. They have some smart people there, and they said: We agree with you. And next was Universal. Then we started making headway. And the reason we did, I think, is because we made predictions.

I think the general consensus is that even though Jobs and his "Ph.D.s" knew DRM is always crackable, Apple still needed to implement some form of DRM in order to convince the record labels to open their catalogs. For the record companies in April of 2003, ever chary of the Internet, DRM was non-negotiable.

My question is: what's changed since then that would cause them to reconsider? After all, iTunes has shown that a service offering DRM tracks can be wildly successful. So why would the record labels want to open their catalogs to a DRM-free solution from some dude who made his name pawning a Linux desktop?

Anyway, this is definitely something to watch. I sincerely wish him luck. I just hope he can get the labels to open their catalogs.

FYI, you can un-DRM your iTMS songs with Hymn. This is exactly what Hymn is intended for. Very convenient.

The project site is: http://www.hymn-project.org/jhymndoc/ It has already been slashdotted.