Re: [Gtkpod-questions] gtkpod + itunes drm m4p files

[Mike F. <ml...@vi...>]

Well I'm gonna post my results here because I searched so long on google
and couldn't find any other accounts of this.

initially, like I said, I transferred an m4p track to my ipod using
gtkpod.  The song came up correctly on the ipod songlist, but did not
play when I started it. 

So I proceeded to install itunes7 on my vmware winxp machine.  Once
ready, I started itunes and connected the usb ipod device to the windows
vm through vmware.  To my surprise, it7 did NOT automatically destroy
the ipod's contents.  Instead it came up with a wizard-style setup.  I
carefully unchecked automatic sync and proceeded through the setup.
After a few minutes of waiting the ipod finally came up under itunes
with all the media I transferred under linux!  I went into the ipod's
songs and played a couple and they worked!  More importantly, I searched
for the m4p file that I had added previously with gtkpod and that played
too (under itunes).  I tried playing a video that I added to the ipod
earlier via ipod-encoder... and winXP bluescreened on me (lesson
learned).  

So after changing the ipod to manual sync, I purchased a song and
dragged it into the ipod and ejected it.  Nervously I checked the ipod
for songs and found that they were all still there!  I went to play the
song I just purchased on the ipod and it came up with album cover and
started playing perfectly.  Secondly I went to play the older original
m4p that I had added with gtkpod and it also plays now!  So I'm assuming
itunes properly "authorized" my ipod without destroying its contents.  I
haven't tried this with videos yet but I'm betting they would work now
without having to use itunes (but I will if I need to).  The only
unpleasantness to this whole experience was that itunes had managed to
completely reorganize (or deorganize) all of my artist and genre fields
causing me some frustration, but well worth it to find a way to legally
beat the DRM.  

Lesson learned:  it7 and gtkpod can play nice together with the right
settings.


On Sun, 2007-02-11 at 20:32 +0900, Jorg Schuler wrote:
> Mike Farrell wrote:
> > So you're telling me if I buy and transfer a protected track with
> > itunes, then future m4p transferred with gtkpod will play?
> 
> No. I was saying "The iPod seems to play other tracks added by gtkpod 
> just fine afterwards". No guarantees.
> 
> > What about videos and ibooks too?  or do I have to buy and transfer one file of
> > each type to "enable" its decryption
> 
> Sorry, I have no idea. I haven't deeply looked into the replay-protect 
> mechanism yet and rely on what I've heard. If anyone has first-hand 
> experience please let us know.
> 
> 
> JCS.
> 
> > On Sun, 2007-02-11 at 02:07 +0100, Jorg Schuler wrote:
> >>> I'd really like to buy some m4p and other drm'ed things on the itunes
> >>> store and add them to my ipod since I can't get that stuff anywhere
> >>> else.  I was able to add an m4p file to the ipod using gtkpod, but the
> >>> ipod won't play it (just goes back to main menu when I try).  Is it
> >>> possible to authorize my ipod to play these songs without destroying my
> >>> existing library I've build using libgpod?
> >> Strange, isn't it. You can copy the files just fine but the iPod won't play them... it's a replay-protection system, not copy-protection system.
> >>
> >>> There /has/ to be a way to do this.  I'm not trying to sync the tracks
> >>> using itunes.  Once I get the DRM keys on there, I should be able to
> >>> sync using gtkpod and the ipod should just play them, right?
> >> The only way so far is to transfer one track with iTunes. The iPod seems to play other tracks added by gtkpod just fine afterwards. But I've never tried it...
> >>
> >> So we would have to find out where to put the key into the iTunesDB and then would be able to add m4p as well.
> >>
> >> If you tell me where to put the key... as I'm not about to buy any kind of replay-protected music anytime soon...
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >>
> >>
> >> JCS.
> >>
> >