STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

All files downloaded from iTunes are protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM) so you can't share the files for free like we once could in the early Napster days. Basically, it's just a layer of encryption added to every file by Apple so that the artists get paid for their music. This was the only way the record companies would agree to make their music available on iTunes. My apologies if you already know this, but maybe somebody else reading this doesn't.

The only way to remove DRM from music purchased from iTunes without compromising quality is with 3rd party software like JHymn http://hymn-project.org/.

OR

You can create a playlist in iTunes, burn your DRM protected (iTunes purchases) files as a music CD, then take the songs on that CD and import them again as MP3 (check/change your burn and import settings in your preferences before you do these 2 steps). I would select the highest quality MP3 import settings possible if file size isn't an issue. Theoretically, sound quality will still be compromised after double encoding, but you might want to give it a try to see if it's acceptable to you before you go the JHymn route.

Good luck and let us know how severely the quality deteriorates if you try double encoding.

hey roxy, thanks for the jhymn link. it appears that anything bought with itunes v6.0 and beyond can't be stripped of its DRM. do you know where i can get previous releases of itunes? i upgraded to 7.something recently