Re: [PLUG] moving from iTunes to Amarok

[Toby DiPasquale <toby@cbcg.net>]

On Thu, Jan 04, 2007 at 01:30:52AM -0500, Matthew Rosewarne wrote:
> On Wednesday 03 January 2007 14:05, Art Alexion wrote:
> > 1.  the amarok-xine engine has its problems, but it plays m4a files nicely.
> > Hence, it is unnecessary.
> 
> True, the only downside is that you have to install legally questionable 
> (read: "almost certainly illegal in the US") software which is not available 
> in any standard Linux distribution.  To install an m4a codec you would have 
> to get the "faad" software from a non-official repository, and probably 
> extensions/replacements for GStreamer or Xine.
> 
> > 2.  If you convert from lossy m4a to lossy mp3, you will further degrade
> > the sound quality.  Think of multiple jpeg saves.
> 
> Yes, although the reduction in quality would not be as great if a more modern 
> codec, such as ogg, were used.
> 
> > 3.  Even if you convert to cda (audio CD format)  the .cda file only has
> > the data of the original m4a, and if you convert/rip the cda to mp3, you
> > will lose even more.
> 
> Converting to a CD will get you precisely nothing, don't waste time on it.
> 
> > 4.  I'm not sure of this last one, but I have heard that the software in
> > the iPod itself converts mp3 to m4a/aac on the fly, and avoiding this
> > conversion by loading m4a/aac files saves battery life.
> 
> No, the iPod's audio chip is fully capable of playing mp3s, it would be 
> insanity to do it in software.
> 
> One important note:  If the m4a files in your collection are from the itunes 
> music store, you will probably not be able to play them outside of apple 
> products unless you break the copy protection.  The Windows/Mac program 
> called "JHymn" lets you do just that, but be aware that even posessing it is 
> illegal in the US.  You might potentially be able to circumvent (and possibly 
> legally) the copy protection by burning the songs to a CD and re-encoding 
> them, but that depends on whether those songs will allow you to do that, so 
> you should probably just use JHymn.
> 
> On Wednesday 03 January 2007 16:48, Kevin Brosius wrote:
> > Or try gtkpod, assuming you had a ipod as a reason to use iTunes.  It
> > can sync music between your computer and ipod device, and it seems like
> > it plays music locally.
> 
> Amarok has built-in support for managing music on iPods, so gtkpod shouldn't 
> be needed for that.

Are you a lawyer? If not, have you consulted with a lawyer on any of these
statements? You sure seem to be able to know what's legal and what's not.

-- 
Toby DiPasquale
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