How do I convert an M4P to an MP3

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:41 am

If you buy anything off of itunes music store, it gives the songs to you in this format and protects them so I can't just convert them to MP3. Does anyone know a way I can get around this?

Thank you,
Jen

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:01 pm

I found this, looks a little complicated though:

http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread. ... #post19292

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:02 pm

These look like more cut and dry instructions, using the same utilities:

http://www.bpurcell.org/blog/index.cfm? ... entry=1036

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:41 pm

Okay, so I downloaded that thing and the problem is that it cannot get past the protection on the M4Ps that itunes uses. Is there something I can use to rip that off the M4Ps before converting them?

Thanks again,
Jen

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:05 pm

I'm not sure I understand.....so the m4p files are on your hard drive somewhere, right?

You can copy them out of there to another location, correct?

1. Download hymn http://www.hymn-project.org/ To make the instructions as simple as possible download hymn and unzip it to the C:\hymn directory. Hymn is a command line tool for windows that is pretty easy to use. There is a GUI available for the MAC.

2. Copy the mp4 files you want to convert to C:\hymn (if you understand windows you can just add c:\hymn to your path, if not don't worry and continue).
open a MS dos command prompt window start>>accessories>>command prompt

3. Run hymn on each of the files you are converting
C:/>
C:/> cd hymn
C:/> hymn thenameofthefileiwantoconvert.m4p

You will need to do this for every file you want to convert or put multiple files in the command line

C:/> hymn filetoconvert1.m4p filetoconvert1.m4p

The m4a files will be created in the same directory. You can use the hymn command line options if you want to send them to another directory.

^^^ Does this step not work for you?

dudley dawson · Post by **dudley dawson** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:09 pm

in the past ive just burned it to a cd
then ripped the cd
in half with my teefuses

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 6:03 pm

Damnit, I downloaded Jhymn instead of Hymn. Will go back and try again.

Thanks.

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 6:47 pm

Okay, I tried that and I'm getting this. What part am I missing?

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:17 pm

Ok, you are close.....Ms. Clarke...

Try this first so your DOS window isn't too cluttered:

Then just type 'hymn filename.m4p' where filename equals the exact name of the m4p file. Don't include the apostrophes, btw.

Sorry, when reading the instructions posted above from that site, I can see how it would be misleading.....

Beek · Post by **Beek** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:20 pm

First, rename the file and remove any spaces in it. Just call it "beware"

Then open up command prompt and enter this instead:

Code: Select all

c:
cd \
cd hymn
dir

in the output you get from dir, you should see "beware.m4p." If so, then enter this:

Code: Select all

hymn beware.m4p

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:32 pm

Thank you beek and Matt W for your patience. Way to blow up my own spot!

I did EXACTLY what you said, and I get the following problem:

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:39 pm

Man, I wish I could hop into your PC...haha.....

The problem is that the executable for hymn is in the folder hymn-0.7.1 so you need to type:

cd hymn-0.7.1

then do the:

hymn beware.m4p

BUT!!!!!!!

You will need to move the m4ps into that folder first!!!

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:52 pm

Thank you for being so patient, I know I'm a train wreck at this.

Now I got this!

And the MS DOS box said "Couldn't get DRM key for user" for the beware file and when I tried Reunited I got "Couldn't open file: (null)"

What the hell does that mean!?

PS - I hit the debug key - was that bad?

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:59 pm

Hey no problem....no damage done by hitting debug, other than wasting your time. Just click don't send to those things, always.

Oh yeah, and I am looking into what is causing that error, others have gotten it too, it seems.

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:02 pm

Found this so far.....still looking:

3.7.

Couldn't get DRM key for user.

This happens when one of the user keys could not be decrypted with the system key and could not be found in decrypted form on a connected iPod. Ensure that the computer in question is authorized to play the input file(s) and (if on a non-Windows system) that the iPod contains the song, is connected and is the only device on the FireWire bus.

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:04 pm

Oh shit.....I knew I should have stayed away from Apple related topics....

I just found this....

http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=4449

Read the last post....I may have wasted your time, my bad.

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:12 pm

Okay, so I should just burn them to cd, and re-import them to itunes as an MP3. That's okay, I am sure I wasted more of your time! Thank you as always for any help, I don't ever know what the hell I am doing (I'm a Microsoft victim

)

All I really want to do is upload some singles to MP3X!

squ1d · Post by **squ1d** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:14 pm

Yeah, Willie's suggestion looks like the less painful way to go.....

I was reading that the iTunes update or iPod firmware update causes this, so you could potentially roll back the software, but yeah.....sounds like more pain and frustration just waiting to happen.

Jennie C · Post by **Jennie C** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:16 pm

Haha! I'll use Willie B's idea just because downloading and installing software doesn't seem to be a forte of mine.