Author Topic: DRM Management (Read 37242 times)

rno2 · « **on:** July 28, 2010, 12:25 AM »

I am looking for a software that will scan my mp3's and detect if it is using drm. Then check to see if the drm is valid and if it is not, then delete the track. I have many old tracks from napster to go and I want to remove them. Unfortunately I did not put them in their own folder.

skwire · « **Reply #1 on:** July 28, 2010, 12:37 AM »

Are they tagged in any useful way? Also, I'm not sure how you'd determine if the DRM is "valid".

J-Mac · « **Reply #2 on:** July 28, 2010, 12:52 AM »

Are they tagged in any useful way? Also, I'm not sure how you'd determine if the DRM is "valid".
-skwire (July 28, 2010, 12:37 AM)

Many DRM controlled tracks require a check with an online server; WMP does this which is why some tracks can't be played in WMP, at least 11 and 12. I guess rno2 is wondering whether or not any app can run a check like WMP without having to try to play each track. Like a background check?

Jim

skwire · « **Reply #3 on:** July 28, 2010, 12:55 AM »

I guess rno2 is wondering whether or not any app can run a check like WMP without having to try to play each track. Like a background check?
-J-Mac (July 28, 2010, 12:52 AM)

That's what I'm saying...I'm not sure this can be done.

skwire · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2010, 01:05 AM »

Well, I could write a simple app that would attempt to play each track and any that errored would be considered DRM-protected. I'd need some sample files to work with, however.

J-Mac · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2010, 01:41 AM »

These tracks must have some coding in them somewhere that triggers the license check, I would think. Of course I know nothing about coding so I am probably way off, but how else does WMP know to play or not play them?

Thanks!

Jim

skwire · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2010, 02:28 AM »

Right, but, what I'm saying is that duplicating that check probably isn't going to be easily doable, if at all. That's the whole idea behind these closed DRM systems. That being said, I could easily write an app that would attempt to play the track and, if the track errored, consider it DRM protected. I have no way to check if said DRM is valid, though, without reverse-engineering the respective DRM system (and I won't be doing that).

Curt · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2010, 04:30 AM »

AudialsOne, Aimersoft, Daniusoft, DrmRemoval, and Wondershare will all auto-find your drm protected files. But they will offer to remove the protection by converting the files, not to delete the files. I don't know of any program that from the word Go will offer to delete the drm protected files. If the drm protection cannot be removed, at least this way you will know where the files are located.

The programs will find the drm protected files no matter if they can be converted or not. Meaning, that you can ask the program to auto-find and convert all your drm files, and when the converting is done, you can read in the program's window which files were not converted and where they are placed. These are the files you want to delete.

From there, you can use a program like ABBYY Screenshot Reader to get a list of the files. And from there it is just of matter of minutes before skwire or someone else can write you a snack to do the rest...

Curt · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2010, 04:43 AM »

@ rno2, or anyone!, can you please zip and attach one or two napster files, (<5MB), so I can check if any of my drm removers will offer to delete them? I don't have any "not-valid" drm files to test this.

J-Mac · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2010, 02:02 PM »

I have some Napster files but they are not DRM-protected. I downloaded them way back before Napster was even sued in the beginning. I do have a few that WMP thinks are DRM-protected but truly aren't. (I downloaded them when I had a Rhapsody subscription but ended up purchasing them, however WMP still refused to play them when Rhapsody was no longer installed on my box.) Not sure if that would work for you. Actually, not even sure which ones they are!!

Jim

rno2 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2010, 10:04 PM »

I keep getting timed out when I try to upload.

J-Mac · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2010, 11:17 PM »

Are they too large for the board?

Jim

rno2 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 29, 2010, 12:23 AM »

Maybe, let me try one at a time.

rno2 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 29, 2010, 12:25 AM »

Song number one.

rno2 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 29, 2010, 12:27 AM »

Song number two.

Curt · « **Reply #15 on:** July 29, 2010, 03:37 AM »

as I expected; my drm programs will not offer to (convert or) delete the files. However, Daniusoft Video Converter Ultimate and AudialsOne will offer to open the containing folder, file per file. Tedious, if you have a lot, but usable. Aimersoft, DrmRemoval, and Wondershare would not offer to open the containing folder.

Of the two, Audials is by far the better program, but total overkill for this job.
Daniusoft is sometimes available on Giveawayoftheday.

rno2 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 29, 2010, 04:45 PM »

I will see what AudialsOne will do for me. I forgot that I own that software. I will update on what it does.

rno2 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 30, 2010, 12:44 AM »

It did not work. It needs to have a current DRM that will let you play the music. Mine was outdated. Oh, well. Thanks everyone.

skwire · « **Reply #18 on:** July 30, 2010, 12:51 AM »

At the very least, I could write you a small app that would scan your files for ones that contained DRM i.e. errored out when attempting to play them. It could then offer to move/delete/whatever those files. Would this be helpful to you?

J-Mac · « **Reply #19 on:** July 30, 2010, 01:32 AM »

Hey rno2,

You can make the tracks playable if you wish. Just burn them to a CD and then rip the CD back to your hard drive again. The DRM should be gone.

Jim

Curt · « **Reply #20 on:** July 30, 2010, 04:23 AM »

AudialsOne, ...

... will find the drm protected files no matter if they can be converted or not. Meaning, that you can ask the program to auto-find and convert all your drm files, and when the converting is done, you can read in the program's window which files were not converted and where they are placed. These are the files you want to delete.

From there, you can use a program like ABBYY Screenshot Reader to get a list of the files. And from there it is just of matter of minutes before skwire or someone else can write you a snack to do the rest...

-Curt (July 28, 2010, 04:30 AM)

Darwin · « **Reply #21 on:** August 02, 2010, 09:41 AM »

Hey rno2,

You can make the tracks playable if you wish. Just burn them to a CD and then rip the CD back to your hard drive again. The DRM should be gone.

Jim
-J-Mac (July 30, 2010, 01:32 AM)

I think the issue is that some tracks will no longer play. I have this problem as well - and it really pisses me off! I purchased some tracks through Puretracks years ago and over time the DRM licenses have been lost (I've gone through two or three new computers since then). Fortunately, I always rip my purchased tracks to CD. However, to recover them to mp3/wma there will be further data loss when I re-compress them.

At any rate, I too would love an application that would scan my collection and offer to delete tracks for which the DRM is missing.

skwire · « **Reply #22 on:** August 02, 2010, 09:46 AM »

As I mentioned before, it would be a piece of cake for me to write an app that would attempt to play any file you throw at it and allow you to delete the ones that won't play. Obviously, I can't test for the actual presence of DRM crud but the fact that a file won't play should be a pretty good indication. Would you be interested in something like this?

Darwin · « **Reply #23 on:** August 02, 2010, 10:18 AM »

Hi skwire - yes, I think I would be interested in something like you describe. What would you do - have the app output the file path to a text file or something?

J-Mac · « **Reply #24 on:** August 02, 2010, 11:41 AM »

Mike, are you saying that burning the tracks to a CD and then ripping them back to your hard drive is not working? I understand that they won't play as is but you can still burn them even if you can't play them, right?

I mentioned this because I have done this in the past and it worked for me.

Thanks!

Jim