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Posts with tag WMA

Filed under: Audio, Internet

Sony kills off Connect online music store, ATRAC format

Sony ConnectSony's introducing a new line of Walkman media players with support for video playback. While this is a first for the company, we're much more excited about a corollary to that story: Sony is killing off its Connect music store and along with it, the proprietary ATRAC music format.

In a nutshell, ATRAC files sound about as good as any other compressed digital audio files. But unlike MP3, OGG, and WMA files, you can pretty much only listen to ATRAC files on Sony devices. That's because not only does ATRAC use DRM, but most manufacturers just don't support the standard.

Sony's switching from ATRAC to WMA in its new players, and phasing out the Connect Music Service starting next year.

The company will be giving customers "the best possible guidance on how to successfully transfer your music library to an MP3 or Windows Media-compatible format." It's not quite clear whether that means Sony will be providing conversion tools or just instructions. Updates will be available on the Connect website.

Oh yeah, and they recommend using up any account credit or promotional vouchers you've got before March of 2008. In other words, don't expect to get a cash refund if you don't use them by the time the store closes.

[via Engadget]

Filed under: Audio, Video

CodecInstaller: free program for installing A/V codecs

CodecInstaller
CodecInstaller does exactly what you would think. It installs codecs. Audio codecs, video codecs. All the usual suspects, DivX, XviD, Windows Media, AAC, you name it.

Of course, if you've got a good media player like VLC or ZoomPlayer, you probably don't need a separate program to install these codecs. But CodecInstaller can still come in handy if you want a lightweight program for analyzing audio and video files.

Just click the analyze button at point CodecInstaller at your mystery file. It's not perfect. For example, when we tried to analyze several DivX recordings made using BeyondTV, it could only find info for the audio codec, not the video codec. But if you want to know the bitrate, framerate, codec, or dimensions of that file you downloaded from the interwebs, you might want to give CodecInstaller a try.

[via Lifehacker]

Filed under: Audio, Microsoft

FairUse4WM now defeats Zune DRM

FairUse4WMSeveral months after Microsoft dropped its lawsuit against the developer of FairUse4WM because it couldn't find him or her, the utility has been updated to version 1.3 Fix-2.

FairUse4WM strips DRM from Windows Media Audio files purchased online. The latest version can remove DRM protection from songs downloaded from Microsoft's Zune Marketplace, meaning you can play your legally purchased music on pretty much any device, not just Microsoft's Zune.

It's not clear whether the update comes from the same developer Microsoft was after or a new hacker. However, the new program was uploaded by a Doom9 Forum member named "Divine Tao," which is an anagram of Viodentia, the name the original hacker had gone by.

[Thanks Abdul!]

Filed under: Audio, Utilities, Macintosh, Shareware

Making WMA files Mac-friendly

How many times have you wanted to save a WMA audio file into your iTunes library on your Mac, only to realize that the only tool you can use to play the file is the Mac version of Windows Media Player?  Not a happy situation. Thankfully, the good folks at TUAW pointed out a tool that makes rapid-fire conversion of WMA files into iTunes-friendly MP3 a snap.  Called EasyWMA, this piece of $10 shareware lets you queue up a batch of WMAs to convert while you pour yourself a cup of coffee or play World of Warcraft.  One small bit of caution, though--the program might not support the latest WMA 10 format. Check it out here.

Filed under: Audio, Video, Macintosh, Apple, Microsoft

Microsoft distributes WMV/WMA component for QuickTime

Flip4MacIt's not often that Microsoft distributes third-party tools on its own web site, but it looks like they're making an exception for Flip4Mac, a plugin for QuickTime Player that lets Mac users to watch WMV and listen to WMA files without downloading Windows Media Player. It supports pretty much all the formats that WMP9 does, and since it's a QT plugin, it'll also let you watch streaming Windows Media files inside Safari.

[Via Digg]

More on Microsoft-MTV Urge music store

UrgeLast night Bill Gates, assisted by Justin Timberlake, used his CES keynote to officially announced Urge, the new music and media store from Microsoft and MTV that we reported on a few weeks ago. The service will have two million songs, more than 100 CD-quality radio stations, and exclusive MTV content. Currently Urge.com is a "coming soon" placeholder, curiously hosted on a Sun server.

Filed under: Audio, Utilities, Macintosh

Easily convert WMA files to MP3s with EasyWMA

EasyWMA screenshot

EasyWMA is a tiny app for OS X that will convert those wacky Microsoft WMA audio files to iPod-friendly MP3 files. Unfortunately EasyWMA won't convert DRM-protected files, but you get what you pay for.

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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