INet Downloads and WinAmp
 

My music library consists of tracks I have ripped from CD along with those I have downloaded (WMA) from MusicMatch and MSN and... I have read things here in these forums and other places that say that WinAmp can't play the downloaded files or other files like WMP lossless but.... I have WinAmp 5 and it plays all these files fine except... the problem is... it doesn't put the downloaded files through the WinAmp DSP. In other words, things like the equalizer and the plug-ins are bypassed.

This is a particular problem for me because I put in a SoundBlaster SB Live and there is the SB Live resampling problem.. and I have installed the recommended 'pre-resampler' (to 48KHz) and that works fine but... with the downloaded files.... this along with DFX are being bypassed... and thus I have to use the SB Live DSP controls for the downloaded tracks... and live with the SB Live resampler problem.

If there is anything I can do about this? If not are there any plans in the future to fully support these types of files?

Thanks, DiT2

That is a restriction set-forth from Microsoft, so ya can't and probally never will be able to.

Hmmmmm... I am not a fan of MS but I don't think you can blame this one on them... as these tracks are put through the WMP DSP just like any other tracks. So, if WMP can do it WinAmp can also. Right now, I have not been able to find a 'pre-resampler' for WMP so guess I need to do that if I want to hear these tracks without the SB Live IM distortion in the high end.

But... get a load of this.... now.... with the WinAmp pre-resampler (HQSoftProc) installed... if I bring up WinAmp and immediately try to play a track that goes through the WinAmp DSP... WinAmp crashes every time. But.... if I play one of the downloaded tracks that do not go through the WinAmp DSP... it plays.... but the other tracks still cause a crash every time. But (yeah, even more 'but') if I play an INet radio station first (gets put through the WinAmp DSP) it plays and... then the non-download tracks play, no crashes no problem (sheesh).

And that is not all. I download and installed 5.24 to see if it would fix this problem and... didn't fix it and... had a NEW problem, with WinAmp freezing while waiting for a connect to an INet station. There is a lot of turnover in these stations and some you get no connect and that meant WinAmp freezing for like a minute or more. So, tried re-installing 5.2 to see if that would fix the problem and the instalation blew up so had to re-install 5.24 and.... far out... that fixed the problem (this 'new' problem that is).

Hmmmm... maybe I better not touch anything because who knows what might break next <g>.

DiT2

No, alas, it can't. Microsoft threatened a lawsuit unless we made sure that no DSP/Effects plugins can be used with drm-protected wma, and no Output plugins other than out_wave or out_ds can be used with them either.

The changes were made back in v5.08e
Any versions prior to that won't even support drm-protected wma.

WMA is Microsoft's proprietary format, so what they says goes.
You can use dsp and output plugins with non-protected wma, but not if it's drm'ed.
Sorry, but there's nothing we can do about it
(other than to advise you not to buy into drm).

Gracias por sus respuestas.Es genial el foro

Hmmm... when I read DJ Egg's comment... I slept on it a bit but when I woke up.... I was soooo ticked off.... I got on WMP and went to their Music Store and posted feedback (without logging on) saying I should sue them with a Class Action Suit (for millions of dollars all going to charity) for selling me music without informing me first that it would only get put through the WMP DSP.. but said I didn't have the time for this so instead I would not be purchasing any music from them anymore or using any or their other services and would in fact be deleting WMP from my system and ended up telling them.... that they should go rot in hell!

LOL... sheesh I was pretty ticked.

Anyways.... I have a post into Creative Labs to find out if their card DSP gets bypassed if all controls are off... and if their recorder (with it's own resampler) is before or after the card DSP. What I am trying to do is play the downloaded WMA files but record them in WAV (I guess) format.... then I can play them through WinAmp and they will go through the DSP. I tried this much and it works except.... if the signal got put through the SB Live DSP... well the damage has already been done. If the SB Live DSP can be bypassed or the recorder DSP is before the card DSP (unlikely) then this scheme will work else it won't.

Thanks, DiT2

You used to be able to use Winamp (pre v5.08e) to convert drm'ed wma into any other format (wav, mp3, ogg, etc), and it was a well-kept secret... until some jerkoff went and posted the method on slashdot, which brought it to the attention of Microsoft, who then acted accordingly.

Hmmm.... well, I guess I essentially got my problem solved. Yeah, went out on the INet and got a converter.

The purpose of copyright is to prevent people from distributing the Intellectual Property of a company for profit or for free and.... I am not doing that. I PAID for these files and at NO TIME was told that they would only be put through the WMP DSP. Then... found out here that that was the case and.... if there is anyone breaking the law here... the laws on anti-trust... it is Microsoft.

Whatever... another problem.... WinAmp hanging on me if I do not click on an INet radio station before clicking on a track that gets put through the WinAmp DSP.... simply went away... maybe when I installed the converter I dunno.

As far as the SB Live! DSP resample to 48K producing significant IM distortion in the high end... problem... with the pre-resampler installed (HQSoftProc) that eliminates the problem and... I have a post into Creative Labs as to whether or not the SB Live! DSP (I bought my SB Live! only about a month ago) gets bypassed if all the controls are off and... if so... well, I will not need the pre-resampler. I need the signal to go through the WinAmp DSP in any case, if not for the pre-resampler then for the DFX 3D and Bass controls... so I got like 30 or so files I have purchased over the INet and the converter will be used.... guess I am going with OGG format.

I have another problem with 5.24 freezing on me if I try to connect to an INet station and don't get a response... but will post that in a separate thread.

Thanks for your support!

DiT2

here's what happened to me
 

Maybe I'm just dumb but here's my story:

~I have Windows 2000
~I have Windows Media Player 9

I bought songs legally from walmart.com. They are wma files.

What I wanted to do was put them on my wma compatible mp3 player. Well, in order to do so I have to have WMP 10 or 11. In order to have one of those I need Windows XP. Well, now I'm just spending more and more money just to transfer songs that I legally purchased! This is just crazy.

Is there a place to purchase mp3's legally? Will this solve my problem? I wonder...hmmm.

I was looking at this winamp program and from viewing the posts, it looks like winamp won't help either.

I do think Microsoft is getting a huge advantage with these DRM files...look at how I'm gonna have to spend money on Microsoft products in order to do what I wanna do with these wma drm files! I really want to avoid feeding into this and giving Microsoft my $$ because I'm feeling tricked.

When you go to Microsoft's website, there are WMP 9 plug-ins but they require Windows XP! Grrr

HELP! =o)

"Is there a place to purchase mp3's legally?"

Yes. Don't buy into drm

www.emusic.com (mp3)
www.musicnow.com (non-drm'ed wma / usa-only)
www.legalsounds.com (mp3)
www.wippit.com (mp3)
http://www.warprecords.com/bleep/ (mp3)
http://www.goingware.com/tips/legal-....html#websites
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=52406

DJ EGG...
 

I was going to buy from emusic...but I didn't want to download their software to my 'puter. I have enough damn music type programs w/ itunes and wmp. Which of the ones you posted does not require a software download? Thanks so much.

My suggestion is to search the internet on plug-ins, MP3 WMA and look for a converter. The problem is.... most of these will not convert DRM files anymore. The one I found... does but not to MP3 (of the available options, the one that works the best is OGG). Worse case you could get something like this and convert to OGG and then to MP3 but, yeah, that would be a pain.

DiT2

emusic requires you to download a small, simple & harmless download manager, which is 100% safe & spyware/adware free (I use it myself), and it automatically downloads the files for you, and places them in whatever folder & subfolder structure you specifiy in the settings. Note, it's just a download manager, not a player.

legalsounds has an optional download manager, which is also 100% safe & pretty nifty, but you can download the files manually without it.

All the other sites don't require any software downloads.


And yes, there are drm'ed wma converters out there, but alas, I don't think we're allowed to discuss them here. Your best bet is to just not buy crap like that, heh.

thanks u 2!
 

I tried a converter that I paid $18 yesterday but it wouldn't work on the DRM. That's ok...I'm just gonna do the emusic. The converter I bought worked great for wma files that didn't have the DRM. I had to convert it wma to wav to mp3 but it was really quick. I may try the OGG just for these songs I'm having the problem w/. Thank you!!!

just download them using conventional p2p programs.

why should it be illegal if you paid for the song?

saves you all the trouble.

INET has problem to work with winamp.
Does not match to each other I run together & get a error!!!