Tom_ZeCat
August 10th, 2008, 07:11 PM
In my music collection I’ve had an MP3 only policy. I had purchased songs from sources such as Napster, iTunes, and others before I realized there was such a thing as DRM and that the files they sold me were restricted. Annoyed, but undeterred, I researched the situation and figured out how to convert all my WMA, M4A, and M4P files into MP3. If a song was in my music collection, it had to be an MP3, end of story. I did it this way to make certain I never had any issues with my files being unplayable in any audio devices.
And I feel absolutely zero pangs of guilt over breaking the DRM in my music files. I paid for every single one of them and therefore have the right to enjoy them in any digital device I choose. This was all in Windows, btw. I did this before I got turned on to Linux.
When I did get Linux, I used it and Amarok to create an Ubuntu-based juke box PC with the entire 23 GB collection in MP3 format. All these files were either ripped to MP3 from CDs or converted from a DRM format to MP3 on my Windows XP machine. So today I brought home a music CD and decided to rip it to MP3 for the first time on my Ubuntu PC.
I booted up K3B, which has worked great for burning CDs for me. I found its rip from CD feature, but was annoyed that it didn’t appear to have the ability to rip to MP3. Instead, it ripped to a format I was not familiar with, OGG. My first thought was that K3B, like Napster and iTunes, had reached some kind of DRM agreement with the recording industry. However, I googled OGG, and it turns out it’s not a DRM format, but rather is an unrestricted format like MP3, but unlike MP3s is not patent restricted (whatever that means).
The format appears to play great in Amarok. I ripped the album to OOG in K3B and also ripped it to MP3 on my Windows PC. I can’t tell any sound quality difference between the MP3s and the OGGs, though the OGGs are a little bit smaller.
I’m thinking of changing my MP3 only policy to MP3 or OGG only. Turns out the same program on my Windows PC that converted all my DRM-based audio files to MP3 will convert them to OGGs. In addition, it will convert my MP3s to OGGs and vice versa. I could conceivably convert my whole collection to OGG, but it would be A LOT of work. We’re talking 23 gig worth of music here. I’m thinking maybe my best bet is to use OGG for any new music that I add and to just leave all previous files in MP3 format. And if I ever get a device that won’t play OGGs, my conversion program will convert them to MP3s.
So my questions are as follows:
1. Is there any down side to using the OGG format that I’m not aware of?
2. Is there any benefit to converting my MP3 collection to OGGs? I did notice that Amarok occasionally comes across an MP3 that it doesn’t like and then crashes. Up till now, I’ve converted such a file to a WAV and then back to MP3 and then Amarok is okay with it. Maybe Amarok is more stable with OGGs?
3. MP3s are patent restricted? Say what? I thought MP3s were a totally DRM free format that anyone had the right to use as long as he legally acquired the song.
I welcome all comments and appreciate the help.
And I feel absolutely zero pangs of guilt over breaking the DRM in my music files. I paid for every single one of them and therefore have the right to enjoy them in any digital device I choose. This was all in Windows, btw. I did this before I got turned on to Linux.
When I did get Linux, I used it and Amarok to create an Ubuntu-based juke box PC with the entire 23 GB collection in MP3 format. All these files were either ripped to MP3 from CDs or converted from a DRM format to MP3 on my Windows XP machine. So today I brought home a music CD and decided to rip it to MP3 for the first time on my Ubuntu PC.
I booted up K3B, which has worked great for burning CDs for me. I found its rip from CD feature, but was annoyed that it didn’t appear to have the ability to rip to MP3. Instead, it ripped to a format I was not familiar with, OGG. My first thought was that K3B, like Napster and iTunes, had reached some kind of DRM agreement with the recording industry. However, I googled OGG, and it turns out it’s not a DRM format, but rather is an unrestricted format like MP3, but unlike MP3s is not patent restricted (whatever that means).
The format appears to play great in Amarok. I ripped the album to OOG in K3B and also ripped it to MP3 on my Windows PC. I can’t tell any sound quality difference between the MP3s and the OGGs, though the OGGs are a little bit smaller.
I’m thinking of changing my MP3 only policy to MP3 or OGG only. Turns out the same program on my Windows PC that converted all my DRM-based audio files to MP3 will convert them to OGGs. In addition, it will convert my MP3s to OGGs and vice versa. I could conceivably convert my whole collection to OGG, but it would be A LOT of work. We’re talking 23 gig worth of music here. I’m thinking maybe my best bet is to use OGG for any new music that I add and to just leave all previous files in MP3 format. And if I ever get a device that won’t play OGGs, my conversion program will convert them to MP3s.
So my questions are as follows:
1. Is there any down side to using the OGG format that I’m not aware of?
2. Is there any benefit to converting my MP3 collection to OGGs? I did notice that Amarok occasionally comes across an MP3 that it doesn’t like and then crashes. Up till now, I’ve converted such a file to a WAV and then back to MP3 and then Amarok is okay with it. Maybe Amarok is more stable with OGGs?
3. MP3s are patent restricted? Say what? I thought MP3s were a totally DRM free format that anyone had the right to use as long as he legally acquired the song.
I welcome all comments and appreciate the help.