Decrypt Napster
Neowin previously reported on the work done by Cody Brocious to get iTunes working on Linux; in a soon to be released updated version, Cody and his group have announced plans to support the Napster Music Store as well. However, in the process of making PyMusique work with Napster, the group have broken the Digital Rights Management (DRM) system that the company uses. Unlike Apple's iTunes, the DRM is applied 'server-side', making the decryption process a lot more complicated. The team have formulated a method for removing the DRM on WMA files allowing them to play on non-Windows systems.
For Napster.com WMA files; Zittware recommends MP3 VBR with a minimum bitrate of 96kbit/s and a maximum bitrate of 192kbit/s. Ideally you want to pick 'archive quality' (320kbits) MP3 files here to prevent loss of audio quality for later conversions to other formats; but Napster.com files are usually ~160kbits so the archive quality setting is just wasted space. Web site Instructables details how to free your purchased Windows Media Audio files from the confines of both DRM and WMA.
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Amazingly, Brocious says the DRM crack could be applied to other stores (MSN Music, Napster, Wall mart) using the file format; ' we would have to figure out how to get their license keys, which is a relatively trivial process'. The origins of the WMA DRM crack are code which was released in late 2001. Napster does not currently offer a client for Linux or Apple. Brocious, with help from project partner Alex Goodwin, claims that the software will enable users on Windows, Linux and Mac systems to access both the Napster and iTunes music stores. Napster offer unlimited downloads for a monthly subscription of $14.95. Whilst the downloads are unlimited, the DRM on the files stops the user playing them if they cancel their subscription. PyMusique circumvents this restriction by removing the DRM and allowing unrestricted use of the file.
However, whilst removing the DRM on the files, users of iTunes and Napster must still pay for the content. Brocious expects the new version to be released in the coming days. In stark message to e-music vendors, the team urged them to ' Release Linux versions of your software, closed source or not, so we can use your services without this hassle.' One can't but wonder, on this note, just how many pigs would have to be flying for Microsoft to meet these demands. Stay tuned at Neowin for more information. View: View:.