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ecolson74

Q: CD I ripped to my library transfered as an Appl Music AAC file! WTH!!!

ok...So I ripped a CD to my Mac back in Wisconsin, from that Mac I put the CD on my iPhone, from the iPhone I transferred the CD to a windows machine. Now the song files that were unprotected are now protected as Apple Music AAC files. Since I don't have Match, I cant store it in the icloud to redownload it and I dont have the Mac anymore or the CD. What are my options? I would hope that I can get these files back otherwise Dont you think Apple is responsible?

PC, Windows 7

Posted on Jul 11, 2016 11:28 AM

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Q: CD I ripped to my library transfered as an Appl Music AAC file! WTH!!!

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  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 11, 2016 11:32 AM in response to ecolson74
    Level 9 (57,922 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 11, 2016 11:32 AM in response to ecolson74

    How did you transfer the file from the iPhone to a Windows machine? I think that is the point here.

  • by ecolson74,

    ecolson74 ecolson74 Jul 11, 2016 11:59 AM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 11, 2016 11:59 AM in response to ChrisJ4203

    With iTunes. That was actually the easy part but the files on my phone were lost in nthe transfer somehow

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Jul 11, 2016 12:21 PM in response to ecolson74
    Level 5 (7,527 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 11, 2016 12:21 PM in response to ecolson74

    I'm afraid that Apple music can convert your files to DRM versions in some cases, it really depends on how you are moving files around when an Apple music subscription is active. Sadly it is your responsibility to take backups of your data before Apple music has any chance to replace them. Do you have any backups at all?

     

    This may help you work out if the files contain DRM, not all AAC files have DRM, so you may be lucky if you are mixing up the different types…

    http://www.imore.com/how-check-if-your-macs-songs-are-uploaded-matched-purchased -or-apple-music-drm-laden

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 11, 2016 12:26 PM in response to ecolson74
    Level 9 (57,922 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 11, 2016 12:26 PM in response to ecolson74

    ecolson74 wrote:

     

    With iTunes. That was actually the easy part but the files on my phone were lost in nthe transfer somehow

    I'm not sure about that. Music that you have ripped to your iTunes library cannot be transferred from an iPhone to another iTunes library, since the sync process is one way, from iTunes to the iPhone. I'm afraid you may have done something else, which is what may account for the conversion of the file. The other thing is, not all AAC files are DRM protected files, what makes you believe this file is protected. And, since you mention Apple Music, are you a subscriber?

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Jul 11, 2016 12:58 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 5 (7,527 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 11, 2016 12:58 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    ChrisJ4203 wrote:

     

    ecolson74 wrote:

     

    With iTunes. That was actually the easy part but the files on my phone were lost in nthe transfer somehow

    I'm not sure about that. Music that you have ripped to your iTunes library cannot be transferred from an iPhone to another iTunes library, since the sync process is one way, from iTunes to the iPhone.

    Doesn't the 'Transfer purchases' feature in iTunes bring DRM'd media from iOS back to iTunes provided iTunes is authorised for the Apple ID?

     

    I was under the impression it is possible to download a DRM'd Apple music file in iOS & then bring it over, I don't have Apple music to check that.

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 11, 2016 1:01 PM in response to Drew Reece
    Level 9 (57,922 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 11, 2016 1:01 PM in response to Drew Reece

    The OP states the music was a personal CD they ripped into their iTunes library on a Mac then synced to the iPhone. They they say they used the iPhone and iTunes to transfer it to a Windows computer. While it would be possible to sync this music to the iPhone with the Mac, since it was not purchased music, it would not transfer using the Transfer purchase feature you describe. That is only for iTunes purchases. It is very possible to purchase and download files to the computer from the iPhone, but that was not the case here.

  • by ecolson74,

    ecolson74 ecolson74 Jul 11, 2016 2:13 PM in response to ChrisJ4203
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 11, 2016 2:13 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

    first things first, if I didn't transfer the CD from my phone then how did it come to be on my computer?

     

    and as far as responsibility to backup, I did backup but like I said that Mac is 2000 miles away.

     

    how was I supposed to know that the files would transfer like that I don't write code for Apple.

     

    if having a subscription to Apple Music did that to the files then why did it do it?

     

    one more thing, the files say MPEG-4(protected) and Apple Music AAC file(protected) in the file extension.

     

    and I mean no disrespec, I reads harsher than it is sorry 

  • by ChrisJ4203,

    ChrisJ4203 ChrisJ4203 Jul 11, 2016 2:18 PM in response to ecolson74
    Level 9 (57,922 points)
    iPhone
    Jul 11, 2016 2:18 PM in response to ecolson74

    ecolson74 wrote:

     

    first things first, if I didn't transfer the CD from my phone then how did it come to be on my computer?

    Not sure, since I wasn't there, but it cannot just be transferred from the phone to the iTunes library, unless you are using iTunes Match or one of the other Apple music services.

     

    ecolson74 wrote:

     

    and as far as responsibility to backup, I did backup but like I said that Mac is 2000 miles away.

    No where did I ever mention you backing up anything.

     

    ecolson74 wrote:

     

    how was I supposed to know that the files would transfer like that I don't write code for Apple.

     

    if having a subscription to Apple Music did that to the files then why did it do it?

    Apple Music takes the music from your device and sets it to their service. I'm not completely well versed in how Apple Music operates, but the music gets DRM protected if you are using it so that if you unsubscribe, you can no longer have access to the content. A lot depends on what you may have been doing when you first ripped the CD. Again, not all AAC files are DRM protected, you did not answer as to how you felt it was protected. Just because it is an AAC file does not mean it is a protected file. But, if you were using one of the services when you downloaded it, then it could be why it is protected and was changed by the music service. You don't say if you are using any of the music services.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 11, 2016 2:19 PM in response to ecolson74
    Level 9 (53,926 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 11, 2016 2:19 PM in response to ecolson74

    If you have Apple Music you have a variation of Match.  Music you rip is entered into the computer's library. If the Apple Music service recognizes the track and finds there is also one in the iTunes Store that copy, complete with DRM, is made available to you.  So your file was not really converted, a different copy was made available to you anywhere where you can connect to the Internet.

     

    The Apple Music Match, unlike plain "Match", does not make a DRM-free copy available to you for matched music, it makes the Apple Music version available.

     

    Even if you did not subscribe to Apple Music you may have done so unintentionally as I believe it is presented as a default option when installing iTunes (I still run a verion of iTunes from 2007 so I haven't seen it).

     

    You cannot transferred ripped music you have synced to a phone back to a computer unless you are using third party software (which you do not mention).

  • by ecolson74,

    ecolson74 ecolson74 Jul 11, 2016 3:04 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 11, 2016 3:04 PM in response to Limnos

    ok now im really confused. i talked with Apple the other day and the supervisor said that the CD that i ripped will not be stored in the cloud without Match. You say there should be another file? I still dont understand how that CD got on this computer if it wasnt transfered from the phone because Apple said that the CD cannot be downloaded from iTunes store.

    im not trying to be difficult I just think its kinda crappy that the CD that i owned from a music store was changed to Apple Music with no other file to take its place.

     

    I guess this is a job for Apple

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Jul 11, 2016 3:34 PM in response to ecolson74
    Level 5 (7,527 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 11, 2016 3:34 PM in response to ecolson74

    You can ask Apple, however I suspect people here can work out & explain what has happened. I'm fairly sure that has already been done but parts of the explanation are easy to confuse.

     

    The Apple supervisor was correct but you may have misunderstood, Apple music will match your files in iTunes & then allow you to download them to any of your other devices directly from the store. It appears you have somehow managed to move these files back to your PC or it could simply be that you downloaded these files to the PC from the iTunes store. Frankly this does not matter since you have a backup, you can delete the files & restore them when you can access your backup.

     

     

    Please take a look at the explanations on iMore.com…

    http://www.imore.com/how-check-if-your-macs-songs-are-uploaded-matched-purchased -or-apple-music-drm-laden

    It is a Mac & iOS focused site but they explain how the system works & it also applies to PC users.

     

    There is even more info at…

    http://www.imore.com/no-apple-not-adding-drm-songs-your-mac-you-already-own

     

    I understand it is confusing & frustrating - Apple music is a streaming service so it needs to be able to turn off access to downloaded files as others have explained - that is why they have DRM. Your original files should be untouched on you Mac or in the backup.

  • by John Lockwood,

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Jul 13, 2016 9:45 AM in response to ecolson74
    Level 6 (9,309 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Jul 13, 2016 9:45 AM in response to ecolson74

    The default format in iTunes when importing a CD is AAC and this will be unprotected. It can be changed to other formats such as ALAC, WAV, AIFF and of course MP3, all these formats would be unprotected as well.

     

    An unprotected AAC file will have the file extension .m4a

    A protected AAC music track will have the file extension .m4p

     

    It is possible to use iTunes Match to match your own music to tracks from the iTunes Store, this will then allow you to free of charge redownload the same track via your account on other devices. (You of course need an iTunes Match subscription.) See http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/itunes-match/

     

    As it says on the above Apple page - tracks downloaded via iTunes Match will be in 256Kbps AAC format and will not be protected by DRM. These will therefore once again have the .m4a file extension.

     

    If you purchase a music track from the iTunes Store it is no longer protected by DRM, it will be in 256Kbps AAC format. It will be watermarked with the users AppleID but this is not DRM.

     

    When an AAC file is locally synced via iTunes to an iPhone it will remain as AAC format on the iPhone and will not be protected by DRM.

     

    If you buy an AudioBook via the iTunes Store then as far as I am aware this is still protected by DRM.

     

    An AudioBook will have the file extension .m4b

     

    If you buy a TV show or Movie via the iTunes Store then these are definitely protected by DRM.

     

    If you buy a music video via the iTunes Store then I believe these are still protected by DRM.

     

    Not that it is hugely relevant but contrary to what many people believe AAC format is not a proprietary Apple format, AAC format is an official industry standard.