iTunes songs wont play on Sonos

Question

Level 1

0 points

iTunes songs wont play on Sonos

I recently purchased a Sonos digital music system for my home ( http://www.sonos.com/) and have connected it to my iTunes music library. It works wonderfully with all of the music I have ripped off my CD's (about 1100 CD's worth!), but it does not play any of the songs I have purchased in iTunes (30+ CD's and growing). As I've researched this a bit since the Sonos purchase, I see that I can't play the purchased music because of the computer authoritization requirements that come with iTunes purchases. My question is this - is there a way (or will there be a way) of allowing my purchased music to play in my home on my Sonos system (read: streamed from my iBook to the Sonos receivers)? I can't see how this would be a violation of my license with Apple (but I'm not a lawyer ;-)). However, there seems not to be a technically possible way to accomplish this at this point...

Thanks,
Tom

iBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Dec 13, 2005 4:40 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

macmenno

Level 6

10,080 points

Dec 13, 2005 6:01 AM in response to steint

Only iPods can play purchased music.
Read these articles:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93548
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93032

M

Reply

Answer 2

steint Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 13, 2005 10:58 AM in response to macmenno

Thank you for the answer.

Is there a plan to extend the list of devices to devices like Sonos? If so, is there a plan to get the list extended?

Reply

Answer 3

Sara.M.

Level 4

2,070 points

Dec 13, 2005 11:09 AM in response to steint

There is no public plan. Apple is usually very tight lipped about any future developments with its software or hardware.

Reply

Answer 4

macmenno

Level 6

10,080 points

Dec 13, 2005 11:17 AM in response to steint

Sara is right. You could contact the manufacturer of the Sonos and ask them if support for purchased music is supported in the future.
It would then probably require a firmware update of the device.

M

Reply

Answer 5

steint Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 13, 2005 12:02 PM in response to macmenno

I'm already talking to Sonos. The quick answer from them is there is no answer given how Apple implements the protection on the music files.

Reply

Answer 6

steint Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 13, 2005 1:42 PM in response to macmenno

Is there a manafacturers guide of how to upgrade the firmware? If so, is there some way for me to help connect the Sonos people to that resource?

Reply

Answer 7

Sara.M.

Level 4

2,070 points

Dec 13, 2005 2:42 PM in response to steint

There is no firmware that exists to solve this problem. Macmenno was speculating that IF Apple decided to license its technology to play purchased songs to other companies, those companies would have to develop and release a firmware update for its existing products. But that was just speculation. If you want more speculation, you'll have to visit one of the many Mac rumor sites.

Today, and likely for the near future and possibly forever, the only way to play iTMS purchased songs on the Sonos is to burn the tracks to audio CD and re-import them into iTunes. This will remove the protection from the songs, but will also regrade the audio quality slightly.

Reply

Answer 8

macmenno

Level 6

10,080 points

Dec 13, 2005 2:57 PM in response to steint

Firmware is the software that runs in an computerized device, so to speak.
To upgrade/update the software (firmware) in an iPod for example, you have to connect it to the computer and run an updater.
The updater loads the software in the device.

If firmware updates are possible, the user manual normaly will have a chapter telling you how to do that.

M

Reply