MP4 now default ripper for W5 Realplayer10

[Spidercrab]

I think it is interesting that MP4 has now become the default encoder for ripping with the latest Winamp 5.03 and also with the recently released Realplayer 10.

I bet that most users will not notice this or understand the implications of this.

This will probably have an effect on the availablity of mp3 files for download via P2P whith the number of mp3 files decreasing over time and the number of mp4 files increasing.

[Roj]

I think it is interesting that MP4 has now become the default encoder for ripping with the latest Winamp 5.03 and also with the recently released Realplayer 10.

I bet that most users will not notice this or understand the implications of this.

This will probably have an effect on the availablity of mp3 files for download via P2P whith the number of mp3 files decreasing over time and the number of mp4 files increasing.This could be an insidious back door attempt by the AOL Dollies to move digital music en masse to a format that can be controlled with DRM. I surely would not be buying into that. Not that it matters to me what P2P does as I don't do that foolishness (truncated substandard rips with pops and clicks and clients that have security holes, adware and virii are not my cup of tea personally), but human engineered filth does not appeal to me either. Surely no one here (note the word "here" - this isn't Winamp LemmingLand (TM)) is naive enough to believe that any entity owned by AOL could have a user's best interests at heart...

[Toe]

MP3 can be DRM'd just the same as any other format. And there's several MP4 encoders out there that don't put any DRM on the file.

I for one welcome this with open arms. Maybe now somebody besides Apple will put Mp4 support into their portable player.

[J44xm]

I don't suppose anyone has any good links for general information about these different formats ...

[Roj]

MP3 can be DRM'd just the same as any other format. And there's several MP4 encoders out there that don't put any DRM on the file.

I for one welcome this with open arms. Maybe now somebody besides Apple will put Mp4 support into their portable player.1) No, MP3 cannot be DRM'd. that's one of the reasons that it was never considered by the majors for music distribution.

2) The whole point is to move the industry to a format that can be DRM'd and make it a default. Joe Average will not go looking for a free version - he'll take what he's given and never look further. Hardware manufacturers will help that by making the format ubiquitous. Before you know it, digital music will be locked up because few will look beyond their noses for a solution.

I have zero interest in prorietary standards controlled by a few, controllable by DRM and requiring licensing fees. That's terminally shortsighted and will propagate a new overpriced mess that organizations such as the RIAA will use to leech off us ($1.00 a song for lossy? Puh-leeze!!).

[Toe]

1) No, MP3 cannot be DRM'd. that's one of the reasons that it was never considered by the majors for music distribution.
Sure it can. Liquid Audio did this years before the current DRM craze. They also supported DRM'd AAC (MPEG-2, this was before MPEG-4 existed but their AAC components are pretty much identical) and AC-3 audio. The thing is it wasn't compatible with existing players. But this is really no different from AAC - an AAC player that wasn't built to understand DRM (like say a Philips Expanium) won't be able to play the files that employ the DRM scheme made by Brand X (ie Apple's iTunes). The only difference with something like WMA is that WMA was pretty much built from the ground up with DRM in mind.

Joe Average will not go looking for a free version - he'll take what he's given and never look further.
Joe Average already has a free DRM-less AAC encoder on his computer in the form of iTunes.

Don't get me wrong, I think DRM is the spawn of Satan too. But I think your anger is a little misdirected here.

[jkrzok]

The Fraunhofer Institute has already drm'd mp3 and is demonstrating the new format at CeBit. It'll be interesting to see if it takes off as it requires new hardware players or a firmware upgrades to support the new format.
See:http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/36000.html

[Roj]

The Fraunhofer Institute has already drm'd mp3 and is demonstrating the new format at CeBit. It'll be interesting to see if it takes off as it requires new hardware players or a firmware upgrades to support the new format.
See:http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/36000.html
Note to all:

The words "new format".

MP3 in its original format is not DRM'd and cannot be without significantly changing the format to the point that hardware players Will Not Play It. Thus it is no longer MP3 but something warped and twisted out of it.

Toe - don't confuse vehemence with anger. :)

As to whether it will take off:

You're kidding, right?

Remember MP3 Pro?