More Format Wars

I recently opened an account with iTunes so that I could purchase some songs that was advertised exclusively as an online album. The advertisement in question showed the iTunes emblem at the bottom of the picture that was displayed on the band's MySpace presence, so like a fool I rushed over to download it from the "Macster Gang" site.

This was where I should've done my research prior to buying. I later found out that on the band's main website, they are also selling this online album through Tunetribe.com. What's the difference, I hear you ask?

Well, apart from it being 50p cheaper, if you buy from Tunetribe you'll download the album in the Windows Media Audio format, whereas iTunes uses the MP4 copy-protected compressed audio file system. My car CD player doesn't do MP4s or even WMA! MP3s are no problem, but why does a company like iTunes insist on solely using the MP4 / M4P format when you are limited to the hardware you can play it on. I don't need an iPod and I'm buggered if I'm going to carry the PSP around to listen to it (that's if it plays back on the PSP). My mobile phone plays MP3 files - it's more of a generic format with sound quality which is as good as MP4 /M4P.

The reason iTunes went for MP4 / M4P is that it's tough to crack the copy protection within the file itself. So, we're dealing with anti-piracy imposed restrictions here, because at-the end-of-the-day-when-it-gets-dark, every hard-up composer must get paid for his / her songwriting efforts.

Bollocks.

Record companies, of whatever form, are primarily businesses looking after their own interests and not (as is often believed) after the artist. True, you're not going to get one without the other, but by implementing certain anti-piracy controls within the realm of digital / electronic playback, it's quite clear that this is a form of padlocking up the stock after the goods have been sold. Also, it does a lot of good for iPod sales.

There are ways and means in place to get around the copy protected M4P system. But the software available isn't as trustworthy as some people seem to be deluded that it is, ie; it works for certain versions of iTunes but not for others. You can always hook a wire up to a minidisc recorder, but you'll still get a further reduction in playback quality.

iTunes do not want their goods pirated, but the program itself allows you to rip the contents of a CD into the iTunes player and can be transferred to an iPod. Strange that - I could've sworn ripping CDs was an illegal process.

iTunes should give you a choice of downloadable formats, after all this in itself is not a new idea - there are online music stores that will even allow you to download the far superior WAV format file (true CD quality) if you choose to, sometimes for the same price as an MP3, if not a little extra.