What's the best mb4 (iTunes) to mp3 converter?

[Nekkerbee]

I've just started an iTunes account because I wanted to buy some radio programs (specifically, past episodes of This American Life), but I want to also be able to play them on my non-iPod mp3 player (a Creative Muvo.) I'm trying different conversion programs, but 1) they're all trial versions, 2) they're pretty damn slow, and 3) there are a bunch of them.

I'm sure many of you have ventured down this road before, so I beseech thee: what's the best conversion program?

 

[skadistic]

Have you tried audacity? I know you can export to MP3 with the LAME plug in. I don't know if it will read the original file type. Its more of an audio editing programme so its not really meant for a converter.

 

[Bartleby]

You can use iTunes to convert to MP3 (I assume you use it to download anyway).
Go to Edit>Preferences>Advanced>Importing and tell it to use mp3; Then when you right-click on a file in your Library you get the option to convert to mp3.

 

[ainwood]

You can use iTunes to convert to MP3 (I assume you use it to download anyway).
Go to Edit>Preferences>Advanced>Importing and tell it to use mp3; Then when you right-click on a file in your Library you get the option to convert to mp3.

It won't do this with 'protected content' - ie anything bought from iTunes store. It will do it with free podcasts though.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Afaik, with protected content its impossible.

 

[Bartleby]

It won't do this with 'protected content' - ie anything bought from iTunes store. It will do it with free podcasts though.

Afaik, with protected content its impossible.

Sorry for misinformation.

Some iTunes stuff ("iTunesPlus") is not protected, so it'd work for that I presume.

 

[raketooy]

With protected content you can always do the trick that you record the sound your sound card outputs with a recording program. It'll take some time, though, and the quality won't be the best possible, but good enough. You'll need to make sure any other program won't make sounds during that.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

With protected content you just burn it to a CD (not as an mp3) but as audio CD tracks (wave) then re-rip to MP3 and the copy protection is gone.

And yes iTunes has been selling a lot of drm free tracks for a while.