They keep setting 'em up and you just keep knocking 'em down.

Keep it coming Marv!

The Virtual player works awesome. Is there a reason why no one else is using this yet? I haven't seen very many comments on here for it and that program works much quicker, have not lost any id tags or quality of music. Did a complete album in a few minutes.

the file from download.com doesnt seem to work and the version on the company doesnt seem to convert them, anyone have a good download loc?

Is the trial version another "Rent To Own" situation? Do the converted files play in Windows or Real Player if you do not subscribe?

When I try to install it, I get a message that says:

16 bit Windows Subsystem

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM 32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

Close Ignore

I tried clicking on close and ignore, neither worked, and I looked for the file in the directory given, but it wasn't there.

Can anyone help me?

Using Virtuosa to add tracks takes very long time. There is little CPU use but some network access. Is it going network for information? Any way to skip this step if possible? Seems to take five seconds or better per wma to add to database.

Thanks Yim.

It works all right, takes time to load the files, so I created a Playlist with Winamp then selected, File, Import, From Plaslist, It is Still loading, when it finishes I'll be converting this WMA into MP3 (1 day = 5248 songs downloaded).

Tried with a few sampples, it works, it even creates subfolders fro artist and album if you want.
AWESOME!

Used the winamp solution which was fine with WAV if a little bit of a pain as I had to add the tags etc. Tried LAME with Winamp but I kept having problems to the extent that it would just crash. Now using Virtuosa it works perfectly (and so much quicker).

Does this make me an egg sucking Weasel, well I'm about to take delivery of a Mac this week, Napster doesn't work with the Mac so my only choice is to convert the files to MP3 and copy them to the Mac via CD, either that or Napster lose my custom. I'd be more than happy with Napster on the Mac with protected files but they don't want to offer me that.

Marv, what rate do you convert with using Virtuosa. Am I just wasting file size using 192 kbps or will 160 kbps do the exact same thing with less size since the files are originally 128 kbps WMAs anyway.

I haven't been able to get the Virtuosa method to work. Whenever I try, it always gives me an error saying that the original is secured. Are there any special options that need to be configured to make it work?

Joe- Yeah I'd say go for 160kbps

David- Make sure you're getting it through the link and not through Virtuosa's official site. The absolute latest version has closed this loophole.

ID TAG RESOLVED!
I am so tired of hearing ID tags don't work. If you do it right they will always work. Below is the instructions on how to do this.

1. Open Win Amp, make sure that you dont close the section of Winamp that shows the playlist.
2. Open the windows file that has your music in it and go to edit select all.
3. After you have highlighted the songs, plainly drag and drop the songs into the Winamp playlist.
4. Hit play.
5. Sit back relax.

P.S. The same applies for Virtuosa

---------------------------------------------
When I try to install it, I get a message that says:

16 bit Windows Subsystem

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM 32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

Close Ignore

I tried clicking on close and ignore, neither worked, and I looked for the file in the directory given, but it wasn't there.

Can anyone help me?

Posted by T-Mart at February 20, 2005 09:49 AM
----------------------------------------------

I get the same. Any ideas?

Thanks a bunch, Marv. That fixed it right up. Works great! Is there any way to make sure that, should you buy it, you keep the version you currently have, and not the newest one?

Hey Marv, can we get in trouble for doing this?

HEY I DOWNLOAD VIRTUOSA 5.0 30 DAY TRAIL, I TRY TO CONVERT IT TO A WAV FILE, BUT IT SAYS I CANT CHNANGE IT BECAUSE IT ALREADY EXISTS AND PROTECTED. PLEASE HELP

read this for help with installing trouble regarding autoexec.nt

http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00642.htm

you are the voice of the people ~ i'm all for the monthly pay plans for unlimited downloads, but without being able to hear some of it in your car is dissapointing.

Um, Marv

Thanks.

Marv,

Why is lame3.97 is 1/3 of ori.? any changes?
Solute!

You need to set up an RSS feed. I would read your every post if you did. It's not difficult with Movable Type, either.

I've had one- I guess I need to put a link to it on the new design. If you have firefox, you can see it already in the lower right corner of the browser.

pharmboy the reason it seems nobody else is using this method is because its old news. Marv didnt discover this idea or even the winamp idea. The winamp model is a month old, with Virtuosa being 2 weeks old but having been refined over the last week. All Marv is doing is broadcasting it to the world and effectivly letting them in on a "Secret".. And no I'm not going to post the link to where all the good info is. A little hint though. Its a bit closer than you think... All you have to do is follow some old links.. Hey I could be the next great white rapper...lmao

holist-
The Virtuosa method is over 4 months old, but wasn't as exciting as being able to get around DRM with Winamp, an extremely popular program.
For those of you interested, go to club.cdfreaks.com for the first occurance of the Output Stacker loophole, as I posted from the very beginning. As far as Virtuosa, I have found mention of it from over 4 months ago, but the program was designed to behave this way and has been out for even longer.

Marv, Did a little birdie e-mail you with info to the Virtuosa method? I beleive so :)

I love this method of getting music! it's so simple.
do i have to convert all the wma's to mp3's before the Napster trial ends or can i dedicate all my time to downloading music?

I have Virtuosa; I have the 14-day trial from Napster.

I want to start downloading files. Will my credit card be charged for each of the files I download during my 14-day trial subscription?

If not, I'll be burning up this Virtuasa like a mad man!

Thanks for any help guys.

What are you talking about? Dont you guys think that Virtuosa is better than Win Amp? Who wants to listen to an entire song to record it? Is the quality better, worse, why would anyone use WinAmp over Virtuosa? And why wouldn't you put a link to it an informational web site? Lets all help each other out, I have lot of other information to help others out with some pretty neat things, especially burnig movies

well, holist, let's hear the inforamtion then. i'm interested in knowing what you know. do you have a blog or website or something with links on it?
and i do have to agree, the virtuosa way is much quicker and easier.

When I tell Virtuosa to convert, it just hangs at 0%. Anybody know what I'm doing wrong here?

I've got the same problem zesty

I tried but failed.

it works great. i installed the first time and failed, too.
i followed the exact links he had on the page and the second time it worked perfectly. i'm converting files as i type now.

The Virtuosa Trial will not unpack onto my computer it says "Unable to execute the specific command line!"

For all of those people who're complaining about their Virtuosa's not installing on their computers, take it up with Virtuosa - this isn't tech support.

I thought of something earlier today. Winamp gives you mp3 Encoder Options. You can choose which Mode (CBR--> Joint Stereo), the Bitrate (128 kbps) and even the Quality (Normal).

Virtuosa doesn't give you that option. You can choose the Bitrate and the Samplerate, but you can't choose which Mode you want.

It sets the Quality at High, which is great, but what about the Mode?

From my understanding, Joint Stereo is what you want to rip your mp3's in...but what does Virtuosa rip it's mp3's in? Stereo? Joint Stereo? Multi Channel?

Any suggestions guys?

Just curious, but can you think of any reason off the top of your head why it took 20 seconds per song for the first batch of songs I converted with Virtuosa, but now it takes well over a minute per song for recent batches. Not too big of a complaint because I'm still getting the music, but can anyone think of why that would be?

Just a follow up on what I just asked, it's encoding on average at a speed of around 4.0X; does that stand out as considerably lower than what you guys are getting? It's a two-month old laptop, so speed of the processor can't be problem and doesn't explain the huge drop-off between first and second batch. Anyway, if you have any tips/suggestions/etc, send 'em my way if you could.

Nevermind, I figured out that I hadn't re-replaced the lame_enc.dll file when i had re-downloaded the program. Sorry for all the posts.

everytime i highlight all my songs and then press convert to......an error comes up and it says UNATHURIZED CONVERSION..SOURCE FILE HAS BEEN SECURED?

anyone know whats up with this?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/natestahly/clip_image002.jpg

bignate,

If you bothered to read the entire thread, you would see that the *latest* version of virtuoso availible on their site has this loophole closed. I would be willing to lay money on the fact that this is the version you downloaded. You need to download the version at the link specified in the blog post to get the version that will still work with protected files.

hi, was wondering which free trial to choose ....the regular or the to go........im also using paypal and it doesnt wanna sign up.....it keeps saying i have to wait for paypal authentication but, i cant find anything....and my paypal sent me an authorization email saying its setup.....plaz hlp...

so since virtuosa support some video format and because winamp can play video, does any of the two trick work for wmv files?

getting that same thing... it is hanging at 0% and not converting. Maybe they fixed it already.

I have the latest Virtuosa. I get the cannot convert or copy, file is secured.

Can somebody please email me the previous Virtuosa that works?

Or send me a good link. Looks like download.com took Virtuosa off.

Thanks

Never mind.

I found an older version.

I got that error when tryin to install it.

But I fixed that.

Virtuosa is awesome! Works like a charm!

THANKS!

Does anybody know if you can do this using the $40 Virtuosa Gold upgrade? I would have no problems paying for it if I knew for sure that the full version could do it.

Hmmm. AWESOME!

I downloaded Napster / Virtuosa before I left for the 5 hour drive to my grandpa's funeral... :( took me an hour to download and convert over 80 songs for the trip.... Only one song was a bit messed up, but that may have been the cd player....

Compared to illegal ways of downloading music, this way is legal, and 100000 times faster than P2P sharing. Thanks man!

Is there any way to get rid of this license popup which keeps displaying when adding songs? I have napster open, but that is not doing anything.

I have the correct version of Virtuosa; I am able to convert the files to mp3.

Chris,

I thought the full version would be cool to use as well, but unfortunately they have fixed it in the new full version available. I've only been able to get convertions to work with the trial.

Cheers,
Will

I am getting the drm license error when I add tracks to virtuoso. I re-did every step of you instructions. am I missing something?

Does anyone have the version number or a new url for a version that works? I tried the download.com url and that does not allow conversions. The version is 5.0

thanks

OOOPPS, forget the last post, I figured it out. Thanks!

YO!!! For those of you who virtuoso stops at 0% use the list on the right side "movie and song database" to perform this. I did this and it is now working

When I use Virtuosa it works pretty good but it doesn't seem to import the track # like it does all the other meta ID data? Is there something I need to set to make this work right? It's a pain going in and editing the track # of every item in the playlist before starting the conversion.

Virtuosa is a no go for me. Getting the 0% hang on the Conversion Status popup (with v5.0). Tracks are added to the "Music and Movie Database", selected, and the "Convert To" menu option is selected. Attempted with both output formats.

Don't understand what "using the list on the right side" means. Tried to find an earlier version of the program but all sites checked so far only point back to the developer's download section. Oh well.

Marv
The link to virtuosa 5.0 trial that goes to download.com offers the same version that is available on the virtuosa site which does not allow conversion. I'm thinking Download.com has updated their links. Is there another source for the Virtusa version that works? Thanks

^^^ go to tucows.com

Just to save others the hassle .... the version up at tucows does not work either. "The source file has been secured".

So as far as the track numbers issue is concerned, there's both a problem and a workaround. It turns out that the previous release of virtuosa had a bug in its WMA decoder that omitted the track number -- very annoying if you plan to autosort 4000 mp3s back into albums/directories/playlists. They fixed this in the update, but they also disabled the one feature that this community cares about, which doesn't help us either. So, the workaround:
1) Install the old version of virtuosa, don't even bother running it, but copy out it's WMA decoder plugin, [installdir]\Plugins\MsWMedia\MsWMDec.vpl, to some temp directory.

2) Install and run the newest version of virtuosa,
add all of your DRM encrypted WMA files to its library, then exit.

3) Replace the new MsWMDec.vpl with the old, more forgiving one, making sure to backup the original.

4) Launch virtuosa again and convert your files. It will use the old WMA decoder wich allows the conversion, but since it's already built the database using the new decoder, all of the track numbers are preserved.

5) Make a charitable donation to some nonprofit to help you feel better.

too much traffic. Can't download. Any other website where I can go for the old version of Virtuosa?

Can anybody post a link to the old version of virtuosa since tucows and download.com are "fixed"?

BTW, I ask because Virtuosa is now asking me to about getting a license for certain tracks. I think this might be because I installed the newer version of the trail hoping to get around the track problem mention above. I uninstalled and removed all the funvibes and virtuosa files from my disk and registry, then reinstalled the trail but I still get these messages. I can't remember if the trial I am using is old enough or not...

Msg to "Marv", thanks a lot for the input that you post for us... and thanks to those who have posted tips & tricks to make use of the Napster jackpot.

I downloaded Virtousa ver. 5.0 and it works great! I think my computer is lacking thinking power, so I can only select about 110 WMA's at a time for conversion without my system crashing.

Thanks again.

Here is a link to the Virtuosa ver. 4.1 - I have not tried this version if people are having trouble with the new one... good luck!

http://www.topshareware.com/Virtuosa-download-749.htm

Virtusa could possibly be one of the worst GUI that I have ever had to use.

I've been through it all a few times with diff versions (some give sefcured file) and the closest i get is *still* getting the 0% hang.. Any workaround to this MUCH appreciated....

Just downliaded fromt eh link here (download.com) and it worked great. You may have to say no to the Windows Media question.... I did and it worked for me!

Hey,
Downloaded trial version and the entire wma to wav conversions were going awesome. Was able to get around napster and make cds etc. Now i decided to upgrade and buy the FULL version for $40 and this conversion method WONT work?! I extracted the; LAME 3.97a7 encoder and it still doesn't work?

Did i just throw out $40 for nothing or is there ANYTHING I CAN DO WITH THIS FULL VERSION?

Thanks in advance...please someone help me either repost message here or email me at; trepdsix@hotmail.com

Thnks
Tom

The link for the old version really just links to the 5.0 version. If someone really has a link to the 4 version could you please post that. Thanks.

Definately download it from download.com. It's a different version then what virtuosa has on their site.

Well, Im some kind of moron... (its true, i run a HUGE network, yet i cant get xp (home) to run a old win 16 stuff. I even followed MicroShaft instructions, to no avail... still getting that autoexec.nt message. HELP ME !!!

Does anybody know if the downloaded music files from Napster will still be available for conversion once the 14 day trial offer has expired?

I am wondering if it would be best to just download for 14 days straight, or download for 7 days and convert as many songs as possible before the expiration date. Please give recommendation. Thanks!

Hi guys. I downladed the download.com and the official site version. They are bot 5.0 but the installer is different. Is virtuosa 5.0 from cnet the right one or I need virtuosa 4.xx?

I've figured out how to fix the issue with the whole "16 bit autoexec.nt etc etc." error bull. Basically, from what i can gather its related to the autoexec.nt file in your system 32 folder.(either it isnt there or its corrupt) All you have to do (or what i did) was copy the autoexec.nt file from C:windows\repair folder, to the C:\windows\system32 folder. you can also copy the other file from that folder "config.nt" or something like that. afterwards i stopped receiving the error you normally get when trying to install the download.com version of virtuosa. as for that one dude who paid the 40 bucks and got rammed up the ass... well you can uninstall it and download the download.com version, then find a patch at crackz.am ....only if you've paid for it mind you.... wink wink... late

Hey guys a little hint for the smart.. If you look at Virtuosa's code, you will see some nice flags. Lot's of magical things happen when you change them to 0xFFFFFFFF. :)

Totally awesome work man.

I can't thank you enough.

I mean, I could just upload a patch for you all to download. But like, what is the fun it that? Do you guys need one or something?

Blah, I guess I could offer a little more help..
Try setting a breakpoint at 004BB2FA. The instruction will look something like this. --> MOV DWORD PTR DS:[ESI+508],ECX <-- ESI+508 will point to the magic dword aka flag ;) Now all you have to do is change ECX to equal 0xFFFFFFFF before it sets this flag and you are in business. I will leave it up to you to destroy the nag! :)

a patch would be hot....or more explicit instructions for those who are not too great at finding these things in the source code....I.E. im an idior]t

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME?

How to you 'Load downloaded Napster protected WMAs into Virtuosa'?

I'm so confused. I have all the software and everything, I just can't figure that part out.

This is NOT equivalent to recording off the radio or vinyl. It is recording on steriods!

Using the WinAmp Hack, you can run as many instances of WinAmp as your computer's CPU allows. For example, one user using a fast Athlon CPU was able to run 32 instances of WinAmp on his PC.

Adding a certain plug-in to WinAmp which allows you to convert the Napster protected song files DIRECTLY into unprotected MP3s.

On a single PC, then, 32instances of WinAmp allows you to download and convert to MP3 11,500 songs a day from Napster.

This means you can get 161,000 songs during the free 14 day trial from Napster, which you can convert into 161,000 free MP3s that you can keep forever.

This means you can download all 1,000,000 songs in Napster's library and convert them all into free MP3s in only 87 days. You need only a 3 month subscription to Napster to convert their entire library into free MP3s to keep forever.

If SEVEN college students collaborate (using SEVEN PCs), then within the 14 day free Napster trial, they can download and convert all 1,000,000 songs in Napster's Library. Thus these SEVEN college students can have 1,000,000 free MP3s to keep forever.

These college students are then free to share all 1,000,000 songs with anyone else!

This hack is thus HUGE BIG GIGANTIC NEWS!

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME?

How to you 'Load downloaded Napster protected WMAs into Virtuosa'?

I'm so confused. I have all the software and everything, I just can't figure that part out.

Winamp doesn't work anymore!

I am screwed. Winamp won't work, and I can't get virtuosa to install on my computer. I fixed the auto.exe thing, but now it says it is having problemS with setup.exe. I don't know what to do.

I have tried some other methods, but they haven't worked.

Does anyone know how I can get virtuosa to work or any other free method?

I am going to try a system restore for the 22nd, to see if that will get winamp working again, if not, I am lost.

This is for "Confused", all you have to do to get the music into Virtuosa is to right-click in the "Music & Movie Database" box (the most right-handed side of your screen) and select "add tracks". This should open a window where you will point to the folder where your music files are sitting, then select all of your files (ctrl + A) and press the "open" button, this will add your tracks to Virtuosa. Then select your music, right-click and choose "convert to" and follow the steps.

Anyone save they're old Virtuosa installer? All the ones I find are the new "fixed" version?

I was able to convert the files but the ouput directory is empty. The temp files disappear as soon and Virtuosa is finished.

email me: zip switch @gmail.com (no spaces)

Nevermind.

The version from download.com (Linked by marv, still works as of this time).

I don't know what the missing file problem was, I never got an error about secured music.

Hi all - my PC keeps freezing in the middle of converting from WMA to MP3. Seems like others have this problem to. Was anyone able to resolve this?

Msg for "Rocco", My computer was freezing too, but that was because my system is running at 1.5 ghz. So I can only safely select 150 audio files at one time for conversion. I hope that helps.

Thanks Broke - I have a 1.5ghz also. Which lame encoder are you using?

Now I right clicked on the Music and Movie Database thing, and it opened the window. Now I can't find my music I've downloaded on Napster.

HELP.

HELP.

HELP.

Msg for "Rocco", I am using the lame encoder that Marv linked from his website. LAME 3.97a7 encoder and just make sure that you copy over the "lame_enc.dll" to the directory described as Virtuosa\Plugins\MpgL3 folder

When you download the encoder and extract it, you will notice that there are a whole bunch of other files that came out that extration, don't worry about them, just copy over the "lame_enc.dll" file.

Hope that helped.

OK, this is odd. On my Athlon XP1800 (1 gig memory), no matter how many files I load for conversion (2 or 200), my PC locks up using the lame 3.97. I switched to lame 3.96.1, and I'm able to load about 20 files at a time for conversion without locking up. Has anyone tried different lame dll's? Anyone know how the processor speed affects the encoding? BTW, great job with your site Marv - thanks for providing these tips!

One more thing - I declined to install the "windows media 9" plug in that Virtuoso pops up during the install. What is this anyway?

Msg for "Rocco", do you want me to email the dll file ver. 3.97a7 to you?

Sure, Broke - I appreciate it. Please send it to : RoccoM@nyc.rr.com

Also, I may uninstall Viruoso, re-install Windows media Player 10, then reinstall Viruoso and decline their Windows 9 patch.

To people complaining about Virtuosa hanging when they try to convert: Virtuosa can take a long time to process WMAs before beginning the conversion. I have a very fast computer and tried to convert 1200+ WMAs, and it took maybe 10-12 minutes before it actually started converting, with no progress indicator to reassure me along the way. So, be patient.

Msg for "Rocco", I have emailed the file to you. DLL files are executable, so your email program might have thrown it into your SPAM folder. The email address where it's from is from Berkeley.

I just downloaded the Virtuosa link at download.com and it doesn't allow conversions anymore. I've scoured the web for an older version, but all the blogs are full of great rants and technical advice, yet no older version. If anyone could send me a link to a pre-fix version of Virtuosa, I'd marry you. :) Ok, maybe just a big "thanks", but no marriage proposal.

I have the same problem as jio... Anybody got a link?

Even better, could someone post an MD5 of a known good VirtuosaTrial.exe? I'm finding what appear to be older versions through goolge, but an MD5 would help the verification.

donahchoo-
That's a great idea. I'll throw it into the entry as well.

MD5 Hash of good VirtuosaTrial.exe: 3EC9A443BA2EADDA370C0C7BA845A647

WOOT. Slow link but it still works...

http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/c/a/cao141/VirtuosaTrial.exe

is this link for mac? it said its not compatible with ms-dos apps. or, you got any other links to the old version?

Check the link in the entry. The download.com one. I just downloaded it again and it's still the same file. Hash checks out.

Help please. Ever since winamp shut there product down, I have been unable to play any downloaded songs, even from within Napster. I have uninstalled Napster and Win Media 10 and reinstalled. I have deleted the drm directory and tried some mods to registry for DRM issues but no luck. Any else have this problem and know a solution?

Thanks

I think the download.com version is the "fixed" version. Just tried it about 20 minutes ago and it told me my shit was secured.
The version at Donahchoo's link works great, though. I declined to install the WMA thing that it asks you about at the end of the install, and it works, though it gives you some pop-up noise about copy protection. Whatevs.
Thanks, all.

i have tried downloadng from muliple places, and they are all the fixed version,anyone got a place that has the old version? i have tried downloading the file on here, but it shows an error.

can anyone send me the uncompressed version to me,
rcracer_tx@yahoo.com?

I tried the virtuosa free trial and it worked great at first. Now it isn't letting me convert WMA's anymore. It is telling me that it cannot convert and the format is not supported. What happened? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You have to make sure you have a previous version of this program for this to work!

This is a MUCH FASTER method. Don't waste your time with anything else. unless of course it's faster/convenient.

Hi
Does Virtuosa 5.0 Trial only work with "copy protected" WMA:s from Napster or is it able to convert any "copy protected" WMA file to MP3 ?
The reason I ask is that I got an error message when I was trying to convert a "copy protected" WMA file to MP3 and it failed. I thought or hoped it could handle any DRM file.

This works great. Converted ~500 tracks last night. I was having difficulty at first but this was probably because I got Virtuosa from their site. I then used the link Marv provided in his writeup and succeeded with no problem. My question is once the trial is up, if I pay for the full version, will this still work or am I going to get the updated version, which has been reported not to work?

Yesterday i was able to bulk import into virtuosa but now as i add each song it give me a popup about aquiring license, if i click yes it works but damn doing this for 1000 songs is going to suck, any ideas?

Hi

Thanks kwbarrett_jr. I loaded an older version from the given link and it worked fine. Now, I have the same question as you. How does this work when I order the full version ?

did everything today on marv's site about 5 times and still cannot get this thing to convert. says the file is protected every time. any ideas what i am doing wrong?

this is killing me. I downloaded from download.com, the virtuosa site, and i also have version 4.10a (from tucows). all of them say that the file is protected. is this because i said yes to the windows media 9 thing at the end? if so, will it fix itself if i uninstall? someone plz help.

Can someone please walk me through on how to do this. Ive been trying forever and I cant find the songs on napster and convert them the way you said to. Can someone write out directions on how to do this. Please Respond.

Im using Virtuosa, so can someone please use detailed instructoins on how to do this. I also can't find my Napster songs, can someone help me do this?

anyone know if the conversion changes the files so napster could tell if one were doing this?

Something with Virtuosa definitely changed sometime between Feb 25 and Feb 28. I originally downloaded the app on 2/25 and was able to freely convert the protected WMA's to MP3. Yesterday 2/28 I downloaded the app again to faster computer and it would not work anymore. When I uninstalled it and re-installed with the original download package that had worked, I was able to convert again (how happy am I that saved that first download btw).

The FunVibes folks must have caught on and made a pre-emptive move to avoid an expensive lawsuit from Napster (can't say I blame 'em really). The program installs are definitely different and the size of the exe packages is different as well (the one that works is 15,361 KB as Marv notes, the bad one is 15,439 KB).

Anybody know where I can get the working version? Also, I tried with 4.10a and it didn't work either.

I finally got this to work (I don't know how though), and it works great.

Also, my napster account was running out, so I downloaded a bunch of songs on Saturday, my account ended Sunday, but I still have all of my WMA files. I just thought I would share that with everyone.

Here is a problem I don't think I have seen posted. I have the original virtuoso trial I got to work on one computer. When I install it on another computer, it does not run as a full function trial. Has anyone come across this?

Here is a problem I don't think I have seen posted. I have the original virtuoso trial I got to work on one computer. When I install it on another computer, it does not run as a full function trial. Has anyone come across this?

Does anyone have a solution to the 0 percent thing? I was doing 12 songs, and I waited 20 minutes, and it did nothing.

I am getting a message asking if I want the license or not. I tried clicking no, and it worked for a coulpe songs. Now when it comes up, I click no, and I get the zero percent thing. I tried clicking yes, and it brings up a half English, half French thing that says it is aquiring license, but it does nothing.

Anyone have any help?

I am going to try different bands, but I have tried two and neither worked yet.

My sentiments exactly, kwbarrett. I downloaded Virtuosa from Marv's link, but when you click to buy, it looks like you get a whole new program, Virtuosa Gold, rather than an unlocked version of 5.0. I can only assume Virtuosa Gold is patched/fixed to disallow the protected WMA - MP3 output. Don't wanna pay $40 to see that happen. Can anyone verify this?

Also, my WinAmp + Output Stacker was working fine a couple weeks ago, but last night it wouldn't even play the protected wma files without trying to output them. Looks like I got snagged by MS as previously mentioned. Anyone know of the HofFix update it came in on so we could uninstall it? A patch to un-patch the fix from MS?

Also thought of making a stand-alone MP3 box not connected to the internet and installing WA+OS on it without the possibility of an auto fix coming through, but I'd have to be connected to the Net to get the Napster files and liscenses...d'oh.

Where do we go from here???

napster isn't offer the download for the time being. that sucks!

Ok, I have got the hang of this now... For anyone who wants to use this method... Check THE POST AND YOU WILL FIND A LINK TO DOWNLOAD VIRTUSOA, this like works, use it!!! Its the link i used and its perfect for me!

For all of you that are interested in obtaining a patch for Virtuosa Gold 5.0, raise your hand. I have just completed my patch today. It patches 2 bytes and unlocks it a 100%. If you would like a copy, please post a working email address. :)
For those of you that are interested in doing it yourself, patch the following bytes at RVA 004BB1F0 to EB00. ENJOY!

my email is gdaman5@gamil.com and i want the patch

SENT!

I want the patch! Let 'er rip!
rlbushman@cox.net

SENT! To apply the patch simply close all instances of VIRTUOSA.EXE and place the patch it VIRTUOSA's directy and run it. ENJOY!

PS. marv, if you would be so kind to host my patch I will gladly email it to you.

I want the patch!

sam.wegnut@gmail.com

Sent.. :)

patch me please :)

forgot the email addy, tmann3369@hotmail.com

Sent!

Patch, eh? :)
April2002@gmail.com
I'd love you forever.

Also, someone said something about Virtuosa organizing the music in folders by Artist/Album?
How do you set that up / where is the option?

I will only be sending out a few more patches: You snooze, you lose! Anyway, if marv would be so kind to host it, I will be more than happy to send it! :) peace and chicken grease kids ;)

i keep getting the message "unauthorized conversion: the source file has been secured."

how do i get this thing to work?

I made it in on time, right?

Also, I don't know if marv would host it, since it is most likely illegal

please send me the virtuosa patch

thxxxx

here's my address...

roadrunnerhideeho@yahoo.com

-thx

Welp, that's it for today.. :) ENJOY! I reverse for educational purposes only.. All patches downloaded/uploaded are illegal! Use at your own risk; you have been warned!

Aww, I never got mine :(
</3

I hope I;m not too late in Getting a patch for the Virtuosa. I hope you can send me one if not i understand but please just one more to

DurdenSimpson@yahoo.com

I aprriciate it if you can

taboo, I sent yours.. Didn't you get it?

Did anyone get theirs?

ANONYMOUS I was wondering if i was too late...if not again my email is

DurdenSimpson@yahoo.com

Please send me the path i will forever be in your debt

Maybe its Gmail.
try daboo_911@yahoo.com

I sent it.. Check your mail. Make sure your account is not ignoring exe files. Might want to check your junk folder or something.

If it's not too late could you please send one to benivy@gmail.com It'd be very much appreciated.

Check your mail and respond to my directions.

Did you get it this time taboo?

I found an unpatched, older version of virtuosa online. I googled Virtuosa 15,361 -- which is the size of the previous, working file. One of the first three links worked for me and now I'm up and running.

i followed these instructions (below) and was able to use the new version from the Virtuosa website to convert protected mp3's... however my track numbers are still not carrying over to Itunes - have to manually edit them... any help?

(instructions on how to replace the 'restrictive' wma decoder file):

So as far as the track numbers issue is concerned, there's both a problem and a workaround. It turns out that the previous release of virtuosa had a bug in its WMA decoder that omitted the track number -- very annoying if you plan to autosort 4000 mp3s back into albums/directories/playlists. They fixed this in the update, but they also disabled the one feature that this community cares about, which doesn't help us either. So, the workaround:
1) Install the old version of virtuosa, don't even bother running it, but copy out it's WMA decoder plugin, [installdir]\Plugins\MsWMedia\MsWMDec.vpl, to some temp directory.

2) Install and run the newest version of virtuosa,
add all of your DRM encrypted WMA files to its library, then exit.

3) Replace the new MsWMDec.vpl with the old, more forgiving one, making sure to backup the original.

4) Launch virtuosa again and convert your files. It will use the old WMA decoder wich allows the conversion, but since it's already built the database using the new decoder, all of the track numbers are preserved.

5) Make a charitable donation to some nonprofit to help you feel better.

Okay guys, I could really use some help. I can't find the file in which the napster mp3's are stored so that I can dl them into the winamp playlist. Any help is appreciated!

ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION

To those that have been having problems getting the "unauthorized conversion" error, go to google, and search "virtuosa 15,361 KB". you should find a couple of links, but most lead to mp3towav.org which is where you should download it from.

I'm looking for the patch for this version, so if anyone has it, please send to:
bubchub@16proof.com
thanks

Anonymous.

Would you please send. I've check a couple times today. Nothing yet.

Thank you.

Roadrunner

roadrunnerhideeho@yahoo.com

Sure thing, my other email thinger must not be working again, here goes nothing. Let me know if it works please.

I would be forever indebted if someone could help me out...does the patch solve the 0 percent conversion thing?

the patch never seemed to show up in my mailbox either. if someone doesn't mind could i get it sent again?
thanks

Please forward me the patch - you rock for writing it! Thanks!

bob@enobarbus.com

Oh Anonymous - me love u long time if you can send me the patch to:

roccom@nyc.rr.com

Much appreciated!

Please send the patch to:
franciscoiv@gmail.com

Thanks Anonymous!!!

my email is kwbarrett_jr@yahoo.com and I would like the patch please. Thanks.

Ok here's a new one.... I got all the correct version of Virtuosa... After converting one track it crashes...

Anyone else experience this?

I would love the path for Virtuosa. Would some one please mail it to quixotes@gmail.com thanks in advance!

I'd like the patch too. Cory Cochran @ hotmail . com - no spaces. Thanks!!!

Thanks, I got it this time. Nothing was ever sent to the gmail account, Inbox or Spam folder. Maybe Gmail blocks certain attachments?
Anyways, thanks much. <3 again

Anonymous, Please send your magic patch to me at afreakonaleash4you@yahoo.com thanks =)

Send me the patch please

LongBStein0586@msn.com

I am so frustrated, I have Virtuosa however, I cannot change the format of my songs, i have DL from 3 different links same thing, I have done the "google search -virtuosa 15,361 KB- " that didnt work, everything that I have tried hasnt worked? Does this not work anymore or what?

Marv,

Please help! Your snazzy workaround was killed by the Napster and/or the Microsoft Gods of the internet. All the Virtuosa files have been removed and all that is out there is version 5. Can someone please help with an active link to the "good" version of Virtuosa so that I can make a CD of Frank Sanatra for my sick Grandmother in the Hospital. ;)

OK guys, it appears that my email accounts are not allowing me to send it. So what I am going to do is upload it to one of my shells and you can leech it from there. I will be taking it down however at the end of the night. Seeing that I do not believe in warez, there will be no patch for the new v5.0. I only patched the older one because it works and there is a newer version out.. Have fun.. :)

URL: http://nitrus.reversing.info/vtsag50p.rar

i just found a version that works go to http://www.softpicks.net/download.php?index=12650

ATTENTION, "vtsag50p.rar & vtsag50p.exe" WHERE CREATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS (THE DOWNLOADER). STEALING SOFTWARE IS ILLEGAL AND I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM ARE SUPPORTERS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS: DO NOT DOWNLOAD OR RUN "vtsag50p.rar or vtsag50p.exe" ON YOU COMPUTER!

I can't seem to be able to install the old version. The installer unzips to a temp folder and then just does nothing. I would really appreciate if somebody could just send me the old [installdir]\Plugins\MsWMedia\MsWMDec.vpl file so that I can put that in the latest version install and make the thing work.

ATTENTION, "vtsag50p.rar & vtsag50p.exe" WERE CREATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS (THE DOWNLOADER). STEALING SOFTWARE IS ILLEGAL AND I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM ARE SUPPORTERS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS: DO NOT DOWNLOAD OR RUN "vtsag50p.rar or vtsag50p.exe" ON YOU COMPUTER!

Posted by Anonymous at March 3, 2005 03:55 PM

Had to fix a typo! ;)

ATTENTION, "vtsag50p.rar & vtsag50p.exe" WERE CREATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS (THE DOWNLOADER). STEALING SOFTWARE IS ILLEGAL AND I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM ARE SUPPORTERS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS: DO NOT DOWNLOAD OR RUN "vtsag50p.rar or vtsag50p.exe" ON YOUR COMPUTER!

That's it, time to buy a new keyboard .. :(

hehehe

How old are you taboo? I am guessing you are a female?

Okay guys, I could really use some help. I can't find the file in which the napster mp3's are stored so that I can dl them into the winamp playlist. Any help is appreciated!

patch me please... no spaces of course!
many thanx!

dooh... my e.mail is here: broadway @ niknud.com
patch me!

Scroll up, you will find a link to the patch!

archive.org is your source for all things no longer currently available, including SOFTWARE. Hint, hint.

How do you add your downloaded wma files from napster into virt. When I open virt. I can't find any music files in napster. I am missing something. Please help.

Not only did you steal my name, you also asked a dumb question.. Jason sighs.

if you are getting o% and are running the right version of virtuosa make sure napster software is running that got ride of it for me also got ride of linence nag

O boy! I cannot find a older version of Virtuosa on this planet. Can anyone help me find it or send it to me. Thanks

You are all idiots

Anonymous (Jason)...I missed the chance at you link for the patch. can you email it to rtaggart17@gmail.com or put it up again?

I figured it out = ) allready converted 8 gig. berry berry fast program,thanks to all especially Marv. =)

tried patching myself, guess I don't got da l33t skills. Did you patch the exe? Could you please please send it to me? please?

bogey62@cox.net

anyone actually get the patch working? If so, would you make it available?

I would really like it if someone could pass the patch on to me.

TravisM121787@excite.com

I also missed the link to the patch. If someone could pass it along to me at

griz@rochester.rr.com

I would be very greatful.

Thanks in advance!

(Pass along the Patch, that is)

Everything was working fine for me over the past few days. Until this afternoon, now I get the 0% hang. It was going along nicely this morning. Weird, did something change? I'm so close to being finished, im on the T's. :-)

if someone could find it in their heart to pass the patch i'd really appreciate!

trutwiggy@hotmail.com

Thanks
JD

Patch instructions are posted clearly in this forum. Read them.. You must close all instances of Virtuosa.exe and place the patch in the same directory as the exe. Run the patch and your done.

I will send it to you now, but I want you to let me know when you recieve it and tell me if it worked in this forum so people know it works.

Agree'd?

Posting it once again until I leave in a couple hours.

The patch is at the same URL as it was yesterday. If you missed it, scroll up.

Disclaimer!

ATTENTION, "vtsag50p.rar & vtsag50p.exe" WERE CREATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM CAN BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS (THE DOWNLOADER). STEALING SOFTWARE IS ILLEGAL AND I, NOR THE ADMIN OF THIS FORUM ARE SUPPORTERS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE TERMS: DO NOT DOWNLOAD OR RUN "vtsag50p.rar or vtsag50p.exe" ON YOUR COMPUTER!

Please post whether or not your experience with my patch was sucessful or not. If not, please tell me the steps you made to apply it. This is just to asure the other people downloading it that it isn't a waste of their time. Also porves to me that you appreciate the time I put into making it. Thanks again.. :)

Patched worked great. No problems.

Thanks!

Anonymous, or anyone else with the patch, I would very much like it if you could pass it along to me.

TravisM121787@excite.com

Okay. My WMA's will now not play in the new Winamp, Windows Media Player, or even Napster.

I can't even play new songs or anything on Napster, but my subscription is still current.

Everything was fine this morning. Anyone have any ideas, or experiencing similar problem?

http://nitrus.reversing.info/vtsag50p.rar does not work, nor does the patch at crackz.am.

I'm happy to pay for this, but not if it's going to take away the functionality I bought it for...

can someone email me the patch at: patchesrule@yahoo.com

thanks (URL not working).

Can someone send me that patch as well? I would be VERY gratefull!!! My email is jakel10@msn.com, THANKS!

so i'm still unable to convert without application errors... its either a wmadell error or a lame.dll error.

any answers?

it will convert 1 or 2 tracks then close.

I had a similar problem and fixed it as follows:

Try replacing lame_enc.dll in the plugins/MpgL3 folder. You can get v3.96 at www.rarewares.org.

Now if I can only figure out how to get rid of the Windows DRM errors (unknown url) that pop up every time I load a track. I can click through them, but its a pain.

patch works fine if you have corect version thanks anonomious

Try replacing lame_enc.dll in the plugins/MpgL3 folder. You can get v3.96 at www.rarewares.org."""' doesnt help still get erros... thanks though,

AppName: virtuosa.exe AppVer: 5.0.0.2 ModName: lame_enc.dll
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 0003aa2d

with both lame versions.

any clue?

Can someone please explain how to get music files out of Napster. I don't see a folder to transfer download wma's to virtuosa. Thanks..

i think there are absolutely no good versions of Virtuosa in all of the internet.

i saw mention of a patch, does this disable DRM functionality in the newest version?

Thanks for the info.
It works great.
With the new version /old vpl file I'm even getting the track numbers.

averaging about 4.1x for conversion

upgrade the lame_enc.dll

upgrading the lame_enc.dll from the default install to the one pulled out of LAME 3.97a7 increased conversion speek for me by about 10x

wondering if anyone can assist me with this issue i'm having with virtuosa. When i attempt to convert wma to mp3 i receive either of these 2 error messages then followed by an application shut down.

AppName: virtuosa.exe AppVer: 5.0.0.2 ModName: lame_enc.dll
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 0003aa2d

AppName: virtuosa.exe AppVer: 5.0.0.2 ModName: wmadmod.dll
ModVer: 10.0.0.3646 Offset: 0004e9ab

has anyone ever experienced this?

FYI, lame dll 3.97.a7 does speed up transmission, however same erros.

Anon: I'm 17
sorry, didn't check the comments in a couple days

Is there any mirrors for a non-updated version of Virtuosa? I can't find any, anywhere on the internet. E-mail me if you can help.

could someone please pass along the patch to me. I want to use it for research purposes only. thanks.

verbesh@gmail.com.

could someone please send me the patch for informational information also?

tmann3369@hotmail.com

Would someone be so good as to pass on the patch to me. I've missed it twice now. Thanks.

kwbarrett_jr@yahoo.com

Actually a quick Google got me a patch to make my working Virtuosa 5.0 trial into the full version. Now I am converting and burning to my heart's content. Thanks for all the info and the help. I've gained quite a bit from you all.

can someone pass the patch on to me

aim name is : Duffz0r

email: duffie@dufftek.net

damn, I found a "patch" but when I try to convert the files, it tells me it is protected and I have to get permission first and do I want to check (Yes/No). But I do have a full version of 5.0 now.

Anyone have a fix for this?

found another "patch" but when it tries to update the .exe it says the filesize is invalid. WTF all? any help available?

Care to share the search terms?

So is this topic dead? Any new word on the patch? Guess those of us who didn't get it are SOL? I'm bummed. :-(

Any help out there?

For those of you that found a patch online, could you please post a link, I searched for it and I couldn't find a thing.

can someone shoot me the patch.. I'll hook ya up with like 10 gmail's or something. For educational purposes only.

dramarent@gmail.com

I found 2 patches. 1 was to convert it to the full version but still wouldn't let me convert. The other patch (which I tried on another computer) gave me an error that the file size was invalid. I didn't see anything else out there.

Can someone please post the patch, even my older version of Winamp that was working, no longer works.

Lookslike Anonymous got busted... Patch all gone.
Anyone else want to attempt to send it to others???

what was the name of "anonymous'" patch? I never ran across it.

???

there is a purported patch on crackz.am. just do a search for virtuosa at the site. i don't know if it works as i have yet to find the proper version of virtuosa. If anyone wants to send me the install file for the right version or tell me where to find it, i would be eternally grateful.

verbesh@gmail.com

The problem with the old trial version is that is uses the internet for connection and then gives an error that the files are protected. So I'm not convinced even the proper trial version will work. why you ask? I have the trial version from Marv's (one I was originally using) and have put it on another computer and it won't work any longer, nor will the version on the original computer which still has 15 days left on trial version.

there is a purported patch on crackz.am. just do a search for virtuosa at the site. i don't know if it works as i have yet to find the proper version of virtuosa. If anyone wants to send me the install file for the right version or tell me where to find it, i would be eternally grateful.

verbesh@gmail.com
-----------------------------------------

Are you sure there is a patch, I searched the site and all I saw was versions of virtuosa, but no patches. I will try to send you my file, but I think it is too big.

I haven't got busted. I took it off my ftp for now. I am not at home, I am at my girlfriends which is like 2 hours away. I will put it back up when I get home. You can get from other people off this forum for now.. Maybe I will just upload to cracks.am :)

Hey Anonymous,

send me the patch or let me know where it is located. Even my trial version has stopped working.

patchesrule@yahoo.com

This process was working fine but has hit a standstill. :-(

I have just uploaded my patch to cracks.am. Check it in a few hour or perhaps tomorrow.. It should be posted under Nitrus.. You can just do a search for Nitrus and you should see it there.

Check your mail! YEEHAW!

I saw the patch and tried it.... the program still asks me for "license aquisition" when loading. Is this supposed to happen? This even happens when I've loaded the application w/o patch on another computer.

thoughts?

Old version found via filesearching.com:

ftp://ftp.jaring.my/pub/simtelnet/cnet/win95/multimedia/VirtuosaGoldFull310TrialUs.exe

dunno if it works. haven't tried it yet.

I think it has something to do with the application accessing the internet, then the "license aquisition" pop-up comes up. Does yours get this pop-up or does it work as before just w/o the trial deadline?

Oh yea, maybe you had silent updates on and perhaps it automatically updated your decoder silently. I am using the old Virtuosa with my patch and I can still convert mp3's without a hassel. Another thing to think about aswell, make sure you do not have any type of debugging device running in the background while using DRM's, they will refuse to run.. That happened to me while I had SoftICE loaded. The only thing my patch does is make the trial into a fullverion, it will not correct your problems with decoding.

That might have been it... the computer had the checkbox checked (in Automatic Updates) where it says: "Keep my computer up to date. With this setting enabled, Windows Update software may be automaticlaly updated prior to applying any other updates".

So that probably did it 'cause the trial version still had about 15 days left and was working great until this weekend, then I got the pop-up I mentioned earlier.

Oh well. I'll figure it out.

damn it. the download.com version comes back and says that the conversion is unauthorized because the source file has been secured.

fuck!

If you simply GOOGLE "virtuosa 15361" you will find download links for the desired version. The download.com link has been updated and is no longer the version you all desire

Anonoymous,

when u installed the app, did you check the box at the end that asked about Windows Media Player being used for Virtuosa?

Should this or should it not be done?

Does anyone have the correct filesize for the old WMA decoder? Both the old supposedly working version and the new one are 434,176 bytes. This is the MsWMDec.vpl file. Anyone with this working want to put up a link to their working version of this file? Please? I can send some paypal over if someone can get it to me. Say $5? tb0r@hotmail.com

Thanks!

I have just uploaded my patch to cracks.am. Check it in a few hour or perhaps tomorrow.. It should be posted under Nitrus.. You can just do a search for Nitrus and you should see it there.

Posted by Anonymous at March 6, 2005 12:53 PM
------------------------------------------------

I searched cracks.am and searched for "Nitrus" and "Nitrous", I didn't find anything for vitruosa. If anyone finds it on there, please let us know, or post a link.

For now, could someone please email me the patch?

got it thanks!

Which one is it?

Can someone just please email me what I need to continue converting wma files to mp3 again because I am dying without it. I have spent over 4 hours looking for different Virtuosa programs but they are all 5.0. My email address is mrhat1065@aol.com.

Can someone please send it to me? Thanks...
arts427@msn.com

I've still not found the correct Trial version as well. I've downloaded from download.com, tucows.com, googled 'virtuosa 15,361kb' and checked archiev.org. Nothing has worked. I can't download and get the md5 hash to match.
If someone can email me the earlier version that was posted on download.com with this hash 3EC9A443BA2EADDA370C0C7BA845A647 I'll put it on a ftp site for downloads.
thx - masperos@hotmail.com

Hey guy! You are gonna love me for this. I have found the version that works and that will convert the songs for you. It can be found at http://www.geekfiles.com/index.php?t=dlpri&id=2862 You are all very welcome!

AppName: virtuosa.exe AppVer: 5.0.0.2 ModName: lame_enc.dll
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 0003aa2d

AppName: virtuosa.exe AppVer: 5.0.0.2 ModName: wmadmod.dll
ModVer: 10.0.0.3646 Offset: 0004e9ab

has anyone ever experienced this?

FYI, lame dll 3.97.a7 does speed up transmission, however same erros.

Works like a champ. Thanks!

I had the old version and then the napster app destroyed my comp.

please send me a link to perogi21 [a+] hotmail [d0+] com

I will gladly donate 20$ via paypal to the first person to give me a link to the correct file!

Thanks!

how does one check the MD5 hash to ensure its the correct version? also, which MD5 is the correct version? The one on Marv's site still acceptable?

geek files didn't work for me.

How do I check a hash code?

Also, can someone host the patch or email it to me at TravisM121787@excite.com

I'm still looking for the old version of virtuosa. Remember, Its supposed to be 15,361KB. If you are not sure if you have the right one, just right-click on the install file, click on properties and check the size. If anyone wants to compress it and send it to me, I would be more than happy to forward to many others. please. thanks.

verbesh@gmail.com

can people use yousendit.com or whatever the site is to upload the file? I have seen people do it on other sites, here is an example

http://s7.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=20C2SQ3PHGDMK365LBWY7CD7E2

I have found several versions that are supposed to be 15,361KB, but when I download them they are 15,732KB, is there some update that has been added to my computer or something? Does anyone know why this happens and how to fix it?

I've been using mine for a week or two and it works great. I downloaded the version Marv had linked, which I understand no longer works. I was also able to find the same version with a google search on Virtuosa 15361. After installing and replacing the lame plugin, things worked just fine. I then did a google search on Virtuosa crack and found a patch to convert my trial version to the full version. All was successfull and I am still converting and burning.

I have a 15361 with the correct MD5 but it doesn't work. I don't know what I'm doing wrong with it. Any ideas?

(Could the file be the correct size but have a patch to fix it?)

what is not working properly?

"what is not working properly?"

In essence, it keeps asking me:

"A license is required to play this content, but the authenticity of the license acquisition URL can not be verified. To obtain the license, a web connection will have to be made to the content provider's site with this untrusted URL."

Some more stuff.

"Do you want to continue acquiring the license?"

Previously I had it working but my comp crashed from Napster's app.

btw: I don't have napster running while I am trying to convert the files.

Thanks for any info.

I realize I'm a little late to the party, but could someone send me the patch created by Anonymous. I wasn't able to find it on cracks.am using the Nitrus search term. Much obliged!

asle9634@hotmail.com

Got it working.

I have to have Napster open for some reason.

Thanks for anyone who was trying to help me!

p.s. the link I used is the one above in geekfiles.

OK, I am back home.. Who needs it?

Just throw it up on the shell account for a bit

hey,

I just want to summarize some of whats been going on because the same stuff keeps coming up.

If you have recently downloaded what you believe to be the right file (15361) and it doesnt work. Double check the file size after you download it. While the website may describe it as being as 15361, it is actually the newer, larger one. Simply, the description on the site is wrong.

If you have had a working version and now it doesnt work, you may have unintentionaly/automaticaly updated the program. Reisnstall the original file you dowloaded and do not choose to get automatic updates.

I have scoured the web and the working version simply is not out there. No matter what site you download it from, the file comes from the same host server, so its the same file...the wrong one.

There is patch on cracks.am, though i do not know if it works. go there and search virtuosa.

If anyone has the working version, please, please send it to me. you can own me for a week.
Ken, if you are still out there, you seem to be having success, can you help me out.

verbesh@gmail.com

please send the patch to me

If you are not going to put it on the shell account a copy to my address would be requested

OK, Guys. I will throw it up on the shell for a little bit only if you promise to report your experience back to this forum.

Also I want you to realize that I do not support the theft of software and this patch was coded for evaluation purposes only. Once you trial expires, I highly encourage you to purchase the software and help support the author that has worked so hard to write it. By downloading the software from http://nitrus.reversing.info/vtsag50p.rar, I nor the owner of the shell can be held responible for your actions. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! If you do not agree with any of these terms, then please, DO NOT DOWNLOAD IT. Have a nice day and ENJOY!

Tge patch works 100%. It does what it was designed todo. This patch is not going to solve any of your DRM problems. The only thing it does is make your evaluation fully functional. If you are not sure how to install it, please read these directions carefully.

A. Close all instances of VIRTUOSA.EXE.
B. Place vtsag50p.exe into VIRTUOSA.EXE's directory.
C. Run the patch once and enjoy.

If the patch fails, there can only be two reasons why. Either you didn't close all instances of VIRTUOSA.EXE or the file is of the wrong size.. :)

Also for all those people have problems with DRM licensing errors: Check to see if these conditions are met.

A. Make sure you are not running any type of debugging process in the background.

B. Make sure your song has not expired! They expire? Yes, they do. Try opening the song in Media Player and check out it's properties to see when it expires.

C. Make sure you are using the correct version of Virtuosa along with the proper VPL. (Virtuosa Plugin.

If anyone has a problem with my posting of my patch, please notify my and it will be removed immediatly!

Only going to be up until 3am. Get it while you can. Please share with each other. Oh yeah, watch out for the nasty , in the link. The page may come up invalid if you do not remove it from the link. :)

Thanks for the patch - worked great!!

You're so welcome.. :)

I am off to bed.. I hope you got it in time. If not, it will be poste again. Night..

Never occurred to me that the files would expire considering I have no problem paying for the service. Do I just have to re-download the files?

I'll check tonight to see if they are expired, but from what you indicated and what I've seen, I'll bet they are.

I just hope the solution to the expired files is just to re-download them.

Thanks all

Day late, etc. story of my life. If someone could email me the patch I would be eternally grateful.
jdmanners@yahoo.com

YEEHAW or Anonymous, can either of you please compress and email me the right virtuosa install file. For research purposes only, of course I would be so grateful.

verbesh@gmail.com

Could someone please email me the patch to turn the eval. version of Virtuosa into a full version?

I missed to download it from 'Anonymous' last night, and would be so grateful if someone could let me in!

swissdi@msn.com

tried zipping the .exe for ya Verbesh, but gmail will only let me send up to 10mb and file is over 15mb... any other ideas?

Does anyone the virtuosa older version or a way to make it work? I've read the whole thread..wondering if we fixed this yet

Could someone please send the Virtuosa patch to me or an old version of the app? TYIA

Could someone please send me an old version of the app? I've tried everything else and nothing works.

Can someone please send me the patch?

Could someone mail me the patch? Thanks in advance.

bkmartin2@gmail.com

tried zipping the .exe for ya Verbesh, but gmail will only let me send up to 10mb and file is over 15mb... any other ideas?

Posted by YEEHAW at March 7, 2005 01:23 PM
----------------------------------------

I've got an idea, I'll try it with the patch, someone else will have to try it with the proper version of virtuosa.

Step one, go to http://yousendit.com

step two, send the file to your email address

Step three, click on "Here is a link for your reference"

Step four, post the link here for everyone

Here is my link with the patch (Don't use it though, it is illegal, blah blah blah)

http://s30.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0N4LJXRBT5TTV0JS3DLQAU7W20

Hey, if anyone can send me the old version it'll be much appreciated. My email is odsplatz@yahoo.com

read
read
read
read
read
read
read

read my last post first.

I might have posted the wrong file, two people have sent me different files, and I don't know which one is right, but my version is a full version. Here is the other file.

http://s35.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1X2QGA3MEYCFC2YS7E4FBPTW9C

Now is someone can please post the proper version on virtuosa, or maybe someone can send the decoder thing that anonymous was talking about if they know how.

read
read
read
read
read
read

if anyone could compress and send me the working version of virtuosa (and maybe even teh patch, though thats not so important) i'd be eternally grateful. i had it working but my hard drive went boom :-X

email me, if you can't attach it i can set you up wtih some temporary ftp access...

if anyone could compress and send me the working version of virtuosa (and maybe even teh patch, though thats not so important) i'd be eternally grateful. i had it working but my hard drive went boom :-X

email me, if you can't attach it i can set you up wtih some temporary ftp access...

Posted by ziegs at March 7, 2005 09:25 PM
--------------------------------

you can get the patch here

http://s35.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1X2QGA3MEYCFC2YS7E4FBPTW9C

sorry about the double post, hit refresh by accident.

anyway, i found a working download, its up at http://www.mp3towav.org/virtuosa-gold/. it worked for me as of 10:50PM EST on the 3/7. Don't know how long it'll last, but it defintely works and the patch works on it.

YEEHAW, thanks for trying. Maybe yahoo will let it through (verbesh@yahoo.com). If that doesnt work, you could...well...oh screw it...try my aol account (i'm so ashamed). Its erbesh@aol.com.

i think i have a crude solution if the email doesnt work. Baically i signed up for free web hosting that gives me 50MB of space. I give you the password and login, you load the file on the server, then i log in and look at it. email me for the details. If it works, I'll post the login and anyone can go and see the file. email me for the deets. verbesh@gmail.com

Hey T-Mart, thanks for finding a place to host my patch for download. I really appreciate it.

Could someone please summarize weather this still works or not and what patches are needed and where to put them or could someone email me the version that works to quietriot447@sbcglobal.net . i tried to read through the entire thread but i just discovered virtuosa tonite

I just read this entire thread and am very confused as to which links work and which are old/useless.

I downloaded the Virtuosa 4.0 and just installed it (found a link in this thread, above). I don't know if it works or not yet. I downloaded a few dll files, not sure which works, and I downloaded the rar patch, not sure if it works. I am about to download the trial of napster and see if that works.

A summary of the latest with proper links for DL would be great!

Update: the Virtuosa 4.0 link in this thread does not work with the patch (seen just a few above this post). :(

Hey guys i'm a noob at this, but...I'm having trouble converting my protected wma's to mp3, i have virtuosa 5.0 and it's working fine, but the converted files are skipping and getting ruined in the conversion process. I'm using the lame encoder given on marv's page, the faster one. I am getting confused with the whole virtuosa deal too, do i have to have an older version for everything to work? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, thanx

ok all, taking the approach of T-Mart, the .exe that I used has been posted to: http://s30.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2DRB5FCN1SY890EVQD2PQPI3S2

It will be there for 7 days. Get this 1st and then use T-Mart's link listed in a previous post for the patch. Once done, you should be good to go.

I found two lame encoders: LAME 3.97a7 & LAME 3.97a8. I downloaded both. Which one should I use?

Also, Virtuosa is overwhelming to me. I messed with it last night. If anyone has a quick 1,2,3 guide on what to do for this process, would you mind either posting here or IMing me at mirdonamy on yahoo's IM? You can leave an offline message if I am not there.

I'm using 3.97a7

Why waste yourtime on these programs that dont work! i spent half n hour on the internet and found some software that does it easy peasy! it converts them by recording the song back through the Line in recorder? or whatever it is - it uses a plugin for a well known bit a software!

The only trouble is if i tell all - it'll get closed down & then i wont be able to use it as well as anybody else!

As far as i see it - the software im on about is not mentioned in any other forums about Napster & copy protected files!

Just search more for another piece a software n you'll sooon find some! Better than spending hours trying to use Virtuosa which has now certainly been shut down :-)

Dont do the conversion instead go to make a audio cd and burn them directly to the cd. Then rip them..it works..I have plenty of CDs and my ipods full....

Did Gold + Patch and an converting wma's to mp3's in about 2 minutes or a little under for one song, that about the going rate for everyone else?

Nevermind, forgot to put the new lame dll in, goes MUCH faster now :)

I tried it Marv. It keeps tell me the source files are protected...and I did go through the link you have on the webpage.

andy, it is not like you are keeping such a big secret! The program you speak of is called Replay Music! Big deal, this way is still a better method.

Seems like my work is done here; enjoy the patch everybody. I am glad I could offer some assistance in making all of this possible. Have fun!

Hey T-Mart, thanks for finding a place to host my patch for download. I really appreciate it.

Posted by Anonymous at March 7, 2005 11:46 PM

No problem. I think it will be safe for a while, I doubt napster or whoever will check this.

If we have too, we could find a free forum, and post our songs on it using http://yousendit.com like we did here, it would be like shareware, but not the quite the same, but I think that will be a last resort.

Yeehaw, the file you put on yousendit.com isnt the 15,361KB one. Its the newer, larger one (15729). Supposedly, only the smaller one works. Are you sure this is the one you have installed and working. I'm going to install it now and see what happens.

If someone is sure they have the 15,361KB .exe file, can you try putting it on yousendit.com too.

Virtuoso worked GREAT. 15,000+. I know Media Player/Windows will find most of the art work, EVENTUALLY, but is there a faster method outside of Gracenote?

Lets put it this way, its the file I downloaded on 2/21/05 and installed. The byte size = 15,729,497. Which is the same value shown on Marv's site. If you divide that by the number of bytes in Kilobyte (1024), you get: 15,360.83 KB or in other words, 15,361KB. This value is also shown as the "size" of the file. So this should be the correct file.

The "wrong" file (as I see it) has a byte size = 15,729,527 (approx: 30 extra bytes).

Give it a try, the download should work no problem (I just re-downloaded it and it has the same byte size as should be the correct version). Let me know if it doesn't.

Good luck.

I just downloaded Napster (not the 'to go' version)... just normal. It's 'Napster Light' since it's a free trial. However, I can't download anything for free... all songs are 99 cents. Help!

understood. However, I tried installing it but after it unpacks all i get is an error message:

16 bit Windows Subsystem...C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications.

damn.

Arielle-
15 729 527 bytes = 15 360.8662 kilobytes

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=15729527+bytes+in+kilobytes&btnG=Google+Search

;-)

it'll work

Virtuosa seems to open, but I don't know what to do next. I open Napster, I try to download songs, but it won't let me. It wants to charge me 99 cents. How do I download songs for free with the free trial? Any ideas? I know you are all doing it. I see your posts :)

booyakasha! got it working. for anyone just stumbling across this and for those still having problems, everything you need to do and know is in this thread...read it.

T-Mart and Yeehaw, you guys are the best. thanks so much for your help.

By the way, you need the "to-go" napster. but note that not everything in napster's library is included in the to-go service. alot of stuff is only available for $.99.

I wanted to say thanks for everyone for their hardwork on getting this up. Especially the great person who created the scholarly Virtuosa crack. That's really helping my dissertation. :-D

I noticed that this wasn't answered out here and I had the same problem:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM 32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application

To fix that, do this:

1. Click Start, click Run, type c:\windows\repair, and then click OK.
2. Right-click autoexec.nt, and then click Copy.
3. Click Start, click Run, type c:\windows\system32, and then click OK.
4. Right-click anywhere in that folder, and then click Paste.
5. Right-click the Autoexect.nt file that you just copied, and then click Properties.
6. Click to select Read-Only, and then click OK.
7. Repeat steps 1 through 6 to copy the Config.nt file.
Note You must enable Read-Only permissions or the files will be removed after you restart Windows.

you can do what i did, buy a new processor and amd gives you 4 months of napster-to-go free :-P

course that will run you a few hundred.

by the way anyone trying virtuosa on xp64bit...it runs a little funky but damn fast

You're welcome anonymoooooseees, it was my pleasure. What else am I gonna do with my spare time?

It still isn't working for me, I am guessing there is some kind of a patch that has been added to my computer without me knowing.

maybe if someone used http;//yousendit.com and sent their virtuosa folder in programs.

Does anyone know why it might still not be working for me? Is it not working for anyone else still?

I downloaded all of my WMA files that I wanted (so far) and when I open Virtuosa, what do I do?

I tried opening the movie and music database... it only allows me to change folders. I can import songs... should I? Dear friends, please give me your brilliant advice!!!

:) Arielle

complete bullshit and a lie it doesnt work

Just tried it, works wonderfully. I got a 30 day free trial from an iRiver code that I'm sure you can find with a little digging (if you haven't already).

Anyway, now it's just a matter of time spent downloading/converting and time management to see how much I actually end up with.

Didnt work for me. Virtuosa tells me that the file is secured.

Wtf?

nm I spoke to soon.

Thanks a ton Nick

hey all :)
downloaded Virtuosa and the lame.dll....but Virtuosa won't convert the Napster protected files into another folder...it WILL burn them unprotected onto a CD....but that defeats my purpose since i just wanna fill my Ipod...anybody have a clue? Is it a Windows XP SP2 thing (again)???
appreciate the feedback....
great job Marv !

"newphillybear@yahoo.com"

do the 14 day free trial @ Napster and download all the files you want.

Anybody know of a crack for Virtuosa?

i've had no luck....

it's not carrying the file IDs when i burn a disc...maybe cuz it's the free version?

i dunno

I tried to burn a CD using Virtuosa, but it said that all of my songs were only 2 seconds, is that normal? I didn't want to waste a disk because I only have three left.

My free trial ends tomorrow, when I cancel it will I still be able to convert the files I downloaded and burn them to a cd. Looked on the net and can not find a clear answer, thanks.

My free trial ends tomorrow, when I cancel it will I still be able to convert the files I downloaded and burn them to a cd. Looked on the net and can not find a clear answer, thanks.

Posted by Dallas at March 10, 2005 03:22 PM
-------------------------------

My trial ended a week or two ago, and I still have all of the files that I downloaded off of Napster, except for the ones I deleted because I converted them to MP3s, but the WMA files I got from Napster are still on my computer, and I have canceled my account.

Dallas-
No, when your subscription ends you will no longer be able to play/convert any of the protected WMAs.

Dallas-
No, when your subscription ends you will no longer be able to play/convert any of the protected WMAs.

Posted by Marv at March 10, 2005 03:37 PM

I could, but I can't now. I am not sure if it is the files or if it is my software, but I burnt several CD's after my subscription ended.

I've got Virtuosa working fine, but my free trial ends sometime tomorrow. If I shell out the $40 bucks for it, what's the likelihood that Virtuosa will "fix" the flaw that converts the protected WMA's to MP3's?

jaywalker-
"what's the likelihood"? 100%.
I hate to tell you this, but the only way you can get this working beyond the trial is to crack it. It has to be the older version that matches the MD5 hash in the post. I'm not condoning this practice, but the bottom line is that it's the only way to do it.

It doesn't seem to work for me it always says "coversion cannot be completed, file is secured!" IT seems to be an awesome program otherwise. Oh well back to winamp

"Dallas-
No, when your subscription ends you will no longer be able to play/convert any of the protected WMAs."

My trial has ended and I can still convert and listen to them..../shrug

To all that are having problems, keep trying, i have been playing with this for about a week, i read all the posts in this blog, and finally , i am converting. I have had almost (but not all) of the problems mentioned here, and have been just as frustrated as most of you. Keep trying, you will get the right file sooner or later. I installed and un-installed about 25 different versions of Virtuosa before it worked.

Thanks for everyone's help

jaywalker, grab my patch. It will take care of your TRIAL issues. :) Have a good weekend everyone.

it would seem that the new virtuoso just burns them without having to convert them! atleast thats what happened when i used it

Hi - this might sound stupid, but I just downloaded the Virtuosa patch. But it is a .rar file. How do I extract the .exe portion from this to run it? Thanks.

@ Rocky - Google WinRar. It's a different type of compression program, aside from zip files.

I've downloaded about 1800 songs so far. I hope I can convert them to mp3 before my trial of napster runs out just in case it won't allow me to convert them after the fact! I'll keep you posted in 11 days when my trial runs out.

Anyone know where else I can download a trial membership for songs? I can't find bands like Citrus, Kittymonkey, Snow Patrol, The Arab Strap, Neutral Milk Hotel, Pavement... I need some underground-alterna-rock downloader!

What I'd like to know is what's so special about Virtuosa....

Is it simply a case that they forgot on the older version to add the protected file warning when converting WMA files to MP3?

If so then surely it should be simple to create a program with a far better interface that converts DRM'd WMA10 to MP3 at the touch of a button???

I just reformatted my computer and was previously able to convert from .wma to .mp3 and .wav. I just reinstalled napster and virtuosa and I am no longer able to convert. I would read the previous posts but there are over 300. I would really appreciate it if someone could repost instructions on how to get this working again. Thanks

Well. I have the same issue as cliff this morning. Any new files I download from napster stay at 0% while trying to convert in virtuoso. I get the "a license is required to play this content" popup over and over, for each song, and wether I hit yes or no it still doesn't convert.

Any suggestions. Is this happening for anyone else?

Spud, I was thinking the same thing myself. It should be hella easy aswell. Just use the .vpl file. :)

Can you email me the older version through justsendit? My email is hoonu32@gmail.com and wtaag@lycos.com if that doesnt work. Thanks.

thanks. thank you very much.

try virgindigital.com

They have snow patrol, and the same .wma files as napster. 14 day free trial as well.

I used the link posted by donahchoo and it works like a charm. KICK ASS!!! Im converting like a madman now since my napster trial ends tomorrow. It took me forever to figure this out. Sae la vie!!

I have done every different version of Virtuosa in this thread, along as using the patch (both versions of patch, exe and rar... both unlock it)

I was originally getting "Copyright blah blah blah" now I am getting the Zero percent thing......

I have tried running napster at the same time, but it just stays at 0%..... any help??

Virtuosa is working fine for me still. The version I have doesn't have a .WAV option, just LAME MP3 and .WMA . At first I was converting to MP3 (128 kbps CBR). Is doing higher bitrate MP3 or VBR MP3 useful at all in converting? I could care less about filesize, but I ideally would like to preserve quality 100% lossless from the original Napster .wma's. (Once DRM is gone I can convert at my leisure later on...).

Then I found I could go to .WMA

If I do .WMA at 128 kbps CBR, it strips the DRM and very slightly increases the filesize. It goes VERY fast 18X to 30X. I'm just don't know if it's dropping quality, you know, re-encoding when it does this. Anybody know? The converted .wma files actually say they are "129 kbps" instead of the 128 I selected. Kind of bizarre...

What happens when you purchase it? Will it update to the new version and not work?

Virtuosa's been working great for me including several yesterday after the Napster update. But this morning Virtuosa is frozen on converting, stuck on 0% as someone else said. I also notice that the file names are changed when added to Virtuosa. Rather than grouping the songs under one artist it now has each song individualy as its own artist.

Bottom line is that they won't convert.

as of this morning, Virtuosa doesn't work any more....they must have hit it with an auto update that "fixed" it.....you load a Napster protected file and it reads "0:00" on the time....

anybody got a clue????

I'm seeing the same issue as above. Anyone have any ideas?

I'm also seeing the same thing with Virtuosa: It was working, now it gets stuck on 0%. Some of you may have noticed that you can't even play a track in Virtuosa anymore (well, I can't...but I have kind of a bizarre setup...)

I think there is no way Virtuosa could autoupdate, but maybe some MS or Napster "certificates" have autoupdated.

My guess is the old version of Virtuosa was using a certificate somewhere that didn't respect the DRM restrictions. Napster/MS/Virtuosa has found that certificate and updated it to work correctly, or Napster has rewritten it's key to not allow the old Virtuosa key/certificate. I don't know if my terminology is correct, but that seems like how wma drm works.

I don't think anything has changed on the .wma headers themselves, because the files that worked yesterday no longer work today. It is something about how Virtuosa deals with the DRM that has changed.

The only question is whether installing on a virgin machine works at all. Someone might want to try that.

-Copy some of the Napster .wma files to a virgin PC;
-Disconnect from the Internet (just unplug your ethernet or phone cable);
-Re-install the older version of Virtuosa;
-Try it out.

If that doesn't work, that proves that Virtuosa used some older "key" or license somewhere on the net to open the files, and that "key" has been found and updated. This would mean Virtuosa is never going to work again.

On the other hand, if Virtuosa still works on a virgin PC (no net connection), we have hope...

People, please keep updating what you have tried here. This appears to be the most active discussion on the matter. If you know of other links with new info, please post them.

I have about 100 .wma files I would like to make operable on my MP3 player, so I hope we can find another fix. I don't want to have to encode these realtime...

Is Virtuosa still working for anybody???

one thing i know is that Napster just had an auto update that you couldn't say no to. But I downloaded about 150 songs yesterday after the update and converted them with no problem. This morning it's not working.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling: didn't work.

which of the real time converters are best?

Can someone pls post a link to a song so I can try it out with my virtuosa? If it doesn't work, I can try to patch it.

"The only question is whether installing on a virgin machine works at all. Someone might want to try that."

I just finished doing that. No dice. It just sat there at 0% and insisted all the tracks I loaded were 0:00. It doesn't look good.

Can someone pls post a link to a song so I can try it out with my virtuosa? If it doesn't work, I can try to patch it.

Seems to me they just shut down Virtuosa's capabilities the same way WinAmp did. Anyone have any new methods?

no luck so far

there appears to be a new virtuosa version. downloading...

Rob, Jason thanks for the info. Can I ask if your PC was UNconnected to the internet during the re-install of Virtuosa and re-try at conversion?

For those of you that get the 0% thing, can you PLAY a track in Virtuosa, or does it just sit there and LOOK like it's playing?

I would contribute more to the effort myself, but I'm not at my home PC. I can try a few more things tonight...

virtuosa updated drm license...new download allows play but not conversion of protected wma files. tried to use old .vpl but doesn't work.

here's a note from virtuosa: http://virtuosa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=532

peehead, I don't know if you have read all there is to read, but it is unlikely that any NEW version of Virtuosa will work. That has already been proven... Are you talking about a new OLD version?

I guess it is time to switch to Replay Music..

LATE, none of the old versions work...it won't even let you play the wma files. they just released 5.1 today. the new one allows you to play the wma files (but of course not convert). i think they revoked their old drm license and issued a new one (like winamp).

My 2 cents here. I am having the same problem with the 0% thing. I think that napster updated downloaded files yesterday or today I noticed a extended startup time, and as someone noticed earlier the filenames appear different in virtuosa. Judging from the speed of the update they must have changed something small in each file but enough to throw off virtuosa.

Seems to me they revoked Virtusa's WMP10 DRM license key and you have to upgrade to the newest Virtuosa to get the new valid key. That's how they blocked WInamp, right.

"Can I ask if your PC was UNconnected to the internet during the re-install of Virtuosa and re-try at conversion?"

Sure was. I did it on a laptop.

I wonder if the key is hardcoded somewhere in the program or on the hardisk.. I am sure the check is.. Maybe there is a way to dump the new key to disk and use it with the old version.. Just an idea..

Interesting folder and files .. :) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\DRM

My virtuosa was blocked access to the internet by my firewall. This is why I think it is something napster did.

Re: Unconnected laptop

Thanks for confirming Rob!

I guess that's it. It appears the certificate that older versions of Virtuosa used has been updated (online).

There is a topic called "Revoking Content for Your Users" on the MS SDK website.

Read more here if you like for more insight...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wmencode/htm/aboutthewindowsmediaencodersdk.asp

I get the picture that DRM has two parts to the key, and the online part to Virtuosa's key has been "updated."

clgnemesis, yeah, I had tried with and without internet access. Norton Internet Security would tell me every time Virtuosa was trying to go online.

If I blocked access I would get 0%. If I allowed access I would get "sorry bucko, can't do that..."

Okay, as far as real time goes, everybody throw up your suggestions.

I have read some good and some bad things about www.TuneBite.com, which costs $15 US.

Good: Copies tags
Bad: Real time; not sure about final quality

Damn, Damn, Damn.... Looks like I arrived to this party a little late. I too have a a couple of hundred files still to convert. Oh well looks like I'm out of luck for now....

Replay Music is NICE.. No need to worry about DRM's, and no bugs ;) I patched them out today.. Thinking about posting my bugfix.. :)

tunebite is realtime...and u can't play any sound at the same time or it would get recorded too.

is replay music realtime? and can it have multiple instances?

Keep us posted Anonymous...

Another resource for you coders:

http://www.armbrustconsulting.com/UpdateWmas.html

Code for "updating" .wma characteristics. I have no idea if doing something as silly as changing the "protected" bit in the file properties would unprotect it. I serially doubt it would be that easy...

But that code is likely what TuneBite does (along with copying realtime). Maybe it extracts all the tags from the file you are playing, then writes them into the recorded MP3 from the .wma you were playing.

I found a new file today called 'SNAPdrm' in C:Program Files/Napster. Since I hadn't loaded Napster in 4 days this was a new file. I am sure of it. I deleted it. Still no luck using Virtuosa. Maybe somebody can shed some light on this?

Execute that exe.. It will give you all sorts of fun data!

Replay Music is pretty cool. You can start a session and have it stop recording and split up tracks on silence. The is great for going through a whole entire playlist. All you have to do is load your tracks into MediaPlayer and depress Play. Replay Music will take care of the rest. It will even rename all your tracks for you.. :)

Anon-
Are you talking about the SNAPdrm when you refer to "execute that .exe?" What sort of info does it give you?

And what is Replay Music? Is it another music download service, or is it a utility/media player?

Answering my own question: It appears Replay Music is recording software. I might give that a try for realtime.

Too bad the Replay Music's 25-song trial is not as generous as Virtuosa's 30-day. Is there any way to get around this?

Crap! Crap! Crap!!!

Looks like Virtuosa updated their DRM license so everyone is SOL!!! just like when Winamp did it a few weeks ago.

So you guys can stop trying to download the good version of the trial and apply the patch because IT WILL NOT WORK!!

:(

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=130813

Snapdrm.exe is an interesting file. Is napster able to monitor what programs you are opening its files with?

If you run the file with a -? command line argument:

snapdrm -?

you can see that by including a -c you see 'client information'. However that information seems to be encoded.... hey smart people... any idea what information napster is gathering here?

Has anyone tried to do a "system restore", this should undue any program changes made. I don't have system restore on my computer, so I can't try it, but it may work.

hey anonymous, i'll bake you some cookies if you post your fix for this :)

This is not something that can be fixed by uninstalling, or reformating or using system restore. Virtousa has changed their DRM license. They announced it on their website (www.virtuosa.com) today.

The only reason Virtousa was able to handle the conversion was because their DRM license allowed their software to access the protected .WMA files.

Those of you seeking to convert protected .WMA files into unprotected formats (most likely .mp3) will have to wait for another method to pop up or go ahead and write your own crack for Window's Media player or the DRM protection.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion.

Well someone must be wront about this DRM thing because I just converted 50 songs on my laptop after doing a system restore back a week. I then used the 5.0 virtuosa vpl to load, then switched with the old 4.x vpl and it worked. How did it work? not sure. But at least this is hope. I know napster updated because I saw it do it the other day and I've restarted a few times now. Again, I'm not saying this will work, I'm just saying it's working now, so the story about the DRM license may not be completely true. Good Luck, I'll try to figure it out completely and get back tomorrow.

Any ideas on how to get it to work if you didnt have it installed before the changes were implemented?

Basically, how can one install Virtousa now and use the old DRM license?

Anyone know how to reset the trial date infor for Virtuosa phoenix? after mp10 i havnt been able to do a restore, and no matter how i erase thr expired tiral, virtuosa still cathces me. where is the virtuosa info being saved on my computer

I just got Virtuosa Gold...anybody could please send me (liviomealone@gmail.com) the Patch/site where I could download it from with instructions if different from what stated in this board earlier?

Thank you

Virtuosa does not work any more. The "patch" was not to make it translate your napster files, the "patch" was only to give you the full version instead of the trial version. (It was basically a "crack"). The patch itself gave no useful function beyond letting you use it longer.

n_e_o182 is the only person in the world who says he has it working.

quattro, there is no way to "erase" the date on the trial. No way that has been posted anyway... The only thing is, if you haven't tried it, set your date back a couple weeks in BIOS. Then install a crackable version, then crack, then set your date right.

Posts by the author suggest the newest version (download from the site) will let you reinstall the "Trial" but you won't be able to use it unless you buy it. Go to their forums and read up on that if you want...

http://www.mediatwins.com/en/wma_to_mp3_conversion.html
Ive heard that this Czech program has no drm issue, anyone else hear of it?

Well, it says the following:

"WMA files can have DRM protection. In this case the file content is encrypted with a key. For playback and decoding it is necessary to have DRM license files on your computer. DRM license can limit your rights for using these functions. For instance, it can allow only playback and prohibit conversion into other formats. This mechanism was developed by Microsoft corp. for copyright protection. WMA Encoder Decoder allows decoding only files without DRM protection into unprotected PCM format as specified in the WMFSDK End User License Agreement."

Have you tried it? Maybe an earlier version?

I tried n_e_o182's advice above with Virtuosa version 4.1.0.2.

Surprise! It does NOT work to convert .wma's ...

What you smokin' n_e_o182?

It does work to play songs, but it won't convert them/burn them/etc.

It sure made me grumpy though...

Yes, the days of Virtuoso are over. I suspect the only way the DRM restriction will be overcome at this point is if someone develops software that specifically ignores it, and this will likely come from the crack community because Napster management is aggressively monitoring blogs/forums and chasing after whatever software "solutions" open up to overcome this. A nasty message to Virtuoso equals a new "improved" version that closes the loophole. It's going to take someone who isn't going to be easily found to release something to overcome this or it's back to converting via the soundcard.

What is so dumb is that a lot of us are gladly paying the $15 a month for the service - we just want the freedom to use the music on something other than the handful of mp3 portables that Napster currently supports.

Yup, my setup had been working no problem until today. I didn't do anything different than I had in the past.

Now it lists each file on its own and when I convert, it just stays at 0%. Any thoughts/ideas guys?

Hey anonymous, got any new ideas?

anyone think burning them to CD and ripping them from there will work? If so, what is the process/software utilized?

Virtuosa is still working for me...
I even paid for a month of Napster to keep going.
I haven't patched my Virtuosa trial yet.

Tunebite works well, but slowly. Like winamp.

peehead:
re: "tunebite is realtime...and u can't play any sound at the same time or it would get recorded too."

I haven't noticed any other sounds getting recorded over it.

I too have run into the 0% issue and all the tracks show 0:00 for length. It really sucks cause I didnt figure out this Virtuoso trick until literally about ten hours before FunVibe updated there stuff blocking its magic. I even payed for Napster for a month so I could roll on but no dice! This was awesome while it lasted. Did anyone check quattros post about the Czech program to see if it worked? Hopefully one of you program geniuses will Trump the powers that be and get us all back in the game!!

Alright I tried DLing and using the Czech program
http://www.mediatwins.com/en/wma_to_mp3_conversion.html
it downloads but then prompts you to buy (or as they call it register) the software at 21 dollars and it removes all restrictions. As an unregistered copy it tells you that it will encode or decode only 50% of the source file as an unregistered (un-payed for) version. So just to see if it would do even that I tried it and it just sat there. So maybe Im not patient enough or this to will not work but I would like it if someone could confirm my findings with this. Even better if one of you who has the spare 21 hard earned to drop on the full version to see if it works as a complete version that would save about 500 people from posting bogus patches and try this try thats that end up not working either.

do a google for DrmDbg.exe and drm2wmv.exe.
Folks these are the silver bullets for wmp10 drm only thing is they are not easily available anyone finds them on a p2p transfer or something please let all of us know

Just had an update pushed from Napster...
Working version of Virtuosa just cut out on me...

Maybe this has been posted, but if you are desperate to burn DL from Napster then this WILL work http://www.totse.com/en/technology/computer_technology/bypassingmicro172192.html
It's not as good as the Virtuosa way but I can't see how this can ever be circumnavigated. It's also a bit of a pain as you are recording the output of another MP3 player. However it works well and the quality is excellent.
Note. Don't use the registration code URL as it's virus loaded - use Google instead ;)
Asp.

Ok so we are all up to speed
1) as of 3/14/05 or soon afterwords THE VIRTUOSA FIX IS DEAD!!

2)instead of listing that youre in the same boat lets all do some research and use this forum for solutions and thoery

3) DrmDbg.exe and drm2wmv.exe !!!! from what ive found this holy grail of DRM work arounds was of real concern to Bill and his company as late as lasteweek i wont get into how it worked so as to save Marv the possible trouble of pulling this whole thing do a google search and read several articles and discusions on this ITS VERY INTERESTING

4) How do we get them? I cant find a download site at all (im sure Bill and his lawyers shut a site down as soon as they find it) but it seems to me that there must be a p2p service (like winmx) that has it floating around.

mrhat1065, I created a fix for this yesterday.. Seems to be working 100%.. I got rid of all the online checks. Just simply register with the following serial: RARN-496.. :) Not sure if this works as an input in the registration dialog, but I am sure it works if you manually add it to the registry.. Not going to bother with a gen seeing that it has an online authentication process anyway.

what application are you suggesting that uses the "RARN-496" serial? Where in the registry would you find that key?

Thanks

Maybe it is because I have not run Napster in a few days, but my Virtuosa is still running. I will try the mediatwins software when I get home.

Hey "fruitiejunkie" check your hotmail acct.

later

I think you guys should also make sure that your tracks didn't expire.. Open them up in Windows Media Player, right click, and choose properties..

I am not sure if mine is working or not, my trial has run out. If someone whishes to lend me a pass to download 1 track, I will give it a go again..

I had a friend find:
drmdbg.exe
and
Drm2Wmv.exe

neither work... but seemed to virus free...

arejay care to share the files?
verylate@aol.com
these are the Japanise files?

What application did you place the serial #: "RARN-496" in the regedit???? I tried several things, but no luck. It was working then yesterday Virtuosa stop.

JLabb

who can tell me about replay, is it realtime, where is the best copy, whats the deal?

quattro...

sent to your email...

Since I'm paying for Napster now and was 9 days from buying Virtuosa (thank god they fixed it before I bot it), I've just bit the bullet and bot Tunebite. It seems to work ok.. real time, sound card recording. It did try to access the internet, but my firewall stopped it. I'll probably unplug my connection b4 running Tunebite from now one just to be safe.

MARV will there be a part 4? sure would love your input on the state of things?
Thanks for all of your efforts to date by the way!

Using tunebite right now works great, just works in realtime
tunebite serial I just made up seems to work
127775108 dont ask me how I just typed them in and presto unlocked.

Thanks Jdegid, it works for me as well.

Interestingly I can no longer convert "new" downloads with virtuosa. I even restored and still couldn't but there is a dilemma here:
(1)My main computer would not allow conversion of the wma's.
(2)My laptop allowed the files to be converted last night.
*The only difference between the two is the files downloaded on the laptop were download before napster's update. So It can not be a DRM license thing or I wouldn't have been able to convert last night, so it must be something that napster did.
Otherwise how do you explain the few who can still convert?

dear folks: I have been using Virtuosa for 7 days and it was working pecfect. I couldnt convert the tracks but I could burn them, which is exactly what I need it. but all of a sudden, today i was going to add some new track from Napster to the "music database" of Virtuosa and it does not work anymore. I did not change anything at all. I dont know waht to do. PLEASE I NEED YOUR HELP. the track appears in the database but the time in front of it appears like"00:00" and i cant burn anymore either. which is weird because yesterday i was burning some cds. PLEASE AND THANKS.
I have the virtuosa 5 trial version by the way.

Thanks for posting your Tunebite experiences.

When I was briefly looking at it this morning it looked like it had very few recording options. OGG or LAME MP3, but it didn't look like it gave many LAME options.

I think if I do this real-time I want to go for MAXIMUM quality, regardless of disk space. Basically to preserve everything possible in the .wma files themselves.

Anybody ripping to VBR MP3 or WAV files?

Am I wrong about this or what?

So n_e_o182, you have Naptster itself installed on multible machines? I figured you can't be opening on your laptop files that were downloaded to your desktop. Seems like the DRM wouldn't like that much.

But if you were, please post, because that might give some insight as to how badly Virtuosa was handling the DRM.

1. The DRM is the reason.
2. The only options now are

i. Hacking DRM (tough)
ii. Using different software.

Use different software.

Does anyone know if the Virtuosa method still works with downloads from Virgindigital.com?

Thanks Jdegid, worked for me too! I wish Virtuosa still worked :(

LATE you are correct, the files I converted last night were files that I downloaded on the laptop napster, I have tried to move files from one computer to another and it wouldn't allow it. On my wife's computer I installed napster using a old version, then I downloaded some songs without restarting before napster automatically updated the program--> sadly no go! Virtuosa did not recognize.

I still can't understand why it worked last night, unless the files I had before were before some tweak to the DRM license on my computer? Any ideas?

"unless the files I had before were before some tweak to the DRM license on my computer"

Thanks for posting, that's what I figure... You are supposed to still be able to use content even if you are offline. It may be that once you went online again Virtuosa got to see the new certificate and stopped working.

I kind of feel like the old virtuosa's (Early V. 5.X) certificate was pulled completely, since it just hangs at 0% and you can't play the tracks. Then a new certificate was issued for the new version.

I was mixing and matching VPL's from 4.X, 5.X old and 5.X new. The very old 4.X ones allow playing and respect DRM, the middle ones don't, and the newest ones do again. Makes me think there was a fatal flaw in the middle version that can't be fixed externally by certificates, so they just won't reissue one for that version.

Spike, other then realtime, soundcard, software
do you have any sugestions?

And sorry for dissing you last night n_e_o182, I was tired and cranky if that's any excuse (it's not...) ;) Thanks for posting more info today.

Ok, like everyone else my Virtuosa experience was sweet while it lasted. Still had 500+ tracks to go when Napster updated and the disaster happened. Here is an alternative that works:
Download Tunebite.
Register it via the number someone posted on this discussion (it works! Thanks!!)
Go thru the set-up and import your "lame_.dll" from your Virtuosa plug-in folder. This converts to mp3- otherwise encoding is .ogg.
Set up Windows Media Player with the Napster .wma tunes in a playlist.
Choose a pathway for your mp3 tunebite files.
Tunebite should be set to "Auto"
Play WM Player and watch Tunebite encode!
Its real time so no speed like Virtuosa. Anyway set it up and go to sleep and check it out in the morning!

All this from a Mac guy who loves iPod!!!

V I R T U O S A I S D E A D !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick question - let's say I download a ton of WMA's from Napster - xfer them to a "Napster compatible mp3 player" ... isn't everything controlled by the expiration date of the key? Is it possible to keep back-dating an MP3 player so the WMA's will at least continue to work on that w/o keeping a subscription alive?

BTW - I too was able to successfully grab about 15,000 songs over the past week before the key was changed. Difference is - I imported all 15,000 into Virtuosa about 4 days ago and have NOT connected to Napster since the key change, so all files are still successfully being converted - I'm up to the E's :-)

Tunebite works perfect! Thanks. it's kind of slow but it works. thanks again. it's a shame that virtuosa does not work .

Tunebite is the new method, I had virtuosa and it bombed. If anyone finds a virtuosa like method again please share.

I highly doubt you guessed a working key! For the fun of it today in the midst of my boredom I had decided to code a bruteforce engine that would find all the keys possible to register tunebite. Anyway, the results speak for themselves.. 8,765 matches found out of 899999999
guesses! There is no way that you just guessed one by accident! If anyone would like to see my source or get my engine I will be glad to post them.

Hey Guys,
It's been really interesting lurking and tracking all the troubleshooting progress. Excellent detective work!

As I have mounds of Napster-protected files (I've signed up for the month), I decided to give the registered copy of Tunebite a go. Sure enough, it works...with one tiny little issue: has anyone else found the first second or two of the newly encoded MP3 to be cut off? It's almost as if WM Player starts playing and Tunebite doesn't catch on until a second later. It's possible that my computer is just grinding away at too many programs in the background and is running a little sluggishly, but I'd be curious to know if other's have experienced this.
Thanks

From the Virtuosa site:

Wma DRM protected files
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please note that if you have trouble playing, converting, purchasing or registering Microsoft's Wma DRM-protected audio files, please download and install the latest version 5.10 (after the 14th of March) of Virtuosa from www.virtuosa.com.

This version allows you to play, burn and use the protected content as per the DRM rules that have been programmed in by the site where you downloaded them from. However, this version does not allow conversion of Wma DRM protected files, in order to comply with our agreements.

All other functions are unaffected, new developments are:
* brand new installer, compatible with SP2
* wma-DRM track number now correctly read
* correct handling of wma-DRM number of burns
* corrected bug in skin that caused blurred text
* corrected random shuffle - finally real randomness
* no more window resizing when clicking on View
* wma-DRM plugin update with new DRM certificate
* a couple of other changes

To update to a new version, SIMPLY download the latest Trial version from our home page www.virtuosa.com and install it over the version already installed on your computer. YES, it will keep your Gold or Silver registration if you install a Trial version over.

Best,

The FunVibes Team
__________________
Giac

So the certificate changed. That stinks, but there should be a way to use the new certificate with the old software. I'll see what I can find.

Has anyone heard or used the Japanese wmp10 DRM crack? It's composed of two files: drmdbg.exe & Drm2Wmv.exe. I've tried to use them, but it is unable to find a KID for the file I am attempting to convert.

has anyone tried installing 3.0.3.4 letting it update and then just not restarting? i know when i updated it said "changes would take place after you restart napster". perhaps if you download with this version and let it run indefinitly you could download and convert this way? I dont have 3.0.3.4 anymore to try it though. :( Someone lemme know.. i know one of you kept the install file.

If anyone else is experiencing lag time before recording in tunebite, please let me know. I will try to debug it when I get home and see if I can patch the delay and hopefully make it start recording faster to remove the so called "cut outs"..

srand(time(NULL));
x = ((rand() % 8765) + 1234)
x =* 17
x =* 5113
x =+ 1238
code = x

(((1470 * 17) * 5113) + 1238) = 127775108

:)

Yeah, I am bored.

anonomous,

yeah, there is a minor delay. its worse if you have something running like a virus scanner, etc. (In my case anyhow).

We either need to find something to put a 2 second delay in the beginning or get a virtuosa-clone up and running.

I wish I could help more, but I'm more of a functional software person than technical.

keep me posted.

quattro and nfs u r right, i cant belive no one else is looking into the drm crack? does ne1 have info about these files????????

I get no delays with Tunebite.
Works perfectly.

tivix so far I have not found a good copy of either file,

nfs if youre out there please send me a copy at verylate@aol.com ill see what i can do on the kid and seed issues

tivix drop me a line and ill send you them when i get them

a little help here folks this seems like our best bet for faster then real time, non soundcard conversions

I believe it happened after restarting Napster after the update. I logged in, got the update, and proceeded to download about 150 songs, convert them with Virtuosa and then the next day when I restarted Napster it didn't work anymore.

I believe it happened after restarting Napster after the update. I logged in, got the update, and proceeded to download about 150 songs, convert them with Virtuosa and then the next day when I restarted Napster it didn't work anymore.

Tunebite will progressively chop off the first second or two of converted songs depending on how many you have queued up. It won't be apparent with just a few songs, but queue 100 and you'll see it get progressively worse.

WNY:

I have not noted that problem with Tunebite, even with 50 songs queued...

I noticed Tunebite chopping off the first second or so of all the cuts I did in automatic mode whether they were at the top or bottom of my queue. However, I converted a bunch using manual mode and noticed no problems at all.

Maybe that's it. I use manual mode.

Be sure to use manual mode on Tunebite to avoid missing gaps on songs

works great so far!

Anybody have a Tunebite equivalent?

I love how it handles tags and files. I hate that it doesn't allow me to record to WAV, or that it doesn't allow me to use all the options of the LAME encoder (higher quality, VBR, etc.)

File size is not an issue, but I would like to maintain all of the .wma quality if possible.

Also, It doesn't allow me to use my USB sound device (M-Audio Transit, which provides alpmost perfect sound quality) so I have to use onboard sound.

Anonymous, any hopes of hacking it to record to WAV or to use more LAME options?

As far as wav goes, it would probably be difficult. Might require some code injections along with another library to do the conversion.. The options for lame on the other hand might be easy.. I think all you would need to do is patch to allow params.

Is this going to happen again though? How does tunebite process tracks? Are they going to expire their license aswell? I think the only real solution would be to code a DRM stripper. Judging by a technical document that I had reviewed a few days ago, this is no easy task. It uses alot of cryptography.. DES, SHA-1, RC4, Custom Swap, and Modified BASE64.. Apparently v1.0 is easier to strip than v2.0. It doesn't really matter to me though.. I am not a big Napster downloader. I buy most of my music for the booklets. I am just in this for the fun little challenges and projects.. My license has already expired and I do not plan on purchasing one. Ohwell, for all I know, my Virtuosa still works.

Are the lame options access via parameters? If so, what ware they?

so what are the odds of getting a DRM stripper or DRM "converter". Converter = converting current DRM to a DRM that works with the last workable version of Virtuosa?

thoughts?

First solution: I am not sure if I could pull it off. I am a bit rusty!

DRM TECHNICAL PAPER!
http://www.spinnaker.com/crypt/drm/freeme/Technical

Second solution: Um, I don't think it is possible!

YEEHAW the stripper exists

drmdbg.exe
and
Drm2Wmv.exe
good for wmp10 drms its a known Japanise crack, but very hard to find a good copy of

THANKS for the link Anonymous!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, if you move back a directory, you will find freeme.exe and it's source code. It is a DRM stripper for v2.0 DRM.

All this talk about strippers is making me hot...

"has anyone tried installing 3.0.3.4 letting it update and then just not restarting? i know when i updated it said "changes would take place after you restart napster". perhaps if you download with this version and let it run indefinitly you could download and convert this way? I dont have 3.0.3.4 anymore to try it though. :( Someone lemme know.. i know one of you kept the install file.
Posted by Kaleb at March 17, 2005 10:48 AM "

I took a fresh computer and loaded the original napster setup program, then I downloaded a few songs and did not restart napster as it said it was updated. I then tried to convert the files with virtuosa--> no go!

Even more weird: I took the files that I converted the other night, the ones downloaded before the update. For some reason I can't even convert those files now, yet I converted the same files 2 days ago. What doesn't make sense is if the certificate changed then the files I downloaded before shouldn't have converted the night everyone else was having problems.

Why would virtuosa have to change certificates? The new version respected the DRM before the update, maybe they just disabled all previous "vpl's" has anyone looked into this, the new vpl is a different size then all the previous files.

Out of curiousity, I turned off my modem and did a system restore back to March 11th which predates the Virtuosa "fix". I tried to convert and it was a "no-go". I'm assuming that the problem must be in the files downloaded after the date (I didn't have any old pre-3/14 files to attempt to convert).

MS, content owners, Application authors, and maybe License Serving Companies can all revoke DRM by changing the key that is NOT on your PC.

I think ALL versions of Virtuosa had a DRM license. One version, early 5.X Phoenix version, handled DRM poorly (or nicely, depending on your perspective) but the earlier versions were fine. The online certificate has changed so that only early versions of V and the most recent version of V still have DRM permissions because those versions handle DRM correctly.

The 5.X Phoenix Virtuosa application has no certificated permission, so it hangs whether you try to convert, burn, or even PLAY DRM .wma files. I think its permission has been revoked because it cannot be repaired on all of our PCs. All they did on the "online" key is say these versions have permission, these versions don't. There is nothing we can do about that. Virtuosa is dead.

There is word going around that the current DRM version for WMP 10 has been cracked, but MS is not acknowledging that. DRM experts are saying it is a limited crack in that you can still only do things on your own machine, but you might be able to avoid restrictions, etc. Also, there are suggestions that all the modern content is watermarked, so if it spreads around, authorities will always know where it originated. (Can you imagine if every one of our audio files has a serial number...?)

This is the perfect kind of crack for me, because it allows fair use, but doesn't necessarily allow rampant file sharing.

DRM for WMP10 cracked:
http://msmvps.com/chrisl/archive/2005/02/16/36147.aspx

I found a copy of Tunebite on eMule with a keygen with it. Download a lame_enc.dll and I can convert the songs to MP3 in real time.

Glad to help with the tunebite key :)

I was surfin and found this
http://www.blazemp.com/convert_drm_protected_wma.htm

anyone tried it yet? looks like tunebite on roids

Jdegid

This looks like it has potential

http://hymn-project.org/jhymndoc/

arejay send me the files
mckrakin85@comcast.net

Another Tunebite observation (thanks, by the way, for the feedback on the delayed encoding issue):

Has anyone noticed Tunebite extending the track duration when importing the newly encoded MP3 into iTunes? The file sizes certainly aren't any larger than what I am expecting them to be and the files themselves appear to list the proper track length. However, iTunes seems to list the track lengths as much longer (approximately doubled). The track seems normal in every other way when played on iTunes: no skips, pauses or gaps. iTunes plays the song in its entirety, moving on to the next song when the previous song ends regardless of the amount of time still listed as remaining on the track.
What's interesting is what happens when you skip to specific points on the track. If the song length is only suppose to be 3:00 (showing up as ~6:00 in iTunes) and you skip to the 3:00 minute mark when playing in iTunes, you reach only the halfway point (1:30) in the song. Letting the song play from that point, you will hear the remaining 1:30 of the song and then it will move on the the next track once it reaches the 4:30 minute mark.

he he....maybe I should have just read the TuneBite manual first (*blush*):

"Note that in order to guarantee good quality tunebite uses variable bit rate (VBR) encoding with both ogg and mp3. This makes it difficuly for many players to compute the real duration of the recorded track as our customers have reported."

Went through about 100 songs with Tunebite. Set the volume by using "auto" or whatever - and the result was everytime the track went to low volume/frequency tunebite just completely cut the volume out - it didn't record any low volume - resulting in 100 crappy tracks. I'm assuming this is because I did not manually set the volume - any advice(besides just putting it up until yellow)?

Also, now tunebit won't record in manual - it loads up wmp but it doesn't record and I get the failed in 15sec error. Restarted computer still won't work. Try reinstall next. Anyone know why?

thx

Blaze Media Pro (linked above) does not work (at least for me) with Napster wma's.

Uninstalled and reinstalled - still won't record. Loads up wmp just fine, plays just fine. Anyone else having this problem?

Thanks for the info - follwed the steps and it all works like a charm! I do have a question, perhaps one that belies my lack of tech savviness- are we sure that Napster cannot find out that their files have been copied (I am using the original process with winamp on files I have downloaded last year )? Napster "talks" to the files to find out if one is still paying the membership, so is it possible that Napster could "talk" to the files to find out if they have been copied/converted or is this a dumb question? Thanks

Is there any way to get iTunes to recognize the correct track length?

Will the Virtuosa method work with DRM files from VirginDigital.com? Anybody?

Rocky, read between the lines:

____________________________________
VIRTUOSA NO LONGER WORKS FOR DRM!!!!
____________________________________

Sorry to shout, but that's what the 200 or so posts above you are discussing.

Hey LATE, be nice...

The Virgin store says that they are WMA Version 9. Not 10. There may be hope.

I'm not sure the version of the WMA CODEC has anything to do with the version of DRM.

The consensus is that the loophole in Virtuosa had to do with a flaw in one version of the program. It had nothing to do with the version of WMA or DRM or anything else. It was a flaw in the application. That flaw is no longer useful to us because the certificate that allowed that particular version of Virtuosa to use ANY protected WMA has been pulled. Gone. Finite. Poof. You can't even listen to a protected .wma in that version anymore.

That would be a good proof though...

Download Virtuosa version 3.X
Download Virtuosa version 4.X
Download Virtuosa version 5.X Phoenix
Download Virtuosa version 5.1 (Current download from Virtuosa site)

I bet you can play your Virgin .wma in the first two and the last one, but it won't play in version 5.X Phoenix (the one linked by this blog.) The fact that it won't play also will mean that it cannot be transcoded or burned.

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but that is my 99.99999999% analysis.

So i just read that someone designed a new front end for itunes that lets you download songs without DRM. They discovered that the drm was being applied AFTER you download the file by the itunes app. Their app downloads the file and doesn't bother adding the DRM. Could this be altered for napster? Does anyone know if this is the same process in napster?

Link for the article i read:
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000267036571

I feel like my Dad just yelled at me....sorry, like everyone else here, just trying to figure out if it is a WMA 9 or 10 issue, Napster issue, or Virtuosa. I love this place....

hey can someone email napster 3.0.3.4 install to me kaleb_00_1999 (@) hotmail.com? or even better yet provide a working link? I want to try some things.

thanks

Sorry Rocky, I didn't mean to be an ass.

Keep posting what you learn.

I think the main thing is we know that the "loophole" that allowed us to use Virtuosa has been closed.

In days of trying nobody has been able to re-open that loophole on any type of protected .wma because there is an online part of .wma DRM, a digital certificate. That has been changed and there is nothing that can be done with any version of Virtuosa to change, revert, backdate, leap over, or otherwise circumvent that Certificate.

Anybody got a great way to copy tags from one file to another? I can't use Tunebite with my audio card. Instead I will record to .wav in GoldWave, but I don't wan't to have to fill in the Tags by hand.

So, in short, I want to point at a file (protected .wma), and copy its tags;

Then point at another file and paste the tags.

Anybody know of a good tool for that?

I hate to do it manually, but it might be my only option at this point.

Most apps I have tried won't even deal with protected files (I am hating DRM more every day!) even though the silly tags are not encrypted or protected in any way!

Hmmm...is it possible that WAV files don't support tags?

Reading...

Here are my settings for Tunebite:
Master Volume: All the way up
Input: Stereo Mix with the level set around 1
Encoder: Lame (see below for more info)
Encoder Options: 160kbits
Mode: Stereo
Mode: Automatic

*Download the lame_enc.dll from here:
http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?lame_enc and go to "Import mp3 encoder" and stick it in there.

I am having random problems with some tracks... I'm not sure why but I get an error message and have to skip that track.

Tunebite is great. But when I set lame encoder bit rate to 192 kbits/s it encodes from 128 all the way to 320. VBR I guess. I'd prefer CBR. I guess it really has no effect on quality as the wma and mp3 sound the same but the lame mp3 files are a lot bigger. But like I said tunebite is still the best thus far.

Awesome. Too bad that software doesnt work anymore. I'm using Tunebite now. Seems to be working well.

I have no shame when it comes to stealing music. I take pride in knowing that I am making the RIAA angry and robbing the record companies.

Napster is actually really good. I would sign up and pay for it if I could keep the music after cancelling and could burn, but I know that with the record industry's web of royalty demands that's just not possible. So on my trial I am ganking all that I can and will convert using tunebite overnights.

What do you guys think of Replay-Music? It records well but it relies on the cddb free database for file info and at times guesses incorrectly when tagging files. You can control constant bit rate and you can use other players such as winamp. Just wanted to know what you guys think?

http://www.blazemp.com/convert_drm_protected_wma.htm ;)

I downloaded Blaze, it won't convert the Napster tunes.

Check out the comments at the bottom of this article. Looks like some of these people know what they are doing...

http://msmvps.com/chrisl/archive/2005/02/16/36147.aspx

I hope someone figures this out soon, tunebite is unacceptable. Giac, the Virtuosa forum guy, is somewhat easy to manipulate...??

alright, i tried that FreeMe.exe file anonymous posted, and found a readme that says it was made for use with the WMV DRM from WMP version 7. obviously it's old software, so it's a deadend. all it would do for me was tell me that yes, it has both DRM v1 and v2 headers, and give me the last few digits of my personal key.

what we really need to do is wait for someone to come out with a drm2wma instead of drm2wmv as that does us no good.

by the way, is there any way to get tunebyte to stop being a wench and actually leave me the first second or so of song?

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1777455,00.asp

anonymoooooseees, the hanging you are having with some files in Tunebite might be related to borked Napster files. Others were having difficulty with 1% to 5% of the downloaded files simply because they got corrupted in the download process. If that's the case, all you can really do is re-download those files.

(A good test is whether Tunebite hangs if you try the same file again.)

I really like the Tunebite concept, but I hate the lack of support. It is like a 50%-there app as far as I'm concerned. It would be much better if it had online support and a forum for user feedback.

Hmmm...I'm just looking at some files I copied with Tunebite (using nForce2 onboard audio)

vs.

the same tune recorded to wav in GoldWave (using M-Audio Transit USB), then converted to MP3 via LAME. They look very, very different.

The Tunebite MP3 is dynamically maxed out for much of the song...! (After setting recording level into low yellow region) This means the waveforms are clipped.

The GoldWave mp3 is perfectly normalized so that only the loudest note of the song is at max.

To bad I didn't look at this before I did a few hundred songs with TuneBite. :(

So there are two things:
1) I'm not confident with the level settings in Tunebite
2) I know there is a HUGE SQ penalty using onboard sound (AC97) vs. the USB soundcard which is immaculate (Tunebite won't let me use the USB soundcard...)

(There is a HUGE amount of noise that comes in with the AC97 onboard sound, even though at the time Soundstorm was advertised as being very good--it is definitely NOT good.)

Bottom line is, I think if you want to preserve audio quality Tunebite may not be the answer. If you want to just rip these Napster tunes for later use on a portable that may be fine, but if you want to get all the quality out of them that is possible, realtime recording with a different application might be best. It's kind of a quality vs. quantity thing.

Ah bugger... now Winamp doesn't work.

Looks like AOL has been forced to change the WMA keys. I get "Please select DirectSound output plugin to play Windows Media Content" if I try and use Output Stacker now.

Thanks LATE, do you (or anyone) remember what the trick for re-downloading Napster songs? I've deleted the tracks but am getting the "you've already downloaded this track" malarky.

Ne'er mind, figured it out. For those needing to know:

1. Exit Napster and click Start
2. Click Run
3. In the textbox type: cmd.exe
4. In the command window type:
cd \Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Napster\bin\ and hit ENTER
5. type dir and hit ENTER
6. Rename any bin files listed in the directory with the following command:
rename db30.bin db30_bin.bak
where db30.bin is the bin file listed in the directory
7. type exit and ENTER
8. reload napster

WOW spudrik how about reading the previous comments before posting one.
winamd dead?, where have you been?

Can't seem to download PyMusique the sever is down, does anybody have another link besides http://fuware.nanocrew.net/pymusique ?

I was told by my friend that blaze is working. He used it last night.

Replay Music seems to be a decent alternative. The sound quality is excellent!

easy quattro...

Anonymous and others using Replay:

Can you elaborate? I thought maybe ReplayMusic was a DOWNLOAD SERVICE. Are you suggesting it as an alternative service?

Or is it an alternative APPLICATION that can be used to play and record realtime Napster tracks? (Once you get by the 25-song limit...)

Sorry for my confusion...

I have tried Blaze myself (Pro Version 5.20) and it does not even play Napster tracks, much less do anything else with them.

Is there some other secret, or was that just a rumor...?

LATE, use Blaze to record real time, not convert. Play the Napster files in Media Player and Blaze will record the stream. Total Recorder will do the same and Replay Music as well.

Yes Replay-Music does allow you to record songs just like tunebite, but the differences is you can use almost any player including winamp. I never notice a skip in songs even if I'm recording from a stream and it get's behind, the recorder never misses a gap. The only bad thing is instead of getting the file info from the file, it uses the free cddb database to get the name, sometimes it's wrong, but it is always right if you put the album name in first (obviously when you do a album at a time). There are a few patches out there, just do a google search or a http://astalavista.box.sk/ search.

I think it is a great application, the only reason I like tunebite is due to the great tag extraction. Replay-Music allows CBR instead of VBR, and several other options, you can even convert to WAV. Any streams from Windows Media Player can be ripped as well. It is a very good program. You can put accuradio on and leave it on for a few days and have thousands of songs.

Aha! Thanks for clarifying musicmo! I get it now!

Also, re: my question about Replay Music----It is an APllication, not a service. I'll check that out too.

I have to re-record all the stuff I did with Tunebite. That will set me back a couple of days...

I had downloaded from Napster even CDs that I own already, just thinking it was a good way to quickly have digital copies instead of ripping. I think I will focus on new music now instead, while I have my subscription...

Thanks n_e_o182! I appreciate the info.

I'm going to test Replay and Blaze for compatibility with my USB soundcard (which gives PREMIUM SQ) for realtime recording. That's my preferred sound device after looking at my onboard sound quality with RMAA (Rightmark Audio Analyzer). Comparing the two is like night and day; I was getting up to -32 dB of NOISE at low frequencies with onboard, and there is Stereo channel crosstalk, R/L channel artifacts, etc. It's really poor quality, even when intercepted at the driver level (no physical loopback cable.) I guess it's been proven over and over that the inside of PCs is a horrendously bad environment for audio (lots of electrical noise.)

I don't mean to sound like a snob. I guess I'm figuring if I take the time to do this realtime, I want the sound quality to be worth it (as good as possible anyway).

I meant to mention that you use the 'Edit Audio' button in Blaze to be able to record. I personally don't like it, though.

Maybe I missed something but why do you have to re-record your Tunebite files?

musicmo,

1) Poor audio quality (Tunebite only uses my onboard AC97 sound device which adds lots of system noise to the file it is recording)

2) All recordings exceeded the maximum dynamic range (if I open the MP3 files and look at the actual audio waveforms I can see that they are all topped out and flattened). This is also known as clipping. This occurred even though I properly set the recording volumes.

LATE,
I've never noticed any system noise on my music when using tunebite, what type of sounds are you hearing? Are you hearing clicks in the background from the work you are doing? Thanks

n_e_o182, no it's just system noise. I see it if I just monitor my soundcard with a different application and no sound running, I observe lots of noise. Nothing playing, but sound is generated...not good.

I know when I truly DO record something all that noise is incorporated into my recording. That is what I want to avoid.

THe other thing I noticed with TuneBite is the recorded signals were clipped, they exceeded the dynamic range of the recorder. You can only see this if you open the finished file in a sound editor and look at the loudest peaks. If they are flattened on top they are clipped, and that is not good.

I am serious LATE, a guy from my work has downloaded a copy and he told me it works. He has been begging me to crack it all weekend cause he can only convert 50% of his tracks.. Although I am not able to test this out for myself, he is a source I trust.

Blaze just plain sux...the new version abd the old 5.0 are just stupid....
i've been using Tunebite since Virtuosa went splat...and on the auto setting i had the occasional file that was clipped short....so now i use the manual setting and just load 100 or so files into it just like WMP and it converts them flawlessly...overnight, but flawlessly...and i'm an Ipod addict so i would notice any sound quality problem....
LATE >>> Tunebite might work better for you if you go into control panel and turn off your sound schemes...that should eliminate any background noise....

just tryin' to help !

:)

Thanks me 2,

It's not THAT kind of noise. ;) It is not clicks/beeps, other sound driven sounds. It is electrical interference noise.

You only see it if you record "silence" and see that it is not silence. It's like recording from an FM station that isn't tuned in. THe electronic noise just gets copied into the recording, never to be removed.

I'm thinking that out of all these recorders out there now that Replay Music is the best. Thanks anonymous for that code for Replay Music, it got rid of that box that always came up asking me to buy the full version, but now it won't let me record anything at all. I click on "Start Recording" and it says 'your registration code is not valid. Please contact customer support.' and then Replay Music automatically shuts down. Is there some other registration code or something like that?

hey all. I just want to say that virtuosa absolutely ruled. Nothing could have been easier. Rest in peace.

Anyway, I've been using tunebite with what seems to be good results, albeit slow. I'm not sure if there is any clipping as i don't have an audio editor that will let me see the waveforms. The only problem i am having is that tunebite appears to be skipping songs in the playlist. I drop in like 40 songs into tunebite, walk away, and when i come back i see in my target folder that a few of the songs were not converted (but the tunebite playlsit is empty). can anybody shed some light on this.

I am using Replay Music now with pretty good results. I found a good "workaround", if you will, from Astalavista. It seems to be a much better program than Tunebite, especially since it doesn't chop off the beginning of the songs. I'm doing it by artist, so I don't have to deal with incorrect tags (which is one of the main complaints with the software).

anyway, it seems that Replay Music is the best option for realtime conversion until another method surfaces.

I have both Replay Music and Napster installed. The problem is that Replay Music doesn't seem to capture any sound output. I have selected "Default DirectSound Device" in Windows Media Player. For my input source in Replay Music, I have tried Soundcard, What you hear, and wav/directsound. Anyone else run into this problem? What are your settings? Thanks

ugh...

after spending some time with Replay Music, I've decided that Replay Music's capturing engine with Tunebite's technique of hooking into WMP to grab tags and identify whether or not a song is really done would make the perfect solution.

Replay Music is working OK, but it just will not correctly identify the damn songs. Also, it occasionally decides to split a song into 2 files for no apparent reason.

Oh, and I had a little talk with the guy behind Virtuosa, and he essentially said that his hand was forced into "fixing" the program, and that he understands our situation and would help us out if it wouldn't mean the end of his program if he did. The guy was really cool about it, too.

I'm no programmer, but I started looking into some of the Virtuosa files and saw a lot of "not enough space" errors. Could this be part of the "fix" that Virtuosa made? And if so:

1. Can we change the "code" somewhere in the program back to how it was?

OR

2. Can we fool the program into thinking the file isn't too big (if what I've seen IS the cause for the virtuosa failure).

Just sounding dumb in the public forum.

I have had tons of problems with ReplayMusic, but that said, it is working fine now...

Every now and then it won't "hear" music that is playing, as witnessed by the rudimentary VU meter. Staarting and closing the app doesn't fix it. I haven't figured out EXACTLY what is is that I do to fix it but these are the type of things I do to get it working: (I am using the Version 2.1 with a two-part helper: a keygen and an .exe)

During install make sure all your audio options are set so that your recording device can hear your playback device. A really good way to test this is to download RMAA (RightMark Audio Analyzer), its free. Use it to set levels.

If you want to verify audio levels another way is to use GoldWave (it is a download, plus it has a "helper available. Goldwave is an excellent recording app, it has VU meters, etc. AND you can look at recorded files for clipping OR insufficient volume. Just keep selecting small areas of the tune and click "View Selection", zooming in on the loudest parts to see if the waves are flattened at the top and bottom.

Then exit and leave the levels. Basically all your normal audio default devices and volumes/levels should be setup BEFORE you install ReplayMusic. Replay installs two "virtual" drivers that tak in your driver settings and rework them a bit. Restart after you install Replay.

SO things I have done to get it working again: Just try some of them to see what works for you.
-Restart, try that first...
-copying back the .exe to replace the crack .exe (this puts it in trial mode again, but you can verify it is "hearing" audio.
-I have (FIRST BACKED UP) deleted/renamed the .db file and the .log file in the Replay directory.

I don't know what does it yet, but some combination of these things gets it working again.

-I have also unistalled/installed several times, restarting in between.

Something is buggy with the "helper", as you can see the .exe is from an earlier date, and the Recording pop up is a little different.

Every time you start Replay, make sure it is the first audio program running, that way no other app has the chance to screw with your settings. I am "Playing" the tunes with MusicMatch JukeBox, and everytime it starts it has a little audio jingle--I can see immediately if Replay is "hearing" that.

Good luck all.

Couple extra things.

I also renamed the .dat file. Didn't seem to break it.

I have copied in the newest lame_enc.dll. It should work faster (which means works easier with lower CPU load...) and do a better job than the one with Replay.

I am saving everything as 192 kbps MP3's. They sound fine.

I get about a 75% hit rate for song recognition. You get best recognition if your vloume is maxed without clipping.

I am now using their suggested defaults for cutting tracks:

Minimum Milliseconds: 500
Do Not Record: 15 seconds
Volume Level Cutoff: 500 - 900 range. (517 for me)

I get a lot of extra tracks if I surf the web or do anything else on my PC. So I have been using Replay very delicately, and by itself...

When I finish with my Nappy trial, I think I'm going use this to record my Dish Network audio streams (There are about 50+ Sirius channels included free.) I think this will work great for that--just let it record all day while I'm at work...or at night...) This should be an awesome program for Sirius and XM subscribers if you have modified your receiver with spdif or toslink OUT. ;)

Wow I like replay music so much I'm actually re-recording all my napster wma's that I got to use vitrousa on into mp3s with it ( to save the genre to the files ).

Can do about 3 albums a day so not too shabby :)

v2.1 is the best to get to work also everyone since it is the easiest to "crack"

hmm anyone know where I can find the v2.1 crack? Post a please please.

Also looking for the best crack for RePlay Music 2.1. Switching from Turnbite.

Has anyone used the "Jhymn" program????

www.microsoft.com has SDK's for DRM 10 (encrypting and decrypting) why doesn't somewhere just develope a new app?

Wish i knew how to code.

Kaleb

(virtuoso had to learn it somewhere)

Winamp has been cracked so you can use the Output Stacker again.

;)

Can you post a link to the new output stacker?

Also, has anyone compared the sound quality of Replay Music with Winamp output stacker?

To the person who maintains this page: PLEASE make the text black and larger. At least do away with the gray text!

not a direct link so don't get your knickers in a twist

http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official_s&threadm=1109293472%40p50.f10.n5015.z2.fidonet.ftn&rnum=2&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%253Aen-GB%253Aofficial_s%26scoring%3Dd%26q%3Dwinamp%2Bwma%2Bdecode%26btnG%3DSearch

Thank God for Internet Explorer. Under accessibility I was able to enable "Ignore colors and font size" on page. Only thing is it screws up other pages but it sure makes reading this page a whole lot easier - sort of like putting on glasses.

anonn, to fix the font just use Firefox and press (CTRL +) to increase text, then press (CTRL -) to decrease text size.

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

xfuzion, you don't have to do that... ;)

Just use a tag editor, or use MusicMatch (which HAS a tag editor), or... or... or... right click on the file in Windows Explorer, Properties, Advanced and click on it.

There are dozens of ways to change the genre without re-recording (besides the fact that Replay gets it wrong about 20% of the time.)

And you can do it FAR faster than re-recording. In most programs that handle this you can select an entire album and change them all within 10 seconds!

Tunebite is working for me, but it uses Variable Bit Rate. Is there a program that will use Constant Bit Rate?

So comparing the sound quality of Tunebite and Replay...which newly created mp3 sounds the best?

All things being equal is it worth it to go through all those steps to get Replay to work?

I have Replay and I haven't had any luck with it - trying to "record" the wma's playing through WMP and Napster.

Tunebite is simple - it's one program. Really I don't want to have to download another program to work with that program.

BUT I will, if it'll mean better quality.

So what're your opinions, sound-wise?

Replay Music is working. Make sure that you download version 2.1 (not 2.2) for the 2.1 crack....duh..

My first test, however, (as someone else mentioned here) is that Replay Music 1) broke up the wma into two files 2) did not recognize the tag information

I'm going to test the difference b/w Replay Music and Tunebite next..

Soundwise, Replay is best for me. Mainly because I can get it to use my USB soundcard, so my adio path goe3s like this:

MusicMatch as Player
-->AC97 Onboard Audio (Playback)
-->(Toslink digital out from NF7-s Motherboard)
-->(Toslink digital in to M-Audio Transit)
-->M-Audio Transit Audio (Recording)

Volumes are MAXED for Speaker, Wave, Line In. (This is only possible because it is a pure digital path). With these levels only the loudest notes in any song are recorded at 100%, and there is perfect normalization of sound from 0 to 64K or whatever the max is...

Using this strategy the recorded stream is bit-perfect, meaning a perfect recording.

If I use the AC97 (Playback) and AC97 (Recording) it seems to go through the audio chip and maybe a digital to analog to digital conversion. It picks up lots of system noise (electronic static, not clicks and beeps) and there is stereo channel crosstalk, etc.

I am really happy now that I have it all working properly. When I'm done with my Napster thing I will use it to record the digital output from my satellite dish (which offers 50+ Sirius audio stations.) The problem with doing that before was two things:

-separating tracks from the continuous audio recording
-knowing who the Artist/Title/Album, etc for each song without collecting a screen capture

The satellite stream audio quality should be between CD and the .wma files from Napster, etc.

Now ReplayMusic will take care of BOTH of those things for me while I work or while I sleep. What great way to build up an audio collection!.

LATE, Great post. An all digital USB sound card is genious, but I, like most others, do not own one. Is there any other way to keep the sound all digital?

Also, LATE, have run into Replay Music wrongly spltting up one wma into two files? Also, does it recognize all the songs? About what percentage is it correct?

IF Replay Music does not recognize the song or tags it wrong, is there another program that can scan the file and put right tag on it (i think musicmatch)?

THANKS

Has anyone tried the "fixed" version of winamp mentioned above? If it works, f tunebite and the rest of these, I get noise from my sound card as well.

I have tried the 'fixed' version of winamp it does play the wma's but I cannot find an output plugin that will work atm :(

Anyone found a way around the trial version (25 song limit) with Replay? If so, how???

Yea need a v 2.1 crack =\

I have a crack that works with 2.1 but it changes the field options when you start recording to just album name instead of artist and album...

"I have tried the 'fixed' version of winamp it does play the wma's but I cannot find an output plugin that will work atm :("

Could you tell me where you got the "fixed" version of winamp? Thanks.

This question is for all of you who are sick of having Replay Music split your tracks incorrectly. I have been working on an application that works like this:

All of your files downloaded through napster are automatically added to the Windows Media Player Library.

My application uses WMP 10 to allow you to select (sorted by your choice: protected, audio, video, etc.) and add to a playlist. Then I have a few options from this point.

Automatic Record and Manual Record.

(I haven't implemented the ability to change your tags with the following (%A - %T - %T#, etc.), but my goal is to add that feature.

Right now, what it does, is when you click Automatic Record, it starts playing the playlist and records each file, to your choice of WMA, OGG, MP3, each file, automatically creating the file name based off of author and title (will be expanded upon when I have time).

It works like this, click auto record, it plays the first song recording it to the filename automaticall specified by artist - title.extension. When that song finishes, it starts playing the next song and records it to it's correct filename and so forth until it reaches the end of the playlist.

Because it uses the WMP10 engine to play it's files, it is able to acquire the license and start playing, while the other part records, (through the stereo-mix or whatever it is named on your system.)

The question is this: I don't plan on charging for it, but I would accept donations, but the part of the software that is used to record the audio is a component created by another developer that charges $100 to be able to put it in my program, royalty-free. Would any of you be interested in donating toward the purpose of me either purchasing the component through your donations, or after I purchased it myself, would you be willing to donate toward the usage?

Donations would not be required but we be gladly excepted. Programming is hard work, and I am currently finishing my degree and working fulltime so this program is eating up my spare time.

Sorry for rambling on for so long. If any of you would like proof, as in pictures, of my program in progress, feel free to email me. Also, if you feel like donating toward the purchase of the recording component, please send donations to johnratcc.usu.edu.

I started work on this because I was fed up with Replay Music and the like splitting my recordings. My program allows you to select, start recording, and let it go without having to check-up on it or worry about it.

Thanks,

John R (Renzska)

I made a fix!

Why not crack the component?

Where is the fix Anonymous?

I don't believe in cracks. The only reason I created this software was to be able to play the songs I paid for in my MP3/WMA car cd player. That's why I want to release this software for free use; so others don't have to crack some software that would normally cost $50.00.

John R

I believe that all software should be free.. The only time I pay is when the software actually works and does what is advertised. Half the time when you purchase software it is loaded with bugs and ends being something that one would never use again. If you are going to offer evaluation, there should be no limits.. I believe that a person should be able to use a software to it's limits before purchasing. But that is just me. I too believe in supporting software authors, I just think it should be done by free will. Like admuncher for instance, I love that program it does everything it says it does, so I purchased it. Even though I had already cracked it, I still thought the author earned his money. You are just as bad as any reverse engineer, you are providing people with a way to steal music. What is the difference. If you took the time to read this forum, you would know that is what it is all about. You are no better than me.

spudrik,
the winamp in_wm.dll crack doesn't work. is there a trick to use it? i overwrote the new in_wm.dll in 5.08e and then set up the output stacker as before.

I got one of the old versiosn of Virtuosa and it worked on converting one song. Now when i add music to the library the songs wont play, and when i try to convert they hang at 0% any one know what i can do?

First of all, Ray if you are going to try to participate in a conversation first read the conversation up to that point, then you may have noticed that napster recently changed their encryption algorithm and virtuosa no longer works.

Now on to the important part:

To help out anyone's investigation of this matter, here is the information I have found out.

The new napster files are Windows Meta File encryption, not wma (I don't know if this makes a difference). Also, the new drm is version 9.0.0.2980 . Also, the sdk for wma10 on microsoft's website can online be downloaded if you request a license for it, so no go on that.

Tunebite works fine, if you like waiting for each song to play and you can stand to not use your computer so you don't get external sound.

As far as virtuosa goes, The new version can play the files fine and the old version can't, but if you put the drm decoder from the old version to the new version, you can play them and when you convert you no longer get a protected file error, it hangs (obviously). I don't know if anyone knows how to compare and combine these files, but the drm decoding formulas are in that new version of virtuosa player (obviously, since they can play the files).

FreeMe used to work on old versions of DRM, but with the newer version it can create the public key and blackbox, but fails when comparing the private key.

Hope this helps, I will try to keep everyone posted on my search, keep me posted on yours.

Anyone have trouble with ReplayMusic "losing the connection to the Internet" error message and stopping the recordings?

I have no firewall going when I'm doing this, no proxy, and the browsers do work despite the message. Emailed the ReplayMusic boys, they replied, but no fix as of yet.

Alright guys, forget that Tunebite and Replay Music crap- after over a week of Part 3 being obsolete, I finally have the new hotness for you all.

PART 4
http://marv.kordix.com/archives/000482.html

I'm a bit confused. Will it work with or without VMware? If so what is the point of using VMware? Thanks!

musicmo-
The point of using VMware in Part 4 is so that you can have a clean installation of Windows XP (a failsafe way of getting it to work without remnants of old DRM files and Napster stuff) without having to actually wipe your main installation. It also gives it the nice perk of working from Linux. So yes, it can work without VMware, but many people will run into many different problems that will become a pain to try and sort through, so its easier just to do what is outlined. Lets keep any more comments about part 4 in the comments section of part 4. Thanks.

Okay, thanks, Marv! I will give it a try now....

Hey, i just found another new, and better way to convert your DRM protected files from napster. There is this program called MusicStacker. You can download it here: http://www.download.com/MusicStacker/3000-2169_4-10375110.html?tag=lst-0-2
Its just a trial and you have to enter personal info twice(a pain), but it works.
This program encodes in real time just like Tunebite, but the quality is excelent and the soundwaves are not cut off. The interface is poorly designed, but simple. After you download and install the program, run it and slect the suorce directory with all your DRM files in it and choose WMA for source type. Then click "show music files", and all your files should show up in the pink box. Select all files with Shift on first and last files, and then check the box at the one on the top, and all files will be checked. Then choose your recording destination, and output format. There are no configurable options for the different formats, and mp3 encodes at 128kbps, so i output to WAV all the files, and then once they're done i convert them with another program to mp3 at a higher bitrate like 192. This way the quality is very good. At the bottom of the screen click settings, and then choose your soundcard and stereo mix, and i recorded with ACG off(didnt know what it was), and gain set at 0. Then just click "Play and Record". The program does the rest, it plays through the soundcard but it doesnt pick up any system noise like tunebite does. ONE PROBLEM - the program is only a 2 day trial...if anyone can get around it(LAME), that would be great!

After analyzing and patching Replay's code, I would say you are receiving these errors due to a bad patch. It would appear that the so-called cracker that distrubuted the patch that you used might have missed a couple of checks ;)

I have yet to decide whether or not I am going to distro my patch for Replay; still not sure yet.

The files I downloaded from Napster have expired (DRM stuff). Does anybody know how to play these files and so that I can use the new method outlined by Marv? Or that I would need to download them again from either Napster or Virgin Digital? I would like to avoid the later because there are lot of files which I picked thru and hopefully won't have to do that again.

Any help appreciated.

I've had no luck with the Winamp crack as well. Got a feeling the crackers need to look at all three files that were updated, not just the input codec:

in_wm.dll
out_ds.dll
wmahelp.dll

Had a look at Marv's new Part 4... good idea, but you might want to see if this DRM reset tool works before using VMWare:

http://supportresource.info/

It WAS working earlier this morning, and now I am getting 0% completed, just like Napster/Virtuosa. I didn't run it with the VMWare. Going back and trying it now.

Ok, so my free trial ended and didn't get a chance to convert all my songs. So, I used my mom's card to get another free trial on my comp to finish them. But when it tries to acquire the license to play them it just gets an error and tells me to contact someone at mp3master or something like that. Anyone know how to fix this? I sure hope I don't have to download all the songs again.

Thanks.

I did a fresh install of XP. But I've been all day trying to get past the Create New Account step in Virgin Digital! Virgin is working with me to solve the problem quickly. They asked me for all the log files and said this is the first time this problem has been reported.

I've already installed Virtuosa and the latest lame as Marv's Part 4 indicates. So anxious to try this thing.

Josh, the license should be okay on the old files. I signed up for another trial using another cc and I was able to play the previously downloaded files. It might help to uninstall Napster then do a fresh install although I didn't have to do that.

Did just as you said musicmo and it worked like a charm, thanks a ton bro.

Tried MusicStacker. It's a "new" version 1.0.3.

When trying to convert a WMA file to WAV I get "Exception message Format not supported"

Anyone else have success?

I tried Music Stacker. I'm not sure which settings to use. I have 2 options for Sound Device: Microsoft Sound Mapper & Sigma Tel C-Major Audio.
For Sound Line I have 4 options: Recording Control, SPDIF Interface, Line In, Microphone.

I dont know which to use, I've tried several combinations but none work. I can hear the song playing & recording. BUT when I play the new file it is just quite. The equalizer is moving, but no music is audible.

musicstacker sucks so much compared to replay-music or tunebite

Sure would like a key/crack for Replay Music. Would love to start capturing Rhapsody streams as well.

Wish granted!

musicstacker worked like a charm. too bad it's only a 2 day trial.

i used the 1.0.3 version and was able to convert protected wma to mp3 at 320 bitrate. who cares if it looks crude. it does the trick.

I have been using the musicstacker method myself. I was wondering if anyone has a crack for musicstacker. If so please let me.

Hi, where can I get a working Musicstacker version the one I got will not work on my Windows 2000 ??

Thanks

Well,

I posted a message about 2 weeks back about the application I was creating. It was just released today in beta form at www.muvaudio.com. Feel free to try it out and let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Renzska

For tunebite, when it says that you should turn it so that the wave thing gets into the yellow region, what exactly does that mean?

turn it up intil you just hit the yellow, or get it into the middle of the yellow, or get it to fill as much of the yellow as possible?

all you folks who have been ignoring Renzska are missing the boat!!!

I know it's not a direct conversion the way Virtuosa did, but his software is slick and works!!! I've been using it for a day now and the quality is excellent and it is very intuitive. (Heck I even donated money towards it once I started using it.)

Head on over to http://www.muvaudio.com/ and check it out.

Sure would like a key/crack for Replay Music. Would love to start capturing Rhapsody streams as well

Anything that didn't use the sound buffer and was good like Virtuosa would be great...

-Craig

I would suggest anyone wanting current info, switch over to the "Part 4" thread. The newest info on this subject is discussed there. As of now, MuvAudio is the best solution for sound quality and convenience.

Does anyone know of a good MP3 software organizer? One that will create folders based on the Artist or Album? I know Music Match will group and display the Artist (within itself), but it doesn't create a fold and move the MP3 on the hard drive. I am manually creating the folder based on the Artist, and moving my MP3 manually. Any ideas?

Creative MediaSource works great for that. I use the PC Music Library and you can choose how you want to organize your folders (i.e. Artist/Album)

I downloaded the correct version of Virtuosa to convert Napster tracks to MP3. However, both my trial to Napster and Virtuosa ended on the same day. I clicked on a Napster WMA and had a weird 'Windows licensing' thing pop up. Then I installed a patch to make Virtuosa work.

Now I can't convert. The process starts, but the numbers in the 'File Size' (In the 'Converting Status Box) just displays random numbers and never reaches beyond 0%. Was it something with the patch or this Windows Music licensing thing or something?

FOR GOD SAKES PEOPLE!

If you are going to post, try not to be a complete idiot. Have the respect to at least browse through previous posts. VIRTUOSA DOES NOT WORK FOR THE LAST TIME!

By the way, I found a program, Acoustica, that was working for a week or so and was 10000 times nicer than virtuosa, but napster just changed their encryption again and acoustica no longer works.

When I tried using Musicstacker, it works but the mp3 files it creates has about 10-30 seconds of silence added to the front of the file. anyone else having this problem? how do i fix this?

Hi can some 1 e-mail me the link or the programm itself for the old virtuosa . i looked everywhere

Yes the virtuosa solution no longer works. anyone find anything new?

My God people, VIRTUOSA DOES NOT WORK YOU MORONS!

Anyway, Christina, I found a program called Acoustica Audio Converter that worked for a while, but Napster changed their encryption twice and now that program no longer works.

If anyone finds anything, let me know...

Would very much appreciate a key/crack for Replay Music.

Yes i have the same problem, and the music is also vary quiet, can anyone help me on how to make the volume hi when recording with musicstacker?

Amazing, what a great blog. I am definitely going to try this "MusicStacker" or "Tunebite" thing. As a current Rhapsody user, I had the most complex stream capture procedure. I usually used OpD2D to record at a CBR of 160 kbps, then split the file in Goldwave, then used mp3tag editor to automatically determine what album I was splitting, but my god, it takes so long... I'd like to have something combine all of these!

Plus, I've discovered that if you "save" the tracks to "library" in the new Rhapsody edition, it will d/l a DRM protected WMA into your "my documents" > "my music" folder. No luck with Goldwave reading these. Wish there was a patch.

Doesn't anyone worry about the RIAA reading this and screwing you through your email address? Careful, careful about posting things on the internet...

I don’t have CD_ROM in my PC but I copied the Set Up files of MSDN and pasted in my PC through NetMeeting. When I try to install it, I get a message that says:
16 bit Windows Subsystem
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM 32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application
Close Ignore
I tried clicking on close and ignore, neither worked, and I looked for the file in the directory given, but it wasn't there.
Can anyone help me?

marv rox the mailbox!!!

Hi:
I just tried musicstacker 1.0.4. This program is unstopable. I was able to do a direct digital to digital converstion of my protected music with no quality lose. Check out the program and the new users manual.

download it at www.musicstacker.com

Hi:
I just tried musicstacker 1.0.4. This program is unstopable. I was able to do a direct digital to digital conversion of my protected music with no quality lose. Check out the program and the new users manual.

download it at www.musicstacker.com

Does this work with Yahoo Music as well?

À good site, good short contents of the good work. Ñongratulations !

Can someone send me the replay registration code?
THanks!

Everytime I try this it says something like...cannot convert, file is protected. Isn't the point of this to use the protected files and to be able to convert them? Can someone please reply and let me know why this is occuring.

I have been looking for a code for Need for Speed Carbon Own the city but I can't.Could someone help me?