Protected AAC files & iPods

petey · 06-10-2003, 03:40 PM

anyone out there have an iPod, some free time, and some curiousity?

i don't have an iPod, and there's one part of Fairplay i'm trying to suss out.

iPods don't require authorization to play protected AAC files, and i'm trying to determine the details of how Fairplay handles iPods.

so, here's the experiment i'd love someone to perform. you'll need an iPod and a protected AAC file (.M4P).

- deauthorize your Mac, so the AAC file will no longer play in iTunes.

- try to copy the AAC file to your iPod using iTunes. i assume this transfer will fail, but i'm not sure of that.

- if the transfer does fail, this is the part i'm really curious about: try to transfer the file to your iPod without using iTunes.

(there seem to be multiple ways of doing this. the iPod music folders are invisible folders from the Finder, so you can try using TinkerTool or any other method to view invisible folders. you could also use the Terminal. i believe there are also freeware iPod utilities for transfering files to and from the iPod - search VersionTracker for 'iPod'. i can't advise which utility to use, as i don't have an iPod.)

- the point of the last step is to see whether or not once you've transferred the protected AAC file from an unauthorized computer, it will then play on the iPod.

jdhorner · 06-10-2003, 06:06 PM

i can tell you now that on my computer, iTunes tells me that i can't copy music over to my ipod without authorizing first.

secondly, i'm not really up for performing your second test. ;-)

petey · 06-10-2003, 09:34 PM

thx for providing part of the answer.

griffman · 07-23-2003, 12:10 PM

For the rest of it, per conversation in other threads, please find one of the more "free speech" tolerant boards out there -- I understand the natural curiosity regarding Fairplay, and I seriously doubt you're interested in pirating anything. However, the direction this conversation is headed will wind up as a discussion on how to defeat Fairply protection, and I have no interest in having such a conversation here...

-rob.

06-10-2003, 03:40 PM	#1
petey All Star Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: peteyville Posts: 794	Protected AAC files & iPods anyone out there have an iPod, some free time, and some curiousity? i don't have an iPod, and there's one part of Fairplay i'm trying to suss out. iPods don't require authorization to play protected AAC files, and i'm trying to determine the details of how Fairplay handles iPods. so, here's the experiment i'd love someone to perform. you'll need an iPod and a protected AAC file (.M4P). - deauthorize your Mac, so the AAC file will no longer play in iTunes. - try to copy the AAC file to your iPod using iTunes. i assume this transfer will fail, but i'm not sure of that. - if the transfer does fail, this is the part i'm really curious about: try to transfer the file to your iPod without using iTunes. (there seem to be multiple ways of doing this. the iPod music folders are invisible folders from the Finder, so you can try using TinkerTool or any other method to view invisible folders. you could also use the Terminal. i believe there are also freeware iPod utilities for transfering files to and from the iPod - search VersionTracker for 'iPod'. i can't advise which utility to use, as i don't have an iPod.) - the point of the last step is to see whether or not once you've transferred the protected AAC file from an unauthorized computer, it will then play on the iPod.

06-10-2003, 06:06 PM	#2
jdhorner Major Leaguer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Montréal, QC, Canada Posts: 331	i can tell you now that on my computer, iTunes tells me that i can't copy music over to my ipod without authorizing first. secondly, i'm not really up for performing your second test. ;-)

06-10-2003, 09:34 PM	#3
petey All Star Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: peteyville Posts: 794	thx for providing part of the answer.

07-23-2003, 12:10 PM	#4
griffman MVP Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,472	For the rest of it, per conversation in other threads, please find one of the more "free speech" tolerant boards out there -- I understand the natural curiosity regarding Fairplay, and I seriously doubt you're interested in pirating anything. However, the direction this conversation is headed will wind up as a discussion on how to defeat Fairply protection, and I have no interest in having such a conversation here... -rob.