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Hi folks,

I've ripped 50 or so albums to my laptop for my iPod, and did so in AAC 192 as I felt that was a good quality compromise.

But... I totally forgot about the PS3, which I use for media streaming, not supporting AAC. So now I'm unable to stream any of this ripped music from the laptop to the PS3 in our living room. The PS3 is happy with MP3 though, so I guess I should have used that in the first place ?

Not being terribly clued up on the whole compressed music situation, I was wondering if it's easy, or indeed feasible, to convert what I've already ripped in AAC to MP3 ?  If so, could anyone recommend a program to do the job ? Or if you have a better way altogether of achieving what I'm trying to, I'm all ears !

Thanks !

 

Google "convert aac to mp3" and take your pick of the shareware available - then over the fullness of time re-rip them, since the resulting mp3s won't be as good quality as the original AACs.

A quick way. 

Open iTunes then:

1] click Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Importing

2] Change import using to mp3 encoder and setting to higher quality 192kbps.  Then click ok

3] Click edit -> select all

4] Right click on your iTunes music library and select te option "convert to mp3".

5] When conversion ends delete all the highlighted aac songs.

Makes my way look pretty stupid, huh?

One lives and learns...........

JohnDuncan: Thanks for your input. I'd already googled it, but as there were rather a lot of search results, and I'm not that well informed with regard to compressed stuff, I though I'd ask around !

 Ianmcg: Thaks for that, far simpler than I could have imagined. Much appreciated !

I am also not the sharpest knife when it comes to audio compression. I converted all my albums (around 350) to AAC 4 mths ago for use with my (and wife's) ipod. I now intend to sell off my CD collection and am now halfway through converting them all to Apple Lossless. I was told this was best for archive(with hard drives being as cheap as they are now). Is this correct?. I also have a PS3. How do I use it to stream music?  I had been looking at Logitech's Squeezebox Duet.

Thanks in advance 

[quote user="david1997"]

I am also not the sharpest knife when it comes to audio compression. I converted all my albums (around 350) to AAC 4 mths ago for use with my (and wife's) ipod. I now intend to sell off my CD collection and am now halfway through converting them all to Apple Lossless. I was told this was best for archive(with hard drives being as cheap as they are now). Is this correct?. I also have a PS3. How do I use it to stream music?  I had been looking at Logitech's Squeezebox Duet.

Thanks in advance 

[/quote] You realise that's quite illegal, and this forum is picked up by google in about 1 nanosecond? ;)

[quote user="fr0g"]You realise that's quite illegal, and this forum is picked up by google in about 1 nanosecond? ;)[/quote]

Yup, second return already! 

[quote user="fr0g"][quote user="david1997"]

I am also not the sharpest knife when it comes to audio compression. I converted all my albums (around 350) to AAC 4 mths ago for use with my (and wife's) ipod. I now intend to sell off my CD collection and am now halfway through converting them all to Apple Lossless. I was told this was best for archive(with hard drives being as cheap as they are now). Is this correct?. I also have a PS3. How do I use it to stream music?  I had been looking at Logitech's Squeezebox Duet.

Thanks in advance 

[/quote] You realise that's quite illegal, and this forum is picked up by google in about 1 nanosecond? ;)[/quote]

You realise that's illegal too, obviously?

I know is said not the sharpest knife in the box, but without trying to sound decidedly blunt, what am I doing that is illegal?

It's illegal to copy your CDs to your computer. Everybody does it, and you're not going to get done for it, but it's illegal nonetheless.

Whereas copying them and then selling them is illegal *and* immoral.

Ah....with you now. I meant sell my CD's after I've archived them, not sell the copies of them.  Never quite understand the distinction - Apple develop Lossless for the purpose of 'illegally' archiving CD's yet do not support 'Handbrake' or similar for the 'illegal' archiving of DVD's. And if all of this is illegal then presumably music streamers get music from the HD of somebody's PC/Server which should not be there in the first place.

Which brings me to my original 'illegal' question. Is Lossless the best to archive music and how do I use my PS3 to stream music from my PC, or am I meant to 'illegally' download the music to the PS3's hard drive first? Does the Logitech Squeezebox Duet offer a viable alternative?   

[quote user="david1997"]I meant sell my CD's after I've archived them, not sell the copies of them[/quote]

That's the bit I have an issue with - I think being able to copy one's CDs for one's own personal use is fair enough, and the law should be changed to reflect this. But to sell them, and keep the copy...........anyway, what people do in the privacy of their own home etc etc

[quote user="david1997"]Which brings me to my original 'illegal' question. Is Lossless the best to archive music and how do I use my PS3 to stream music from my PC, or am I meant to 'illegally' download the music to the PS3's hard drive first? Does the Logitech Squeezebox Duet offer a viable alternative?   

[/quote]

I think your PC has to be running a DNLA-compliant music server for it to work with the PS3. Firmware 1.8 for PS3 and Windows Vista works, for example - google "music server PS3" for info. And yes, lossless is best, but check which formats the ps3 supports (flac, apple lossless etc).

[quote user="JohnDuncan"]That's the bit I have an issue with - I think being able to copy one's CDs for one's own personal use is fair enough, and the law should be changed to reflect this. But to sell them, and keep the copy..........[/quote] Have to agree with John on this one. If you're selling the original, you should remove any copies of the music you have as well.

does this include old fashioned casette tapes as well?........................i remember a trend of making up personal compilation tapes etc............ they even did it on the TV show Friends..............and they gave the tape away!..............finally what about recording (via tape or digital) radio.............my (now) wife and i were on heart radio just before our wedding chosing the i-play segment thing they do...............and we 'taped' it ............do we face jail...............and another thing what about quoting people words.....is that legal?...............JK Rowling has had a few issues with people over that....................its not that i disagree with John, in fact i agree!..................its just its hard to find a line here.......