Please...How do I get my I Tunes songs to go on VirtualGirl. The songs that I bought from ITunes will not copy over. ?????? HELP

Can you be a bit more specific about what the problem is?

Have you got a MAC or a windows machine? Is the operating system preventing you copying them?

Are they in the right format? - I think VG only handles MP3 and WMA but I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

I can't help with MAC as I don't have one, but for windows the music files have to go in the "musics" folder in the models\data folder. They must be in the main "musics" folder - no sub folders. Also I think you have to quit VG and then restart it once the files have been copied over.

I think the player only plays mp3 so if you click the " add " button on VGHDPlayer's Sound & Music section to locate the file on your drive in that format you are good to go ! If you need to capture or convert to mp3 you will need to install Lame codec in something like Audacity so you can export other formats to mp3. Be careful downloading codecs..there are a lot of bogus trojan sites out there..stick with reputable websites you can trust.

@No.6 is correct. Certainly on Windows version, WMA and MP3 both work fine on mine.

@ET has mentioned Audacity which is a superb piece of FREE open-source software. As he mentioned, when you try to export to MP3 the first time, Audacity asks you to install the Lame for MP3 codec. This is safe and only goes to one site. Just follow the simple instructions. You can set up the software to record and/or edit ANY sound you can play thru your computer's speakers. It's truly awesome! :D

sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/

This link is 100% safe. Don't even bother with any other site ;)

I guess the problem might come from Itunes copy protection... you may need to illelagy crack the copy protection on the file to make it work... DRM Sucks!

If anyone have a legal solution that is of course to prefer... =)

@jununger: Notice that I didn't state anything illegal in my post ;) Audacity and probably other software like it will allow you to record your own voice, sound effects, rip sound from your own home movies or whatever you wish to record, then edit and convert to many file formats. What the user does with the software is up to him/her regarding legal or illegal use. I take NO responsibility as I have zero control over the usage :D Btw, I personally have NEVER used I-Tunes.

If the OP has paid for his I-Tunes, I see no reason why he cant play them in VG. It's non-commercial use.

I vaguely remember reading years ago, that in most countries, any software, audio, music or video that a person has bought is legally allowed to make ONE back-up copy for personal use in case of failure of the original. This is a very grey area of course and I'm no expert. These laws may have changed by now.

My point is, the OP doesn't need to crack any copy protection. Audacity will let him record and save to MP3 :) Up to him if he goes this route...

@Hombre
Sorry if it sounded like I implied someone stated anything illegal ;)

Fact is that the TOS for Itunes states that it's prohibited to even try to work around the copy protection... In Sweden this is even more crazy since there's a law that states, as you mention, that it's legal to make a personal copy of any legal audio or video recordning. There's even a special tax on harddrives, CDR/DVDR and even cellphones since they can be used to store legal copies of legal recordings! This tax is then paid out as compensation to the copyright owners...

This means that if I buy a bigger HDD to hold all my Vgirl cards I have to pay a tax to the music industry... It's insane!

It's one thing for a software like VGirl to have a copy protection, it's a totally different thing blocking a person, who have purchased a licens for a song or record, from playing that recording on their favorit mediaplayer.

So, unless Totem can make a deal with Apple to allow Itunes songs to be played in the DesktopVideoPlayer there are few legal options around... except to stop using Itunes and shop your music somewhere else. =)



PS. fixed some spelling errors...

You a lawyer jununger ??

I believe iTunes has the copy protection disclaimer to help prevent copying and distributing. Not playing with whatever media player you may have. Even if you have to change the format to play it.


Every iTunes music item I own is in MP4 format. Seems them not playing here is merely a format issue.

Try to ***** and drop an MP4 music file(from any source) to the vg library and it does nothing, every time. Wrong format. They need to be MP3.

I've never heard anything about changing the format of a file, say MP4 to MP3, being illegal. If that's the case, it's news to me.

No......I'm not a lawyer
;-)

@jununger. My turn to apologise. I was simply noting that I was careful not to state anything illegal. It may have read as a dig at you but that was not my intention at all, my friend :)

I agree, legal solutions are always best and safest :)

I did however state that Audacity will allow one to record any audio source that can be played thru one's computer speakers. And I do mean ANY audio source. I won't state the obvious ;) The members can figure that one out for themselves...

@HombreSinSombra, @jununger

Absolutely stupid copright laws around the world - these need to be agreed and consolidated. The UK didn't allow digital backups of any sort and the ripping of cd's to mp3. Then it did. Now a court case seems to have negated this yet again.

@91hebasu

If the the aforesaid iTunes files have DRM encoding it may not be possible to convert them, which I think is what @jununger was trying to say.

Similarlly if I download a DRM book from Amazon I can only read it on a Kindle or my PC. I cannot read on my Sony e-reader because it can't read the Amazon format and the DRM will not let me convert it. Similarly on DVD's and BluRay. I can legally buy a disc from the US but it will not play on my European BluRay player.

And the media inustry wonders why there is piracy?

I have an old iPOD. If I want to update the files on it I install ITunes, update the files and uninistall iTunes. It is one of the most intrusive music systems there is apart from Windows Media Player which does not even get the time of day on my PC. I use Media Player Classic Home Cinema for video (it also plays music files)

I have to agree with the comments on Audacity - I've used this for years, I also use AIMP3 for normal playback of music files. This is Rumanian but I have never had any problems with it (trojans, etc.) and my Avast Antivirus, Malware Bytes and Spybot have never seen any problems with it.,

Ahhh, yes. I see. I must have been distracted by the legality stuff.
😉

@91hebasu
I'm not a lawyer but have have studied law at university level =)

Here's what the TOS section says:

CONTENT SECURITY
You agree not to *****, circumvent, reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise tamper with any element of the Security Framework—or to attempt or assist another person to do so.

It's pretty straight forward. The TOS also states that you are only allowed to play media from Itunes "on compatible devices, such as an iPad, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV". So to answer your question; Yes, changing the file format is not allowed since it removes the copy protection.

It is legal to make backup copies but only within the terms of the TOS... that is, you are not allowed to remove the copy protection.

@Number6
It is possible to use software like Audacity to remove the copy protection. But even to try to assist someone else in doing this is a breach of contract... Simply stating that it's possible is not illegal ;)

Hello everyone. I don’t know if the iTunes TOS applied in Italy (my country) are the same in other countries, but in Italy the songs purchased from iTunes are DRM free. And, in any case, any version of iTunes allows you to ***** a CD with the songs you want. After that, you can simply convert CD to MP3 and put the songs in VG (personal use, then perfectly legal). My two cents… BJlover

@BJlover
Not sure how the TOS differ from country to country. The TOS I looked at was the UK version. If you want to check what you have agreed to when using Itunes in your country you can look it up here...

www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/

The first step you took by creating a CD with the songs is legal... but converting that CD to MP3 is not allowed (If I understand the legal stuff correct)

The whole purpose of this discussion to me is to point to the stupidity of the Itunes TOS. It's like telling somone that they are not allowed to drink milk from a yellow glas... the glas has to be blue since that's the only color we allow!

@jununger

I'm a musician, and for this reason I had to get informations on this matter from the Italian lawyers​ in the past.
Here in Italy converting CD to mp3 for personal use is perfectly legal.
There has been a lot of jurisprudence on this matter since the early digital era.
​So, until you don't make it a public use, you can legally convert all your CDs to mp3.
As I mentioned above, I don't know if the laws of the various countries complies, but the right to copy for personal use here is always permitted, even from platforms such as Google, iTunes, Amazon, etc. (in fact, in Italy all these platforms sell digital music DRM free)...​

BJl

​P.S.: excuse my poor English: I hope transmitting correctly my mind.
P.P.S.: you're right: DRM sucks! Luckily, we don't have this matter here... ​

@BJlover
"Here in Italy converting CD to mp3 for personal use is perfectly legal."

Same thing in Sweden... but... by agreeing to the Itunes TOS you accept that it's against the contract you sign to do it! (At least as the text is written in the UK version and I don't know Italian)

Pacta sunt servanda (Latin for "agreements must be kept")

@jununger:

From link you posted above (Europe – Italy section):
www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/it/terms.html

“Lei potrà utilizzare il CD sul quale Lei ha masterizzato i Suoi Prodotti iTunes nello stesso modo in cui Lei potrebbe utilizzare un CD acquistato da un rivenditore, ai sensi delle norme sul diritto d’autore vigenti in Italia.”

Translated by Google:

“You can use the CD to which you have ***** your iTunes Products in the same way you would use a CD purchased from a dealer, under the rules on copyright in ***** in Italy.”
​
This is what I found about.
As I thought, the laws of several countries on the same subject do not comply...

While we're discussing silly EULA laws, check this out...

I giggled but then wondered WTF???

So, if a terrorist organisation used an iTunes version of say, AC/DC's song, "Highway to Hell" to trigger one of these weapons, then Apple would sue them for illegal use of their product? ;)

@BJlover
True, different countries have different laws that ***** the companies to adapt the EULA/TOS to that country. What does the section about CONTENT SECURITY say in the Italien version?

@Hombre
Yupp, I noticed that... they put almost anything in the EULA to guard themselves from being sued.

One more note: Even if the EULA state that you are not allowed to remove the copy protection I doubt the company would spend any time looking for people who convert songs to mp3 to be able to play them on VGgirl =)

@jununger

From the same link (Italian TOS):

SICUREZZA DEI CONTENUTI
Lei accetta di non violare, aggirare, compiere il reverse engineering, decompilare, disassemblare o altrimenti alterare alcun componente di un Dispositivo di Sicurezza - o di tentare o assistere un’altra persona nel compiere questi atti. Nonostante quanto possa essere previsto da altre condizioni, Le è consentito di masterizzare Prodotti iTunes audio su CD, nei limiti previsti dalle Regole d’Uso. Le Regole d’Uso possono essere controllate e monitorate da iTunes per verificarne l’osservanza ed iTunes si riserva il diritto di far osservare le Regole d’Uso senza alcun preavviso.

Translated by Google:

​​​CONTENTS SECURITY
You agree not to *****, circumvent, do the reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or otherwise alter any component of a safety device - or grope or assist another person in performing these acts. Despite what can be expected from other conditions, it is only permitted to ***** audio iTunes Products to CD, within the limits set by the Rules of Use. The Usage Rules may be controlled and monitored by iTunes to monitor compliance and iTunes reserves the right to enforce the Usage Rules without notice.

So, is perfectly legal ***** a CD from iTunes.
And so, is perfectly legal convert a CD in mp3 tracks for personal use (therefore also for use in VG).
Infact, a ***** CD is comparable to a commercial CD, and the mp3 conversion is always legal for personal use. Apple can control the contents into the iTunes software, not on the CDs (***** or commercial) you have...

@BJlover
Sorry, but I believe you interpreted the text incorrect. By first ***** the CD legally and then converting that CD to Mp3 you have in fact circumvented the copy protection and thereby acted against the agreemend in the contract you have signed by accepted the terms and conditions for Itunes. Ask your lawer, I'm sure he would agree with me on this.

The law may give you the right to make a personal copy, but you have still breached the contract you have signed when you remove the copy protection and use the media with a non compatible device (or software).

@HombreSinSombra:

I think there are around most dangerous softwares​ than iTunes (e.g. Flightradar24) for our security...

@jununger:

sorry, but I think you don't consider​ that I wrote above:
in Italy the iTunes contents are DRM free.
And if iTunes allows me to ***** a CD, it is comparable to a commercial CD.

“You can use the CD to which you have ***** your iTunes Products in the same way you would use a CD purchased from a dealer, under the rules on copyright in ***** in Italy.”
(from Italian iTunes TOS)
​
So I don't break any rule, because I don't remove ANY copy protection.
A little fee for the general copyright is in the taxes we pay for any CD rom we buy.​
My lawyer told me this many time ago...​

A point for ALL to remember, copyright laws differ from state to state, let alone country to country, so lets be a little careful here, because the rules YOU know, may not the thr rules that SOMEONE else knows.

Cheers & beers

It's a legal minefield, but as you brought the track from iTunes, it's a non-transferable usage right.
This means that you can't change the format of your music to anything else without copyright infringement with your iTunes contract.
Since it's online and borderless, and the fact that iTunes is not an Italian company, European Law not Italian Law is what would be used, if iTunes caught you and decided to haul you off to court... :)

It was all in the Lisbon Treaty, the one that nobody wanted... :)

www.zdnet.com/article/who-owns-your-digital-downloads-hint-its-not-you/

I've been perusing my Amazon fine print and the same applys there!

@Cartref:
I told from the beginning that I refer on the copyright laws in Italy, but it seems to me that the link below is the permanent solution to our problem...

@Shodan084:
from your link on Lisbon Treaty:

"Music tracks sold through the iTunes store after March 2009 do not include Apple's FairPlay DRM technology and are referred to as iTunes Plus Products. Rules (i) and (vi) apply to all digital music sold today in the iTunes Store:

(i) You shall be authorized to use Products only for personal, noncommercial use.

[...]

(vi) iTunes Plus Products do not contain security technology that limits your usage of such Products, and Usage Rules (ii) – (v) do not apply to iTunes Plus Products. You may copy, store, and ***** iTunes Plus Products as reasonably necessary for personal, noncommercial use."

So, exactly what ​I ​meant... or not?...

Rather, another great battle that we musicians are trying to win with our leaders in Italy from many years, is that here the musical products are taxed at 21%, while the books are taxed at 4% because they are considered cultural heritage.
What's cultural in a cookbook (or in a serial novel) in comparison of a Beethoven symphony (or a Pink Floyd album), still we have to understand...



​ ​​

I brought an actual CD from Amazon the other day, but all CD's come with a Online Digital Download, which means that the CD I brought is covered by the DRM. I cannot make a copy of the CD without a breach of my Agreement with amazon... the same applies to iTunes.

You can't just haul out one line from a complicated contract. If you brought the media pre 2009 and recorded the media pre 2009 then you might not be covered, depending on what you did with the media. If it's under the back seat of your car, where you threw it after the new album came out, you might be exempt...
If you brought it yesterday, and converted it to cd then you fall under the new DRM and, while you can make and play a CD of the music, copying the CD is a ***** of the TOS you signed when you brought it...

I'm sorry, but it was not my intention to make extracts of long contracts: I just extrapolated the part where it talks about iTunes. What you say seems to me exactly the opposite of what we read on iTunes TOS: all music sold until 2009 was DRM; from 2009 onwards it is sold DRM-free. And anyway, if I buy a commercial CD, or I download the same CD from iTunes (or Amazon, Google Music, etc.) and then I convert it legally in mp3 format for private use, as you can tell the difference between the two? I refer to the Italian laws on copyright (which, luckily, seem to coincide with the Treaty of Lisbon): for personal use, the copy of any song copyright protected is always allowed.

@BJlover
This is inded a minefield and subject to local laws but what I find interesting is that there is a section about CONTENT SECURITY also in the Italian version of the TOS. If it's null and void... why is it there in the first place? (rethorical question only Apple can answer)

Bottom line... no one can follow all querks of these legal texts... this is why I time and again in this topic have pointed out how crazy the Itunes TOS is. On one hand they let you make up to 7 CD-copies of the files (UK version)... on the other hand there's a DRM present that prevent you from simply converting the files to Mp3... and on top of that it's not allowed to remove the DRM to make a digital copy, not even for personal use. It's like a game of cat and mouse...