# Question about WMA formatted music. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 17, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455 "2005-11-17T04:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/1 "2005-11-17T04:57:52Z")
First let me start by saying that I have e-mailed **Dr Matrix** for some guidance on what I can and cannot post. Now to the question. I have purchased several audio tracks from Napster (the legal version) Wal-Mart and other online music stores. Some of the tracks are in WMA format but they are protected by DRM technology which is preventing me from changing them to MP3 format like almost all my other music (ripped from my own CDs). Is it illegal to change the formatting of music files which I have legally purchased? Why can the producers of the music dictate how I listen to it? It is like they are telling me I can only listen to their CDs in my car stereo which seems very restrictive. **Dr Matrix** advised me that we cannot talk about how to convert copy protected files. That is **NOT** what I am asking, please refrain from discussing it. ---
**Author:** ![RickQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@RickQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickQ)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/2 "2005-11-17T04:59:03Z")
Bugger! I should have checked who was logged in. The above post was by me. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/3 "2005-11-17T05:15:49Z")
If I’m not mistaken, this falls under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/4 "2005-11-17T06:02:09Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > If I’m not mistaken, this falls under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. I agree. This is technically covered by the DMCA and as such would be technically illegal. Whether or not you care is another matter. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/5 "2005-11-17T06:31:58Z")
unless I am mistaken you can now leagally download the same tracks from a standard p2p program in mp3 form. you own the songs and have the right to back them up anyway you want. could be wrong though ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/6 "2005-11-17T15:07:35Z")
I haven’t used Napster or Walmart, but I have used MSN Music. With MSN Music, I can burn downloaded tracks to a CD. From there, you can shift formats. The issue is that you are taking a compressed music file, expanding it without adding any fidelity, then compressing it again. _I_ can’t tell the difference between a CD and music purchased online in compressed format, but I can tell when it has been expanded and recompressed. It’s like moving from CD to FM radio. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/7 "2005-11-17T15:49:44Z")
I’ll have to dig for a cite, but I’m rather sure changing the format of media is a fully legal thing to do. You can change a VHS tape to DVD, or a music tape to CD LEGALLY. Apparently that same freedom does not seem to say anything about the media makers’ ability to stop you from doing so. So it is legal to do so, however, it’s also apparently legal for them to make it harder for you to do so. Cracking that protection to enforce your legal rights, inturn, I’m not so sure IS legal\*. Quite a conondrum. - Though I see no moral problems with it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-wma-formatted-music/331455/8 "2005-11-17T15:54:13Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > Why can the producers of the music dictate how I listen to it? It is like they are telling me I can only listen to their CDs in my car stereo which seems very restrictive. They didn’t break down your door in the middle of the night and force you to buy it that way, did they? Why _shouldn’t_ they (attempt to)place limits on how and where you can use it?