Can I Convert WMA to MP3?

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Amie

Amie

Mac Convert for Life
All my music files are MP3s except for one, which is an WMA file. How can I convert this to MP3 so that it will be compatible with my iTunes and iPod?
 
drag it into itunes, and it will convert it for you. thats if its not protected. if its protected, then you need to use a windows computer and have win media player burn it to an audio cd, and then have itunes rip the cd.
 
I think that will only work on the PC version of iTunes. You could try EasyWMA, but it does not bring the ID3 tags across with the conversion.
 
Iven if it's 100% correct and true, I've been thinking of this lately. How come one version (platform specific) is able to convert in this way around, but not the other? I thought iTunes were iTunes, no matter what platform. How can this be?
 
I already tried dragging it to iTunes. Nothing happened. I guess that means it's protected? I have no idea. How do you check?

If I install EasyWMA, can I convert it to MP3 format--even if it's protected? And I have no idea what "ID3 tags" are.
 
Amie said:
I already tried dragging it to iTunes. Nothing happened. I guess that means it's protected? I have no idea. How do you check?

If I install EasyWMA, can I convert it to MP3 format--even if it's protected? And I have no idea what "ID3 tags" are.
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Wikipedia suggests that (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ID3_tag) ID3 is a metadata container most often used in conjunction with the MP3 audio file format. It allows information such as the title, artist, album, track number, or other information about the file to be stored in the file itself.
 
dalo said:
ID3 is a metadata container most often used in conjunction with the MP3 audio file format. It allows information such as the title, artist, album, track number, or other information about the file to be stored in the file itself.

:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ID3_tag
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Make sure it's described in one sentence.....nothing more. :D

Sorry, Amie.....I had to rib ya a little there... :p ::angel::
 
do you have the lastest version of itunes? and yes both versions (mac & win) will convert unprotected wma files. now, you've doubled checked your library to make sure there is no new tracks? if it were protected, itunes should tell you so.
 
Just a reminder: Even *if* you manage to transcode from WMA to MP3 somehow, you'll lose quality. If it's an important song, I'd consider buying the CD or the track from iTunes.
 
nixgeek said:
Make sure it's described in one sentence.....nothing more. :D

Sorry, Amie.....I had to rib ya a little there... :p ::angel::
Click to expand...
OK, as much as I hate to admit it, I just burst out laughing when I read your jab. YOU are SUCH a brat. :p
 
sinclair_tm said:
do you have the lastest version of itunes? and yes both versions (mac & win) will convert unprotected wma files. now, you've doubled checked your library to make sure there is no new tracks? if it were protected, itunes should tell you so.
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That's really odd. I just checked the Software Update and it's telling me that I'm up to date. So, I guess that means that I have the latest version of iTunes. Yet, when I drag the WMA file into iTunes, it does absolutely nothing. No alert, no conversion, no message, zip.
 
fryke said:
Just a reminder: Even *if* you manage to transcode from WMA to MP3 somehow, you'll lose quality. If it's an important song, I'd consider buying the CD or the track from iTunes.
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If the song was available on CD or for sale, I'd definitely buy it.

What do you mean "if"? Sounds like a rather easy process what with all the conversion software apps like EasyWMA.
 
sinclair_tm said:
do you have the lastest version of itunes? and yes both versions (mac & win) will convert unprotected wma files. now, you've doubled checked your library to make sure there is no new tracks? if it were protected, itunes should tell you so.
Click to expand...

According to the Wikipedia iTunes page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itunes)

The Windows version of iTunes can automatically convert unprotected WMA (including version 9) files to other audio formats, but it does not support direct playback or encoding of WMA format.

It kind of give me the imprssion that it was a Mac OS iTunes feat. Only.

I was frustrated about this a while bacl, its over noe, I know. But WHY was it like thath? Mac people had WMA files too! What was their argument! Pisses me off
 
1. I still have no idea WHY nothing happens when I drag the WMA file to iTunes.

2. If I insall an app like EasyWMA, will that solve all my WMA-to-MP3 problems?
 
When Apple first released iTunes for Windows, WMA conversion definitely was a Windows-only feature. Apple's iTunes web page doesn't state that it's a Windows-only feature at this point, but I've never heard that it changed, and their support article still says:
Note: When you add unprotected WMA files to your iTunes library (Windows only), iTunes converts them to new files that iTunes can play, based on your import settings.
Click to expand...

So, you'll need another app to do the conversion. EasyWMA or ffmpegX will do the job nicely. VLC could probably also do it. ffmpegX is a bit of a pain to install, though, and even VLC is a hassle to use. So I recommend EasyWMA.

As with any type of audio, when you convert a WMA to mp3, you WILL lose quality. You could convert it to an AIFF or some other lossless format to maintain the full quality of the WMA. EasyWMA allows WAV output, which I think is lossless. (Of course, this will result in a file many times larger than an mp3 would be.)
 
I love the iTunes application, but I have to say that this was the most stuping thing I've ever heard about it, even if it is the only thing. As if wma files was tied to the Windows platform just because Windows media player is more common on it. Embarrassing.
 
Hi

Old thread but it came up when in Google and nobody provided the following answer that has worked for me.

You need to download the free WMV add on for Quicktime. You can get it from the Micro$@#t website:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=915D874D-D747-4180-A400-5F06B1B5E559&displaylang=en

Once installed you can open WMA/WMV with Quicktime.

Open the files with Quicktime and choose File > Export > Audio to AIF. You can then drag the AIF's into iTunes and they'll be imported into your library.
 
Since iTunes converts them by itself nowadays, I don't think this step is necessary any longer for WMAs and iTunes at least (which the thread is about). All of this still doesn't mean that DRM-protected files could be opened, of course.
 
Itunes didn't import the WMA's for me, hence me searching for a way to convert in the first place.

This worked for me. Latest os10 and latest iTunes in May 2009.

My wma's were maybe protected???
 
Wow. This is an old thread. Yeah, I have WMP now. Works fine for all the video files that QuickTime doesn't handle. So now I've got both.
 
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