XP: Anyone know how to convert iTunes files to mp3s?

SmartyPants7806

H got me a SwimP3 (waterproof mp3 player) for Christmas, and I'm finally sitting down to figure out how to load music onto it. The loading is the easy part, it's getting all of my files converted to mp3 format out of iTunes that is the problem.

Here's the situation:  I have a Mac and iTunes 9.0.2, and have already downloaded NoteBurner to try to circumvent the obvious but really annoying solution of burning everything to audio CDs and ripping them back.  But the instructions in NoteBurner are not for iTunes 9 and I can't figure it out.  Any suggestions?

laddiebug

From what I can tell, there is a way to possibly convert them in iTunes, but that hinges on the files not being DRM protected. This will also help you for future downloads. Go to Edit > Preferences > Advanced > Importing and then change your 'import using' to 'MP3 endcoder'. This will make iTunes download the songs as an MP3 file instead of the iTunes AAC/M4P files.

So, now that your import settings have been changed, when you right click a song the option to convert to MP3 should show up. If the song is DRM protected it wont let you convert it in iTunes. If it is not DRM protected, then you should be able to convert it right there.

You mentioned having NoteBurner, the instructions should be about the same for iTunes 9. I did find the instructions for iTunes 9 on the NoteBurner website. Here's the link. If you really can't figure it out, you can go back to an old version of iTunes using something like OldVersion.com.

If you can't get any of this stuff to work, you may just have to go the burn and rip way.

SmartyPants7806

The trouble I'm having is that the instructions in NoteBurner for how to set up iTunes are outdated. It's directing me to go to Preferences > Advanced > Burning, but there are no longer any tabs once you get into the Advanced section of the preferences, and I can't find where they put this option in version 9.

Burning and ripping is going to make me cry. I have 553 songs from the iTunes store.  GAH.  I'm normally drinking the Apple Kool-Aid, but NOT ANYMORE.

Thank you  

MerRhosyn

If I understand the question correctly, have you thought about downloading a sound file converter?  For example, I was given an iPod the other day and asked to put all the music files on it onto mp3 CDs.  Many of the files were in M4A format.  I used Switch Sound File Converter (although there are many other similar applications, this one was free) to convert all the files to mp3.  Depending on what you use, you may or may not be able to preserve all of the rich tagging information (it wiped name and artist when I re-imported them into my iTunes library).  But yeah, don't know if this will work to get from the file types that you have now to something unprotected...

SmartyPants7806

I downloaded NoteBurner on the advice of someone who reviewed the SwimP3 online.  It seemed easy enough, but the main problem I am having is that the online instructions to get iTunes to burn to a "fake" CD (just to a file on my drive, not to an actual CD) are for an earlier version of iTunes.  If I can solve that problem, then I'm on my way. But I CAN NOT figure this out!!!

Abandoning this and trying the sound file converter is tempting, but I don't want it to wipe the tagging from the files. Ideally, I want to create duplicate files in mp3 format, so even if they get messed up, I still have the original files.

laddiebug

Go ahead and try the first thing I had posted earlier to see if at least some of your songs aren't DRM protected. That would give you fewer songs to burn and rip if you have some that will already convert.