'DVD Jon' Launches Doubletwist: Share and Sync Protected iTunes Music
The early reports about DoubleTwist suggested that DVD Jon had reverse engineered Apple's FairPlay copy protection and planned on licensing it to other companies. Today's launch, however, is a much different product.
DoubleTwist states its mission is to "enable consumers to enjoy their digital media on the widest possible range of devices." To that end, DoubleTwist has introduced a free product called doubleTwist desktop which allows users to sync and share media between different devices, handling the necessary format conversions transparently.
With digital media such as video from a friends cell phone or your own iTunes playlists, its a jungle out there. It can be an hour-long exercise in futility to convert files to the correct format and transfer them to your Sony PSP or your phone
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Our goal is to provide a simple and well integrated solution that the average consumer can use to eliminate the headaches associated with their expanding digital universe.
CNet describes how the software works:
When a device is plugged into a PC (Windows XP and Vista only right now, Mac OS X coming soon), DoubleTwist launches and recognizes all the media files on the device. Any file can be selected, dragged, and dropped into DoubleTwist to be synched up to a separate device, or shared with other users you've "friended" who also use DoubleTwist.
According to Cnet, DoubleTwist will also import and convert protected AACs (purchased iTunes songs) into MP3s so they will be playable by other devices. The official DoubleTwist site appears to downplay this functionality, only listing mp3, aac/m4a, wma, and wav amongst supported audio formats. Statements by DoubleTwist's founder, however, confirm that the software will do this, but is only capable of converting songs that you are authorized to play.A Mac OS X client and iPhone web-app are expected in Q2 2008, and the software is free.
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http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23242275-5014239,00.html
DoubleTwist's method for opening up copy-protected formats is to replay a song in fast-forward mode and capture a copy of the audio track by re-recording it.
It's essentially the same process as when a user "rips," or copies, a CD onto a computer.
"Users can only play back the music they have already purchased and they are authorized to play," said Monique Farantzos, 34, doubleTwists's co-founder and chief executive.
One hundred songs can be converted in half an hour or so.
DoubleTwist estimates the trick results in about five per cent degradation in sound-quality, similar to CD duplication.
Huh?
CD duplication results in essentially no degradation in sound quality. Even things like errors like scratches can be corrected perfectly using error correction in the vast majority of cases. (unless they mean something else by "cd duplication")
"DoubleTwist estimates the trick results in about five per cent degradation in sound-quality, similar to CD duplication."
Huh?
CD duplication results in essentially no degradation in sound quality. Even things like errors like scratches can be corrected perfectly using error correction in the vast majority of cases.
I think they're referring to burning/ripping of protected AACs. which do re-compress previous compressed music.
arn
"DoubleTwist estimates the trick results in about five per cent degradation in sound-quality, similar to CD duplication."
Huh?
CD duplication results in essentially no degradation in sound quality. Even things like errors like scratches can be corrected perfectly using error correction in the vast majority of cases. (unless they mean something else by "cd duplication")
I think they mean the current method of removing Fairplay protection -- burn the protected AAC files to a CD and re-rip to the desired format.
Edit: Arn thought so before me.
yeh i figured somenoe would figure out a way to create mp3's from apple's music files this way sooner or later. the real trick, however, would be to break the video encryption apple uses.
I believe this software can do that. If not, just give it a couple of months. DRM always loses eventually.
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