On march 28 I installed Freetunes 3.0 From Give away of the day on march 28 2011. Back then it installed fine it registered fine with the serial number I was given.

But I went to use the program today July 17 2011 & that serial number I was given had expired. So what went wrong with the first serial number I used? why did this product expire?

Because when i down loaded and installed it off of GAOTD I thought it was a full give away of a program and not a test based trial which this seems to have turned into...

I am disappointed in this Engleman product.

I needed to use it today and what do I see when I opened it? Well the first thing I see is the legal serial number that was given to me back on march 28 which was used to instal the product has expired.

So now I still need to make some mp3's of a couple of my cd's for traveling this weekend. Plus I still need a mp3 ripping product.

So now I need to find a program that can do what free-tunes does & I can tell you this. What ever product I do get, it probably will not be a Engelman product.

I just thought I should write to and complain.

Sign me one unhappy client

Rick Frog

No problems installing on WinXP SP3. I also ignored the warning to shut down any virus scan software. Received the reg key via email (Yahoo) immediately. Tested the program with a bunch of old m4a files (itunes) that I couldn't find the CD for and they converted to mp3 without incident. It's a keeper. Thanks GAOTD.

#6 prying1 I use Freemake. They have two excellent programs that are freeware. Freemake Video Converter and Freemake Video Downloader. Download at http://www.freemake.com/

If Clive does not like it then don't download it and don't copy any of your music but don't tell other people not to or say it is wrong nor repeatedly post incorrect information as fact.

Since 2006 anyone in the UK can legally copy their own music without fear of prosecution.

From
Tuesday, 6 June 2006
Quote
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5053658.stm


Peter Jamieson, chairman of the British Phonographic Industry, said consumers would only be penalised if they made duplicates of songs for other people.

Currently anyone transferring music to portable devices breaks copyright laws.

The music industry has traditionally turned a blind eye, however, in favour of targeting "professional" pirates.

"We believe that we now need to make a clear and public distinction between copying for your own use and copying for dissemination to third parties," said Mr Jamieson, whose organisation represents the UK's record labels.

He told the Commons select committee for culture, media and sport that he wanted to "make it unequivocally clear to the consumer that if they copy their CDs for their own private use in order to move the music from format to format, we will not pursue them".

Unquote

@clive, #4 - in the UK the laws are complex and multiple laws apply.
In simple terms there are two issues, 1) you can not copy, 2) in simple language "...you can maintain a work personal use copy...".
Note the word PERSONAL.
So if there were a legal case brought up, then there is a conflicting states of ... etc.
By UK law, you are inicent until proven guilty. Under item "2" you are not guilty ...
If it ever went to court, a "personal useage" court case would fail (as they have previously) and the accused should be able to claim damages and expenses from the acusser.

I tried downloading the program and it downloaded OK, however i can't receive the emails w/registration info. so, i went out to the Verizon server and got the mail from there. I tried forwarding the info hoping it would let let through, but it still won't let it through. now i don't know how to register the program so it will last. Can anyone help me?

Well I downloaded it, but have never received the mail with the registration key.

Okay, from the UK copyright law:-
It is an offence to perform any of the following acts without the consent of the owner:

Copy the work.

Rent, lend or issue copies of the work to the public.

Perform, broadcast or show the work in public.

Adapt the work.

What is allowed is:
# Recording of broadcasts for the purposes of listening to or viewing at a more convenient time, this is known as "time shifting".
# Producing a back up copy for personal use of a computer program.
# Playing sound recording for a non profit making organisation, club or society (like a charity).

(Profit making organisations and individuals should obtain a license from PRS for Music.)
So video recording programs, in "time shifting" is allowed but should not be kept (like my 250 video tapes).

If I make a backup of my computer it is a breach of copyright if I listen to what is being said here. If that was the case I would expect almost everyone to be in breach of some sort of copyright as the current law is written.
I would still say to make backups of all your data.
I don't need today's offer but would have no problem using it or any other copy software as having good backups is good computer practice.

Love reading all these legal technicality comments. Nobody in the UK has nor is likely to be prosecuted for making copies for your own personal use, nor is it likely that you would for giving copies to your friends. Selling copies out on the street is another matter!

As for selling the original if you've a copy, who's to know! It might be technically illegal, but would be mighty difficult to prove!!

As for right to listen or view, what I do with my music and my films in my house/car/caravan is nobodies business but my own and I defy anyone to challenge this! Someone will be telling me next that I can't destroy a bought CD/DVD if I get fed up with it!!!!

Recording a film in a movie theatre is heavily prosecuted by the theatre owners, as another matter entirely.

Some month ago I received a gift CD with some rare (Inuit/eskimo) songs recorded in a unknown - to me - format where each file only covered a few kb each
And I was not able to transfer the songs into my iPod :-(

This GOTD reconized the format and converted all the songs into mp3 format within minutes - actually very fast

This program has simply made my day, Thanks !

@Mike,

Recording in a puplic place is different then recording in a private place.
Recording in your own private place is different then recording in someone elses private place.
Recording conversations, shows, displays without consent is different then recording general sound.

Recording in a cinema is very much forbidden, recording sounds in your own home is really no problem.

@Mike,

Whenever you buy a mediacopy (CD, DVD etc. with a movie, music or even game, software etc.) you only own that copy/license not the intellectual/creative/artistic (owner-)rights.
This shows when your licenced copy is DRM-protected. You get playing-rights with your copy.
From now on, the 'owner' is the one holding the owner-rights and the 'buyer' is the one holding a licensed copy to play.

You need the owner-rights to be able to make money from it. Owner-rights protect the owners commercial interest.
You can make money with it not only by selling your owner-rights but more likely ofcourse by selling copies (or if that is what you want even give them away, because it's is your own commercial interest you're deciding about how to handle that).

This means you cannot sell or even give away your lisenced copy with playrights.
Recording your playing copy is not the same as selling of even giving away your copy.
The copy you make like this can only be for you as buyer of the playrights of your copy.
A copy like that could serve as a savety-copy.
When you start giving your copied copies away, you would harm the commercial interests of the owner (interested potential clients will not buy a copy when given freely). When you start selling the copies, no need to say that this is very much against the interest of the owner.

You are allowed though to play your lisenced copy to a friend in private, but when you play your copy in public (commercial use, like attracting more people in your bar in order to sell more beer) you should be paying for the right to do that.

Ofcourse the law will differ in different countries.

I can't get the registration to work. Looked in junk mail. Not there. I receieved the first email subscribing to their email list (what they wanted)! Just not the second email with the serial number (what I wanted).

Hello there,

RE. COPYRIGHT

#4 Clive “You must have permission of the copyright holder to make copies of any film, video or music.”
> There’s no universal law re. copyright/~infringment. You have to read up on your local legislation about that. However, I use a ruile of thumb: When for personal use only, and not to commercial ends, you may copy and rip to your hearth’s delight. Mind though that yor local rulegiving organisation always has the last word. In Belgium e.g. you may not use your copies to play them in your local pub and appended terras, your local youth club’s weekend party, some neighbourhood festivity or your sister’s wedding BBQ, not even in your taxi (!). So with ‘personal use’ they really mean ‘personal’. Belgium’s national copyrightmonitoring institution (SABAM) holds a (quasi) monopoly on this and there really is nothing much you can do about that. And of course, you have to join them to enjoy the benefits of their services (i.e. protectig your copyright) – not a cheap deal either… But again: check your local situation first to avoid heavy fines!.. and be aware of all the small print.

#5 Alf: “When you have the rights it is legal to play it, right? So the question for you in the UK is, are you, in your country, allowed to record anything that is playing?”
> There seems to be some confusion about ‘copying’ vs. ‘playing’ (and publishing).

#9 S Trew:
> You’ve got the idea. It’s an ever returning subject of discussion and a source of much frustration and expensive legal suits (only a few lawyers are sufficiently trained in this, so that, even if you would win a lawsuit you’ll be a lot lighter financially.

#29 Cryptq1: “If you do make a copy you may not sell the original, by doing that you have alienated your right to listen/view. You may not lend either the original or the copy to friends or anyone else whilst you have the second copy. You may not even have your brother listen to it in one room while you are playing the same in another room.”
> What law (country or local institute) states this? I take it that you’re somewhat satirizing here ;-) I don’t see why I mustn’t sell the orininal. Its mine and I paid for it to do with it whatever I want to – except making money from it publicly. Single copy usually is considered for backup use…

But don’t let all this take out the fun and pleasure of using this software LEGALY.
I’ll install and try it out later tonight and see if I can send some remastered stuff over some international radiostation, TV-network or the White House/Downing Street ;-) ;-)

Have fun…
Pat.

@Clive
Making the copy is not the copyright infraction. You can make copies of whatever you want whenever you want. Copyright violation comes when you try to profit from those copies - by selling them, by representing as your own work, etc. - or by making them available for re-distribution without permission (posting a copy on your website for example). Just making a copy for personal use has never been enforceable as a copyright violation. I believe that to be true in both the UK and the US.

Brad.

#23: "It is also unclear if it uses loopback through the soundcard, or via an emulated virtual soundcard."

I don't know all that's included in setup.exe, but it did not install any drivers, i.e. no virtual soundcard.

I'm not terribly impressed with freeTunes 3 as a general purpose audio convertor, nor do I like the install, but if it allows you to re-record some audio files with DRM that'd you'd have trouble with otherwise, it might be worth it -- Google/Bing including the source of your audio w/DRM, & you should get a very quick idea if there are alternatives & how many. To me the input/output formats are too limited, while others will have the recurring problem of not being able to record speaker output -- an intentional limitation put in by manufacturers so you can't do what freeTunes is [at least partly] designed for.

FreeTunes does use .NET as pointed out by [#2] oliviab, but since Universal Extractor won't work on the setup file I can't say what's included, e.g. whether it includes a redistribution setup file. It also uses Internet Explorer & both Direct Show & D3D, & according to Process Explorer [SysInternals -- Microsoft.com], freeTunes 3 depends on versions 6 & 8 of the Windows C++ runtime files [which I thought a bit amusing (not in a good way) considering it insists on installing version 7 of those runtimes]. Much of the codec [audio/video encoder/decoder] work is supplied by HDX4 [ http://goo.gl/mWVIS ] installed to the Common Files folder -- 37 files totalling ~34 MB... However, freeTunes 3 doesn't appear to use more than a few of those files, & doesn't support most of the formats that the installed HDX4 files can handle. Monitoring install, Windows' system folder was the target for 19 files, mostly older versions of freeware for encoding/decoding flac, ogg etc. An older version of the Matroska splitter is included & installed, but not the complete splitter setup -- note that in my experience it can cause problems handling/playing video on some systems. The same can be said of the ac3filter.ax in the app's folder -- IMHO if you're going to run either install a more complete package [both readily available as free downloads] so you can at least control their behavior a bit. The Engelmann Media program folder holds 17 files & takes up ~ 3.5 MB -- additional folders are added under All User & User application Data -- 1738 new registry entries were recorded. Watch out for: some registry values for media handling were changed; added Direct Show filters will compete with those already installed with the same or overlapping purpose; if you have an app installed that includes the same files for handling flac etc., it may use the versions placed in Windows system folder instead -- if they're older than what your app(s) includes it can potentially cause problems.

I just love these copyright discussions. Comparing the recording of movie in a theatre to what this software does is silly. Recording a movie, show etc live is theft. You don't even need copyright laws, any person with the smallest bit of common sense will realize that. You paid for a single viewing of whatever, and that's what you're entitled to. When you buy a cd/dvd the situation changes. You have paid for the right to listen/view as much as you want to. You are entitled to make copies in most countries (fair use). If you do make a copy you may not sell the original, by doing that you have alienated your right to listen/view. You may not lend either the original or the copy to friends or anyone else whilst you have the second copy. You may not even have your brother listen to it in one room while you are playing the same in another room.

To clear up the legality of making copies of music: I run a mobile disco company and so it's something that I am well-versed in.

In the US, you have a 'fair use' policy - which in practice means that if you buy a CD, you may make an MP3 copy for your own personal use.

In the UK, we do not have a 'fair use' policy, so, technically, any copying done is against the law. HOWEVER, the authorities have stated that they will not take action against private individuals making a copy of their own music collection for their own personal use.

For DJs (or any other commercial use such as dance instructors, playing in shops, offices, bars, etc), even if you have built up a legal CD collection over the last 20 years, if you decide to go digital and wish to rip your CD collection to MP3 (or for any copying / format shifting), you need to buy a ProDub licence from here : http://www.prsformusic.com/users/recordedmedia/ProDub/Pages/ProDubLicence.aspx

As for this program, I haven't looked to closely at it, TBH. We're pretty satisfied with programs such as Audiograbber and and Media Monkey, and so do not really have a use for it.

Whether it is legal or illegal doesn't really matter here. What matters is what the user of the software reasonably relied upon when using the software. In this case, the software distributor has issued a statement of the legality leading any reasonable person to conclude and rely on the statement. Any argument otherwise would never stand the rigors of a court. Moreover, if the publisher of the music/video were to complain, in the US damages are prerequisite. If a person does not sell and/or re-distribute the media no damages can be proved and therefore, no liability on the part of the software user.

#17 You don't need a converter to convert I-Tunes to MP3. Simply burn the songs to a CD and then re rip the songs back into your computer as an MP3.

Downloaded, installed, registered and runs just fine on Windows 7 64-bit.

Note: In the installation process, the program alerts you to turn off anti-virus software. I don't trust software that advises that, and didn't--the program installed just fine.

Also note: You need a serial number to register the program. The serial number is not included with the download--you need to provide your email address in response to a pop-up window and then respond to an email that is sent to you, at which point you again are emailed, this time with a serial number. A bit cumbersome, but it works.

Why so many thumbs-downs on this program? It seems just fine, as a freeware ofering, and good to have around.

Installed Win7x64

Onerous registration process requires online request, confirmation email, and then manual entry of 4 part serial number which can't be copy/pasted in one action.

Software does NOT convert any of my DRM protected tracks from sources that no longer exist where current licenses are not possible to retrieve. It just opens a browser window with either a page timeout error or message that license not valid. The only option is to cancel the browser window, whereby the application sits there doing nothing (confirmed process is inactive). This purpose would be the only reason I would use this software. Uninstalling.

Sounds like DRM removal is, as in most that don't use the tricky WMA DRM bypass, by "loopback recording", so valid DRM play rights are required.

It is also unclear if it uses loopback through the soundcard, or via an emulated virtual soundcard.

Legally, you can make a BACKUP for your library (1 backup), but NO, you do not own the music or the video EVER, even if you buy it - you do NOT own it.

#5: "... So the question for you in the UK is, are you, in your country, allowed to record anything that is playing?..."

Clive would know more about the UK than I, but in the US it's certainly something that could likely get you sued or prosecuted, *Should they choose to press it*. The best example I can think of at the moment is recording a movie in the theater, which from what I've read can land you in jail -- AFAIK the same thing can happen if you get caught making bootleg recordings of a live performance. What the content owners are pushing for [with greater success in the EU] is a fairly broad legal interpretation of I think it's called performance rights [or something like that]... it's the basis for the RIAA going after bars/restaurants who play the radio, & sometimes [e.g. the NFL] the TV, & it's being pushed for digital media on cable & satellite, particularly HD [i.e. cable company DVRs record at SD/std res]. Long story short, while I'm no lawyer history shows that if the RIAA etc. decides to go after you, they pretty much will, even if that means severely straining laws/regs & common sense, and as shown by Homeland Security throwing a webmaster in jail for *linking* to illegal content, the gov will often back them up.

Clive [#4] posted: "It is like speeding, lots of people do it, but it isn’t legal." That's very true IMHO, but there is [usually much less] risk of getting getting caught, but even if you're found innocent, the costs if/when you are *caught* can be Much higher -- organizations like the RIAA have lawyers working consignment, & I think most of the organizations also pick up a bounty for anything they collect, so cost means nothing to them & they're highly motivated. Overall the best solution is to not support sites/companies that DRM their music -- enough people do that & they'll stop with the DRM, which in fact has happened in several cases.

#9"...That this software (and others like it) exists at all is proof that this IS true. IF such were NOT true THEN the industry would certainly move against it; it hasn’t been shy about legal action in the past."

1st, you buy a limited license to music, same as with software. 2nd, it's perfectly legal in most all cases to sell things that can be used illegally, whether we're talking about cars or knives etc. When content owners have gone after software companies in this context it's usually AFAIK because they reverse engineered things like DRM to make their software work, & *that's* illegal. You don't see software to backup DVDs you own produced by companies in the west [e.g. DVDFab in Chine &/or AnyDVD in the islands] because to do that they have to reverse engineer the DRM to make it possible, & the last one that tried, Real, had their software pulled almost immediately. You don't OTOH need to do that sort of thing if/when you're just recording, plus today's app could be considered dual use [you could be re-recording your daughter's recital].
* * *

#6: "... Anyone know some freeware that will do it for me? As it stands now I convert FLV to MP3 then to CD…"

There are a several methods/tools, free & not. FLV is audio/video combined, so many video converters work fine -- just pick whatever video format's fastest & allows you to export .wav audio at CD format/specs & throw the video away. If for example you used Xvid video & wav audio, you'd just need a de-muxer to split the streams into 2 files. Or you can use a de-muxer at the start, like the free FLV Extract -- many times the audio will be mp3 or AAC originally, so you'd have to convert that to wav for CD. AviSynth processes audio/video based on scripts & plug-ins but you have to use something like the free VirtualDub along with it -- AviSynth will process FLV [along with many audio formats], & you could probably find whatever script you need on-line to suit your purpose. While I haven't played with it much at all yet the Videolan folks have a new pre-release out of their free editor [VLMC] -- their player [VLC] works well with most FLV, so that might be a possibility that would also let you do things like trim & fade your audio tracks. Check out the apps that are listed at videohelp & keep checking GOTD.

* * *

#8: "Does not support .aa files (Audible format)."

Google/Bing for info/methods -- few apps play Audible directly, though I'd imagine you could always record from a hand-held that supported it.

* * *

#13: "...So you need a ripper and this program for my legal and protected dvds to audio?"

There are audio DVD & Video DVDs... If you mean Video DVDs, audio will most likely be in 5.1 AC3 -- since there are few, widespread alternative 5.1 formats many people just leave it that way, as ac3. If you do want to convert it as 5.1 there are several apps/converters -- start with your desired output format & work backwards, but do double check channel assignments. For conversion to stereo .wav unfortunately the best way I know of is a very old, somewhat PITA method using Graphedit & PowerDVD 8 filters/files, but you might find alternatives like the free LameXP work well enough. Check out the videohelp site including searching the forums.

#9 S Trew

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! That statement is so wrong. When you purchase music, you do NOT own it. You are LICENSED by the recording company to use that CD, tape, or whatever kind of media that music may be on. Therefore, you do not have the right to do anything you wish with it. In the US so far, it is OK to rip our CD's to our computer and put the resulting files on our media players, but you ABSOLUTELY DO NOT own the music.

To Phlan-Michelle

Check your spam folder. If it is not there, try using a different email provider. On some rare occasions in the past my hotmail email did not work when I was requesting a registration key for some of Gaotd offers. So I decided to use gmail instead, and - to my great surprise- it worked. Using a different email system may solve your problem too.

Hope it helps.

Installed on Windows 7 64 bits without problems.
Registered and received the serial number without problems.
Software seems working correctly.
A nice giveaway.
Thanks.

What other converters specifically will convert I-tunes media to MP3? Does the AngelVox giveaway from a few days back do this?
Which is the best freeware converter? Thanks

@ OopsyDaisy, #10
The "* Important: DRM files require a valid licence to be converted!
" was probably printed for legal liability.
The software probably allows you to work around that DRM, but they can legally claim that they've told you that a license is required.
If you choose to use the software without that license, well then its your fault if something negative happens.
Its the same reason manufacturers put 'Do not iron clothes while wearing them' in the warnings included with a new iron. :-P

Now I have done what the read me txt says to do & never got the email for activation can anyone help please?

With regard to legality of overcomimg DRM/copyright, but going off topic slightly. For many years, probably millions of people in the UK and other countries have used video tape recorders and DVD recorders to copy films & other programs from TV - content which is COPYRIGHTED, as we are reminded at the end of every film. Further, SKY TV boxes now have a built in recorder - so are they encouraging their customers to break the law? I think that while freeTunes may not be strictly legal in the UK, it will be widely used together with other similar programs. IMHO so long as you have purchased music, film or any other content it should be used in whatever way you wish.

So you need a ripper and this program for my legal and protected dvds to audio?
You think the quality (or lack of)in terms of bit rates is that noticeable?
What "other" programs that can do this more completely? Thanks.

It will rip audio from a dvd if it is not protected content. I have another program which allowed it to bypass the dvd protection, but it is a paid proggy. If I have to buy this and another program to use as advertised then why buy this alone when other programs have the ability in a single program? The conversion was slow and took longer than the content being converted. Output was good quality, but ID3 tags were a mess and required editing one by one. As stated before many freeware options exist that feature better compatibility and bit rates. In a nutshell not a must have. Good if you aren't tech savvy, but you will need other software to function properly as stated. Interface is simplistic, but so are the options of output.

Would anyone care to report on how good this is for making iphone ringtones (M4Rs) or suggest better freeware? Thanks.

It says on the author's site...
------------
You have purchased DRM-protected files but unfortunately your MP3 player does not play them? You lost your music licences after a system crash and don't want to fight once again for their renewal? The music portal where you bought your music does no longer exist and therefore does not allow a licence renewal?*
------------

Then later it says...

------------
* Important: DRM files require a valid licence to be converted!
------------

This completely contradicts itself and makes no sense at all.

If you bought the music, then you own the music and that applies whether it is DRM protected or not. What you choose to do with that which you own is up to you as long as you keep it to yourself and do not sell it or give it away or make it available for distribution. The bottom-line is that if you paid for it, you may do with it as you wish. It is NOT like speeding.

Even IF such were not the case in a country, as a practical matter it IS the case because A) no one is gonna know if you've done it and B) there is no harm to the copyright holder from doing it.

That this software (and others like it) exists at all is proof that this IS true. IF such were NOT true THEN the industry would certainly move against it; it hasn't been shy about legal action in the past.

Does not support .aa files (Audible format).

EXTREMELY limited bit rate selection and no VBR support.

Oddly, when you try to open a DVD it only lets you select a folder and auto loads everything in that folder. You cannot open a folder to select files.

This is not even particularly good as freeware, let alone paying for this.

Thanks #1 Dennis - I'm needing a FLV to CD converter and your comment saved me some time. Appreciate it. Anyone know some freeware that will do it for me? As it stands now I convert FLV to MP3 then to CD...

@Clive, #4:
FreeTunes can only copy a DRM protected media, if you have the rights already to play it. Not being able playing it (not having the DRM-rights), will result in not being able to copy it.
So only when you already own the play rights you can use FreeTunes.

This is the case because no direct digital bit-for-bit copy is made afterall. A "copy" is compiled out of the recorded stream you are playing. It is a bit like recording a song from the radio.

When you have the rights it is legal to play it, right?
So the question for you in the UK is, are you, in your country, allowed to record anything that is playing?

Are you sure that is illegal?

NO NO NO. The blurb at the start states "freeTunes enables you to convert your purchased CDs, DVDs, music- and video files legally". Maybe in US but NOT in the UK. You must have permission of the copyright holder to make copies of any film, video or music. So it cannot be done legally in the UK (even though lots do it). It is like speeding, lots of people do it, but it isn't legal.

These products are so ubiquitous as freeware one can only imagine that the author is 'having a laugh'!

Notes : Requires .net 3 Framework (will be automatically installed, if not available) and takes 256 MB RAM. Bypasses DRM protection to copy. Helpful info at the publisher's page : http://www.engelmann.com/eng/freetunes.php

It extracted audio from an mp4 just fine, but doesn't seem to work on flv or flac files. I have other utilities that can do the job (including freeware), so it will be of limited use to me. Thanks.