Nov 5 2009

How to convert an iTunes audio book (.m4b) into a usable, DRM-Free, MP3 file

Category: — Kurtis @ 04:20

I hate iTunes with a passion, however, it is the only online store from which you can buy the Harry Potter audio books in a digital format. The best way to listen to an audio book (for me) is via an MP3 CD (I can use my remote control to pause, etc, and I don't have to swap discs every hour or so).  You can't burn an audio book to an MP3 CD from iTunes, and I became very frustrated after trying several methods of conversion that were touted online (and didn't work). So, I decided to come up with my own method of breaking Apple's ridiculous DRM.

Be warned that this is a 1x conversion (it takes as long to convert it as it does to listen to it), but it can be applied to any audio format that can be played on your computer, including audio from videos (though i'm not immediately sure why you'd want to do that). Also, I use this method to free up the digital audio for my own personal use. I do not share or distribute it in any way. If your intents are nefarious, please do not read further. I will not be responsible for anything done using the following method.

Requirements:

  1. A Windows PC
  2. A Sound Card 
  3. Some audio source you want to convert to MP3 (such as an iTunes audio book)

 

Here are the steps:

  1. Download and install Audacity. 
  2. Download and install the LAME MP3 Encoder for Audacity.
  3. Enable Stereo Mix on the Audio Input of your sound card.
  4. Open Audacity and click the record button.
  5. Play the audio file in iTunes (or wherever).
  6. When the audio file (or series of audio files) has finished playing, click the Stop button in Audacity.
  7. Remove the silence at the beginning and ending of the audio track by clicking on the track right before it goes from a flat line to bumpy and then dragging all the way to the beginning of the track (if you are trimming the start -- drag to the end if you are trimming the end). Then press the delete key.
  8. In Audacity, choose Analyze -> Regular Interval Labels
  9. Change "Label Interval [seconds]:" to "180" for 3 minute tracks.
  10. Change "Label text:" to "Track"
  11. "Label Placement method" should be "Label interval"
  12. "Prepend numbers to label text?" should be "No"
  13. "Include final label?" should be "Yes"
  14. "Final audio segment equal with others?" should be "No"
  15. Click OK.
  16. Choose File -> Export Multiple
  17. "Export format" should be "MP3 Files".
  18. Choose and Export Location
  19. "Split files based on" should be "Labels"
  20. "Name Files" should be "Numbering consecutively" with a "File name prefix" of "Track"
  21. Click Export
  22. Click OK for each "Edit metadata" dialog that comes up, or fill in the information for each.
  23. Done!

 

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