Argument about DRM
If you are a iTunes media products fan, you are absolutely familiar with “DRM”. You may always hear about some argument about DRM. Advocates insist that DRM can give business control over both the businessmen and the customers. While for those who are against the DRM protection, they argue that the use of DRM should be fettered, and that the control over customers even after sales will ultimately hurt customer rights.
What is DRM?
Digital rights management (DRM) is a systematic approach to copyright protection for digital media. The purpose of DRM is to prevent unauthorized redistribution of digital media and restrict the ways consumers can copy content they’ve purchased. Typically DRM is implemented by embedding code that prevents copying, specifies a time period in which the content can be accessed or limits the number of devices the media can be installed on. And the most common media protected by DRM is video and music files.
Part One: Remove or Keep DRM? – 4 Reasons to Remove DRM
No matter you are one of the advocates or people who against. We are not going to enter into endless arguments about removing or keeping DRM, here we just want to explore some reasons to remove DRM with you. Following are 4 main reasons to remove DRM for most media fans.
Let’s just take iTunes media content as example and listen to voice from some users first:
- I bought a season of Doctor Who on iTunes. I paid money for it, it’s mine. But I can’t burn it or put it on anything that isn’t an Apple device! This is, at best, annoying. At worst, I feel hustled by Apple.
- Why my iTunes rentals disappeared without my permission? How long can I keep？
- Because of the DRM copy protection, I can’t edit the purchased iTunes video files even on Apple’s own video editing software like iMovie or Final Cut Pro. I can’t transfer iTunes movie purchases from one account to the other. I am so sad...
1. Want to Own the Movie I Rented Forever
Many people would choose to rent movies from iTunes. But there are restrictions for iTunes rentals, the movies or TV shows that you rented will disappear when they expire. All rented movies and TV shows are only valid for keeping in 30 days while valid for watching within only 24 hours in US and 48 hours in other countries once started.
2. Want to Remove Device Restrictions
As the first user complained above,with DRM protection, you just cannot enjoy what you have purchased or rented anywhere. Even after purchasing movies from the iTunes store, you are limited in the ways in which you can enjoy them. You just cannot be able to enjoy them on your Android, Windows or any other non-apple devices. But if you remove the DRM, you can play the video files on any device, even those not supported by Apple and you can also copy them onto multiple devices.
3. Want to Remove Media Player Restrictions
Besides the playback restrictions in device, you won’t be able to play your iTunes movies on your computer with many media players, such as VLC, Windows Media Player or other video players.
4. Want to Share and Edit Videos Freely
Apart from the two kinds of playback restriction caused by iTunes DRM protection, another main reason why we should remove the DRM is that we are not allowed to share iTunes movies to any platforms beyond Apple’s approval. Because of the DRM copy protection, we can’t edit the purchased iTunes video files even on Apple’s own video editing software like iMovie or Final Cut Pro. We can’t transfer iTunes movie purchases from one account to the other. Undoubtedly, DRM restriction on iTunes movies has made it difficult for us to enjoy the fun of iTunes movies.
Part Two: Solution – Permanently Remove DRM Restriction from iTunes Videos
Pavtube ChewTune is the best DRM iTunes M4V Video Converter for both Windows and Mac users, which can directly get rid of DRM protection from iTunes purchased and rented videos without quality loss. It also can remove DRM protection from WMV videos like Amazon, BBC iPlayer and BD/DVD “Digital Copy” protection.
(Click here for Mac OS X 10.5)
Further Reading: