Can't play UNLOCKED (got the license) DRM protected audio files with MusicBee

[bez]

Hi;

First of all :  my recently updated MusicBee Portable shows its version is  2.5.5759.
   ...

After system reinstall (W7 x64) I've started having problems with DRM protected audio files ripped from my CDs. [never occured before].
I've been getting info I can't use the file without obtaining a license from MS site. But that particular page was showing an error.

This got solved finally [the page had to be opened in IE's compability mode]. Music files got unlocked and I'm able to play them, but ONLY with WMP. They can't be played with MusicBee (and Light Alloy).  
It's the problem since I use to use MusicBee as my favorite music library & player.

Every time I click "play now" on any track of unlocked DRMed albums (files in WMA format) - I will get a message :
"System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object."    
from MusicBee and the file won't be played.    

Is it anything I can do about it ?   Thanks in advance for your assistance and help.

[psychoadept]

Hi, welcome to the forum!

I don't think this is a bug, MB just doesn't have the magic key or whatever.  Maybe someone else will have a more technical solution. It's not ideal, but what I used to do to get around iTunes DRM was burn the tracks to cd and to then rip them as mp3s.

[Zak]

1. Ripped tracks don't have any DRM. What program are you using to rip your CDs?   
2. The point of DRM is to stop you playing it on unauthorised devices or programs, so if your tracks do have DRM you can't expect them to work in MusicBee.

I've been getting info I can't use the file without obtaining a license from MS site.

No idea what that's referring to, so you'll probably need to post a screenshot to get help with that one.

This got solved finally [the page had to be opened in IE's compability mode]. Music files got unlocked and I'm able to play them, but ONLY with WMP. They can't be played with MusicBee (and Light Alloy).

No idea what's going on there either, but it sounds totally unrelated to MusicBee and more than a little bit suspicious. 

[bez]

Thank you for your replies.

Let's clear the facts first :
1. I bought the CD's in the store (not online);
2. I still posses physical CD discs,
3. ripped them with Windows Media Player years ago (they are mainly my classical music collection),
4. have been changing my hardware and reinstalling OS  couple of times since then and never had any problems,
5. this time, after my motherboard replacement + Windows 7 x64 reinstall I had to unlock my ripped DRMed tracks again..
It's done by opening a special Microsoft page while trying to play DRMed file with WMP and requesting the license. The license is then downloaded to the computer and all DRMed files get unlocked and playable.
I underwent described procedure and can play my music files now. However it turned out that  it's possible with Windows Media Player ONLY.
  
When I'm clicking on the same files in MusicBee ("play now" command) - I'm getting this info :
"System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

The DRM files are legit and unlocked (license).  
So my 2 questions are :
1. Does MusicBee have a ability to play that kind of files or not ?
2. If it does - what might be the reason of the error message I'm getting ?

[psychoadept]

I doubt that MusicBee can play then as-is.

Have you tried ripping the tracks from the CD with MusicBee?

[bez]

MB just doesn't have the magic key or whatever.  

MB doesn't need to have any magic key cause files are UNLOCKED and play well in WMP.

It's not ideal, but what I used to do to get around iTunes DRM was burn the tracks to cd and to then rip them as mp3s.

Thanx for this idea. It's not a very practical solution since I have got great number of those ripped CDs.

[bez]

I doubt that MusicBee can play then as-is.

Have you tried ripping the tracks from the CD with MusicBee?

So MusicBee is able to play DRM-free or stolen music ? If it was true - it would be very radical limitation !!

No, I haven't tried ripping my music from CD with MB yet.

[psychoadept]

MB doesn't need to have any magic key cause files are UNLOCKED and play well in WMP.

So MusicBee is able to play DRM-free or stolen music ? If it was true - it would be very radical limitation !!

I may not understand the technical aspects of what is happening, but my assumption was that the files weren't actually modified, WMP was just given a way to access them.   Are you able to play the files in other media players (iTunes, VLC, etc)?

[Steven]

I am not 100% sure of the termology you are using, but i assume unlocking means you have enabled playback on a particular computer but it doesnt mean the files are DRM free.
MB cant play DRM protected files - its technically possible but would require purchasing a license and implementing a DRM library, so thats not going to happen. Of course other players, especially the ones from large companies will do that.

[cartman005]

DRM-free music does not mean that it is stolen. Music purchased from most online stores like iTunes and Amazon is now DRM-free. Also, music ripped from CDs using most software is DRM-free. Bez, the way that you ripped your music must be odd, because the fact that you had to re-authenticate them with WMP in order to play them means there's are DRM-protected. Maybe they are enhanced audio CDs with DRM on them?

Every time you open one of those files, WMP is contacting Microsoft's servers to get the key to decrypt those files. MusicBee and probably any other software that you try besides WMP will not be able to do this.

It may be a hassle, but I would highly recommend re-ripping those discs using iTunes or MusicBee. If it is classical music, it may be worth ripping them using a lossless format such as FLAC anyways. If you did them with WMP they are probably lossy WMA files which are lower quality, and as you are finding, not always compatible with other software.

[Pingaware]

I think that older versions of WMP used to give an option where you ripped files as DRM files. I never understood why you would use it, but I suspect that's what's causing the problems here.