To convert .m4a to .mp3 or not convert?

[JaguarCub33]

I'm kind of late to the digital music scene and am trying to organize my music on my pc. I'm using iTunes to import and organize my cd's as .mp3 files and using DoubleTwist to sync to our EVO's. We have some music on our pc purchased through iTunes as .m4a files. Are the .m4a files usable on other, non-Apple, devices? Is it worth the while, or even necessary, to convert to .mp3's? Any advice would be most appreciated.

 

[sitlet]

Are the .m4a files usable on other, non-Apple, devices?

If they were purchased through itunes, then no, they have DRM and cannot be played on a non-apple device.

Is it worth the while, or even necessary, to convert to .mp3's?

You would have to find a way to remove the DRM first. And even if you do, you are converting, and thus will lose some quality.

 

[ashykat]

If they were purchased through itunes, then no, they have DRM and cannot be played on a non-apple device.

You would have to find a way to remove the DRM first. And even if you do, you are converting, and thus will lose some quality.

This is not necessarily true. iTunes stopped using DRM in 2009.

OP: Many other devices play m4a (AAC) files. I would not recommend converting AAC files to mp3 as converting one lossy format to another results in extra loss of quality.

 

[mikedt]

DRM protected iTunes songs can easily be identified by the file suffix .M4P, as opposed to the non-DRM'd .M4A

 

[Usta]

Don't convert, because Android supports m4a files.
If the files play on Android device then fine, if not then they are DRM protected.

 

[Brucew0617]

Android system can play .m4a audio and as I know, the music which download from iTunes can also play in Android system because they had removed DRM protection by Apple.