Legal Music Download Site for Linux?

[Void Main]

Does anyone out there download music in Linux from a pay service like iTunes or Wal-Mart? I don't believe either of those services support Linux so I will obviously not use them. I would like to find a place where I can download DRM free mp3 and/or ogg legally using Linux only. Actually I lie, it's not for me, it's for my son. I heard Wal-Mart offered DRM free mp3 files but you can't even get on their site without Internet Explorer so they are out. It's really sad especially since they sell Linux systems in their store.

I heard mention of some service connected with the Amarok player. Anyone know anything about this? I used Amarok in Fedora 7 without a problem but I notice since upgrading to Fedora 8 it doesn't want to play mp3 files. It says the xine engine won't play them. I am sure this would be a simple fix by installing another package. Anyone run into this? Most importantly I would like to legally purchase individual music but it doesn't seem like anyone wants to give me that option. :(

[Void Main]

I just found my answer and just purchased and downloaded my first DRM free song. Wow, that was easy and only 89 cents!

[Void Main]

Now, what player to buy? He wanted an iPod classic but I have been trying to steer him away from that because I think it may be troublesome to get music to it from Linux. Am I wrong? Is there a good recommended 2-4GB Linux compatible MP3 player? I personally have had good luck with Sandisk and an iRiver (after a firmware change). I want to be able to just copy files to the player just like a camera (automounted file system).

[Master of Reality]

the iPod players work fine on linux, but you have to use gtkpod or amarok to put songs on it (its these applications that build the db on the player, not the player itself as is the case with RCA players).

RCA players are good because they are just a removable media device formatted as FAT. The player builds the db after you simply move songs onto it. Most of the RCA have an SD slot to expand the memory.

Creative are the best quality, but it's apparently difficult to use with Linux. This is due to a proprietary filesystem format.

Also, you might want to see which can support OGG. iPods (other than the Nano) should be able to if you install iPodLinux.

[Void Main]

What about the last post on this page regarding gtkpod and iPod classic? Looks like I could be in for a headache. I really hate to spend money on something that the manufacturer doesn't actually want me to use. I would much rather purchase something that has normal file system access and supports ogg.

[Ice9]

Void Main wrote

I heard mention of some service connected with the Amarok player. Anyone know anything about this? I used Amarok in Fedora 7 without a problem but I notice since upgrading to Fedora 8 it doesn't want to play mp3 files.

I had the same problem a while ago and had to install two additional packages called "libxine1-plugins" and "libxine1-misc-plugins" in the debian repos.
From there amarok played mp3's without complaining.
Had that only once though, I can't remember running into this error on any other install.

Edit:
Also be careful when using amarok with an iPod, amarok has a weird way of writing to the database and it crashed my iPod once, I even complained about it on this forum and MoR confirmed more or less if I remember it right...

[Void Main]

It appears that something changed with the database with the iPod classic 6th generation and newer. gtkpod doesn't appear to support it and I wonder if Amarok or any of the others do? I am really nervous about getting one of those. I have read where iTunes will run under wine. I assume iTunes will only put music on your player from the iTunes web site or can you add your own ripped music or music from Amazon/etc using it as well?

EDIT: Also, anyone have any experience downloading from mp3shake.com? Know anything about it?

EDIT2: Looks like maybe gtkpod can support the 6th generation if I am reading the wikipedia article correctly:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod_classic

[Ice9]

iTunes will indeed run under wine but the application already puts a lot of strain on a win/mac pc so I guess it could be even worse under wine ...
But iTunes lets you add your own ripped music as well, no problem about that, you can purchase songs from their rip-off store or add any song/folder you want to your library.

I have no experience with iPod classic but it will be long before I ever buy an iPod again.
Maybe it's the iPod, maybe it's gtkpod or something else but the damn machine crashed on me like 6 times in 2 years.
And it's a pain in the *ss to restore !

Have you looked at the sandisk sansa?
It's pretty cheap over here and it looks mighty fine to me.

[Void Main]

iTunes will indeed run under wine but the application already puts a lot of strain on a win/mac pc so I guess it could be even worse under wine ... :?
But iTunes lets you add your own ripped music as well, no problem about that, you can purchase songs from their rip-off store or add any song/folder you want to your library.

I have no experience with iPod classic but it will be long before I ever buy an iPod again.
Maybe it's the iPod, maybe it's gtkpod or something else but the damn machine crashed on me like 6 times in 2 years.
And it's a pain in the *ss to restore !

Have you looked at the sandisk sansa?
It's pretty cheap over here and it looks mighty fine to me.

Hmm, hopefully their product is better than their web site. I have purchased a few Sandisk MP3 players and have had no problem with them other than I think the sound quality isn't that great. Those devices on that web site are much different than what I have though. Do you know how the Linux support is on these?

EDIT: To get mp3 support in Amarok I had to add Livna repo and "yum install amarok-extras-nonfree"

EDIT2: The iRiver T60 looks promising:

iRiver T60 on Amazon

4GB (although seems to be limited to 1000 songs), OGG, FM Radio, AAA batteries, price is right.

[Ice9]

Void Main wrote:

Do you know how the Linux support is on these?

No I don't, I know a few people who use the players under windoze and they are quite happy with them.
Other than that I read a few things about having to switch the players from MTP mode to MSC mode to be able to use them under linux.
Also, at the time I was getting fed up with my iPod I did some research and found this page

[Void Main]

Too late, we just got home with an iPod classic 80GB 6th generation. That's what he said he wanted after all the research and me pointing out the pros and cons of each. I guess if he has trouble I'll just sit back and say "I told ya so". :) The only advantage I see for the iPod is the number of songs it can hold. I told him that he'll need to get a job before he could afford to fill that thing up. :)

What I had suggested for him was the iRiver T60.

This thing is 4GB (but only holds 1000 songs for some reason), also plays Ogg, has an FM radio, and takes AAA batteries rather than a built in batter. All of these things I consider "pros".

I actually have an iRiver T30 1GB that plays Ogg and uses a AAA batter but it doesn't have the radio. I really like it and I think the sound quality is superior to the Sandisk players I have bought. I just looked up the 1GB player I have and for some reason it's 30 bucks more than the 4GB player. I wonder what gives?

[Calum]

by the way there are plenty of legal downloads of music which are free. I often scour the web for a few free tracks from some band i have heard. Far and away my favourite place to go for that sort of thing though is archive.org i am sure you are aware of it, but thought it might be worth a mention, they have all sorts of free music for download there, it's great! you may not find a particular artiste (or you may!) but you will definitely find a slew of stuff you like if you poke around a bit.

So... he could fill up the iPod for next to nothing if he's canny!

PS: and while we're at it, there's plenty of free and legal downloads from me as well, at these locations:

http://calumsmusic.netfirms.com/
http://manurodriguez.iscool.net/
http://www.hhcforum.com/calum/

Some in the final link are pretty scratchy copies (and in fact they'll be remastered to a higher standard sometime in the next year) but well, in for a penny, in for a pound.

[Void Main]

I have all the songs from the bands I have played in available for download as well but he doesn't want my music on there for some reason. :)

[Ice9]

One of my favorites for free downloads is Soundclick
No known bands on there but tons of good stuff, like these slack key guitar recordings from taropatch ...

[Calum]

soundclick are good, and in fact there's a collection on there from another band i was in, Wascomat 73, here: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... dID=109908

Looks like somebody (probably Dave or Sean) has also started this page: http://www.bebo.com/MusicSongs.jsp?MemberId=4832347269

Interestingly, whoever did that page made no attempt to backreference my page, though it is clear they are aware of its existence. Also, the bebo page has three mp3s for download, they are all semielectronic efforts which have been made after Dave and Sean dumped me as their drummer, in my opinion these tracks are substandard, but you be the judge.

Void main, i'd be most interested to hear that music of yours, is there a way you can point me to the downloads without compromising your watertight online identity security?