S.O.S. on Windows 7 Media Player 12

I bailed on Gates/ Windows after XPpro. Went over to the dark side and MAC. Vista was / is a giant step backwards. Kind of like what they did with WindowsME after '98.

You seem pretty angry, so all I can add is that if you don't like Windows Media and all the crap, junk it out.
If you are trying to make a larger political point about privacy, usage and prying a-holes with computers, you won't get any argument out of me. Learn how to turn ports off, run a WIRED router and practice safe computing practices. If you are REALLY serious about privacy / security, you may want to build a firewall computer and run something like 'smoothwall'.

Now, my needs are simple and met by ITunes. For ITunes 10. and above, you need a 'free' account to access artwork.

I take a CD, and install in confuser. It automatically, per my settings, makes a ALAC copy to my big music folder. I copy that to my HOUSE playlist and make another MP3 copy for my 'pod.

The last link in the chain is sending the ALAC files to my Airport Express and than by either analogue or optical, to my stereo. My 'pod has a 'remote' app which allows me access to every tune on my confuser without leaving my seat.

Neither one of you have ever had a Protected File in all of the Songs that you have Ripped from your CDs? That is strange, because a Microsoft Troubleshooting Forum is loaded with dozens of Windows 7 Users who run into Media Usage Rights Errors with numerous Songs they try to Rip off of their CDs. Most of them are using Windows Media Player 12. I happen to know for a fact that a 24/96 Version of Diana Krall, "The Look Of Love", has Protected
Files for every Song on the Disk-except for the first Song.
Protected Files/Songs, you can't Rip them, and there is no place to purchase the Media Usage Rights to do so. What is really weird is that you can purchase/Download every last one of these exact same Songs 99 Cents a piece off of ITunes. Purchasing; However, without knowing what the Digital Rights Management and Media Usage Rights are. The same as it was with the DVD-Audio. I don't like surprises, and I certainly don't like buying something without being told what it is. This certainly applies to the PC Music Server Format in Spades. These type of things are commonly
referred to as a Trap Doors, and they have a tendency to pull out the floor from underneath you! So while everyone is whewing over all of the wonderful things with PC Music Server, how about telling the Truth warning others about all of the Trap Doors of this Format, instead of just letting them get blindsided! I only get angry when Blind
Advocate Pundits with-hold critical info. to sweeten the pot of PC Music Server Advocacy! They put forward everything that is great, to the exclusion of any pitfalls
or downside of PC Music Servers. Yeah, I get angry when I have been set-up like a Mark, it's only Human, don't you?

Pettyofficer- you haven't responded to the suggestions that you use a Mac as a music server..your thoughts?

Protected Files are Protected Files. You can't Rip them on
Mac or PC Music Servers. You can't Rip, Burn, Sync, Transfer Music Files, Upsample, Downsample, or Download if
Media Usage Rights are denied due to Protected Files. Is it your contention that Macs can illegally bypass Digital
Rights Management? My point is that Digital Rights Management, Media Usage Rights, and Protected Files pretty
much makes any Media Player/Music Server about as useful as
a CD Player. It changes the whole Equation alltogether in the whole Music Server vs. CD Player arguement. People need to know what it is that they are buying into with a PC Music Server. It is not all Music to the ears, like most PC Music Server Advocates would have you believe.
We have all heard about having Music in every room in the House, no more fumbling with rows of CD Jewel Boxes, the
convenience of having your entire Music Library at your fingertips. These are all Deceptive Promotions in an Extreme. There is NO GUARANTEE that you will be able to Rip ALL of your CDs to your Music Library-certainly NOT when there are Protected Files on those CDs! Do you remember anyone warning about this, or was it completely Glossed over with about a hundred coats of all of the
convenient advantages of PC Music Servers. All you ended up buying was a suped up CD Player! The illusion was that you were buying a whole new Format. Digital Rights Management, Media Usage Rights, and Protected Files turns any PC Music Server into nothing more than just another CD
Player. It is just like selling your CD Player, and then buying it right back at a higher price! Some improvement!