MP3 and WMA File Format
WMA consists of four distinct codecs. The original WMA codec, known simply as WMA, was conceived as a competitor to the popular MP3 and RealAudio codecs.Apart from Windows Media Player, the WMA format can be played using MPlayer, RealPlayer, Winamp (with certain limitations—DSP plugin support and DirectSound output is disabled using the default WMA plugin), and many other software media players. The Microsoft Zune media management software supports most WMA codecs, but uses a variation of Windows Media DRM which is used by PlaysForSure.
MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression. It is a common audio format for consumer audio storage, as well as a de facto standard encoding for the transfer and playback of music on digital audio players. MP3's use of a lossy compression algorithm is designed to greatly reduce the amount of data required to represent the audio recording and still sound like a faithful reproduction of the original uncompressed audio for most listeners, but is not considered high fidelity audio by most audiophiles.
Converting WMA to MP3 with NoteBurner Converter
NoteBurner WMA to MP3 Converter is a program that can be used to convert music files, MP3 downloads or even iTunes Music Store songs to other, more compatible formats. It operates a little differently than the other products we reviewed because it is a virtual CD burner. It must be used in conjunction with a media player that can burn CDs because it makes the media player “burn” the song as a file on the hard drive instead of onto a real CD.
The number of formats that NoteBurner WMA to MP3 Converter can convert varies depending on the media player that you are using to create a burn list. If your player can't burn it, then NoteBurner can't help you. But if you find the right player, NoteBurner WMA to MP3 Converter can handle whatever it will burn. We found that Winamp had the fewest problems with file compatibility, although Windows Media Player and the iTunes Music Player were both compatible with NoteBurner. NoteBurner is limited in its choice of output formats. It will only convert protected WMA music to MP3 and WAV files. But these are the most common file formats, so it shouldn't be a problem for the average user.
Napster: Once the reigning peer-to-peer music service, Napster is now a legal music store. It recently transitioned its catalog from DRM-protected WMAs back to the ever-popular unprotected MP3 format that it slung back in its trading days and currently offers the largest selection of legal MP3s on the Web (more than 6 million tracks). Napster offers some excellent editorial content, including music reviews as well as preprogrammed playlists and radio stations. The downloadable client only works on Windows, but anyone with a Web connection can access the store online and purchase tracks.
Rhapsody: Similar to Napster in most respects, Rhapsody offers a catalog of more than 4.5 million DRM-free MP3s. It's chock-full of preprogammed playlists made by editors and other listeners and includes an innovative radio feature called Channels, some of which are offered up for free listening. Rhapsody is the only service that allows full track previews (up to 25 per month) prior to purchasing the songs. It can be accessed directly on the Web or downloaded as a jukebox (for Windows only) and offers a subscription plan as well.
