JHymn

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JHymn (Java Hear Your Music aNywhere) is computer software which provides a graphical user interface for the hymn program. JHymn is written in Java. It extends hymn with additional functionality including the ability to add, delete, and update MPEG-4 atoms in file types of M4A, M4B, M4P, and MP4. The program and its source code are available under the GNU General Public License. JHymn was coded by an anonymous coder who goes by the nickname FutureProof in the hymn forums.

A common use of JHymn is to remove FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) restrictions from files purchased at Apple's iTunes Store.

Most DRM removal programs rely on re-compressing the media that is captured after it is output by iTunes. This causes some loss in quality. However, JHymn can remove DRM with no reduction in sound quality, since it captures the raw AAC stream generated by iTunes as it opens each song, and saves this data using a compression structure identical to that of the original file, preserving both the quality and the small file size. The resultant files can then be played outside of the iTunes environment, including operating systems not supported by iTunes. It works (with a plugged-in iPod) on Mac OS X, on many Unix variants, and also on Windows (with or without an iPod).

JHymn and hymn will only function with iTunes clients previous to version 6.0. However, purchasing music with these older versions is no longer supported by Apple. The hymn project is currently still working on a fix so that their software will work with iTunes clients 6.0 and later. The Hymn website has announced that, because users can no longer purchase music using iTunes 5 or older, removal of iTunes DRM for now is best accomplished with the use of MyFairTunes6 or QTFairUse6. These programs currently work with the latest version of iTunes (7.0.2 as of January 2007).

Besides the Hymn project, there are other two methods to bypass DRM. The first method is to burn a copy to an audio CD and then rip/encode it. NoteBurner m4p_converter uses this Virtual CD-RW drive method. The second method is to use a recording software and sound card.