Inserting WMA file to a slide show

Question

I am new to PSE 4.0. I have been trying to import a .wma file into a slide show with no luck. The file is one I purchased online and downloaded, so I don't know if it could be a license issue. I have loaded it into the organizer, I cannot listen to it in the organizer, nor when I try to insert it into the slideshow does it ever show up. I have tried to convert to a mp3 file but I can't do that either. Any help would be great. Thanks.

Answer 1

Michele,<br />This is what MSN sent to me as i was having the same problem.  It's a bit tedious, but it works:<br /><br />please be informed that songs from MSN Music Downloads are license protected. This means that you cannot simply copy or transfer it to any program or device because the license will not go through with it. Since Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 does not support protected .wma files, I recommend that you burn the music to a CD and then convert the files to supported format such as MP3 by ripping them in that format using Windows Media Player.<br /><br />From CD Audio format, you may need to rip it back to your Windows Media Player 10 in .mp3 file format. Once you have successfully ripped it back to your WMP, you may use that copy to insert or copy to another device because it will no longer require any license. Please note that our usage policy restricts you from making copies of music other than for personal use.<br /><br />To burn music:<br /><br />1. In Windows Media Player:<br />       <br />a. Click âLibraryâ<br />b. In the âListâ pane (right pane), click <List Name> âListâ, and then âBurn Listâ. <br />           <br />NOTE: If you need to clear the list before beginning, click âBurn Listâ, and then âClear Listâ. <br />       <br />2. Drag a folder from the âContentsâ pane or songs from the âDetailsâ pane to the âListâ pane to create a list of songs to burn.    <br />3. In the burn list, drag songs up or down to arrange them in the order you want them to appear on the CD.    <br />4. Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc in the CD drive.    <br />5. In the âListâ pane, verify that the songs you have selected to burn will all fit on the disc. If necessary, remove songs from the list by right-clicking a song and then clicking âRemove from Listâ. <br />   <br />NOTE: It is possible that a song will not fit even if the total time exactly matches the CD length, because the Player inserts two seconds between songs when burning.<br />   <br />6. Click the 'Start Burn' arrow and verify that Audio CD is selected.    <br />7. Click 'Start Burn'. As the CD is burned, you can check its progress in the burn list. Burning a CD will take some time.<br />   <br />NOTES: It is recommended that you do not try to perform any other actions while burning a CD. For example, playback may be affected if you try to play a music CD while burning a CD.<br />   <br />You cannot burn additional files to a CD after burning is completed. If you are using a CD-RW, you can erase the entire CD before using the Player to burn files to the CD again.<br /><br />To Rip Music:<br /><br />The term 'rip' means to copy music from a CD. When you rip a CD, you can either copy the entire CD or just selected tracks, and these are created as files on your computer. Ripping a CD doesn't damage the CD. In fact, ripping helps preserve your CDs, because after they've been ripped, you can store them in a safe location.<br /><br />Once you have ripped a CD, you no longer need to use the CD when you listen to that music on your computer. Simply start the Player, find the music in your library, and play it. You can also mix that music with other music in a playlist to extend your listening possibilities.<br /><br />A. Configure WMP settings.<br /><br />1. Launch Windows Media Player (Click 'Start' then 'Run'. In the 'Open' field, type: wmplayer.exe).<br />2. Press 'Alt', 'T' and the letter 'O' keys simultaneously to load the media player Tools Options.<br />3. Go to 'Rip Music' tab.<br />4. Choose any of the following at the 'Format' drop down (under 'Rip settings'). You can also adjust rip quality by dragging the 'Audio quality' slider. <br /> <br />- Windows Media Audio (variable bit rate), which can reduce the file size but may take longer to rip. <br />- Windows Media Audio Lossless, which provides the best audio quality but increases the file size. <br />- MP3 format, new in Windows Media Player 10, which provides more flexibility when choosing a format.<br /><br />5. Click 'OK' when finished.<br /><br />B. Rip music<br /><br />1. Start Windows Media Player.<br />2. Insert an audio CD into the CD drive, and then click 'Rip'. <br />3. All songs are selected to be ripped if you have not previously ripped them. <br />4. If there are any songs that you do not want to rip, clear the check box next to each. You can use the check box at the top of the list to select or clear all check boxes.<br />5. Click 'Rip Music'.    <br />6. The first time you rip music, you are prompted to choose the format for the files being created. Click one of the following options:<br /><br />a. Keep my current format settings. <br /><br />Note: This option keeps your current file format and audio quality level settings and immediately starts ripping the songs you selected to your computer. By default, the Player uses the Windows Media Audio format, which optimizes the balance between file size and sound quality.<br /><br />b. Change my current format settings. <br /><br />Note: Select this option if you want to change the format, bit rate, storage folder, or other options. <br /><br />7. After you click an option, click âOKâ. (To change the format or audio quality settings later, on the âToolsâ menu, click âOptionsâ, and then click the âRip Musicâ tab.)<br />8. After the songs have been ripped, you can find and play them in your library.