[pat_undrm]

I just spent the week trying to find out the best method in terms of quality for removing DRM protection from Windows Media Video files .WMV, ranging from 640x480 to 1280x720, all file having working DRM licences. Winner by far is TUNEBITE, worth the 30$.

Here are the details :

Method 1 : Freeware FairUse4Wm, drmdbg or unDRM v2.0 (= automated drmdbg)
None worked. All require the file IndivBox.key revision to be ≤ 10.00.00.3646 but even when doing the "Individualization" trick on an XP SP2 machine the version is 11.0.6001.8015. Probably the best method in 2006-2007 but a waist of time now.

Method 2 : Re-record (aka Loophole) with the 3 main softwares, all very easy to use

2.1. AimerSof / DaniusSoft DRM Media Converter V1.5.5 : Lot of marketing accross the web but very bad picture quality even at 640x480, pb with some aspect ratios, frame fluidity ok.

2.2. SoundTaxi V4.4.6 : Very good picture quality but a lot of frame jumps even at 856x480.

2.3. Audials Tunebite Platinum 10 : Perfect quality at all resolutions = as original, no frame jumps at 856x480, some at 1280x720 limited by PC performance only.

Method 3 : Burn & Rip
I tried manually to burn the video file on a CR-RW with WinX DVD Author but the software could not read the file properly and crashed when I launched burning. Then I tried Notburner M4V but it only works for iTune video files ... as it name suggets, not WMV or other formats.