Google Play mp3's won't play outside of app

[benxman7]

After successfully rooting my phone (HTC opcv1) and downloading several songs through Google Play Music, I have found the downloaded files in the .../Android/data/com.google.android.music/files/music folder. I figured downloading them via phone then transferring them to my PC would work as I don't have home internet and my phone is my only source of data. I prefer to listen to anything on my PC as I have 7.1 USB headphones.

Problem is, the Mp3 refuses to play on any PC Desktop program (WMP, VLC, WinAmp, etc...). It acts as though it contains no info by refusing to play (VLC and WinAmp doesn't show an error but is basically blank, WMP comes up with an error).

I noticed under the details in properties, the duration, bit rate, and others are reading as zero BESIDES the file size.

Is there a fix or a workaround to get these files playing on my PC?

Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Moved this thread from Android Apps to the General Help forum, since the former is intended more for developers to promote their apps.

Downloading music directly to the phone using the Google Play Music app has always been for offline use on the phone only. I suspect this is one of Google's soft methods of trying to discourage music piracy, since it makes it harder to download a song and then simply copy it to someone else's device. The only legitimate way to download a playable mp3 file that I'm aware of is to go to your Google Play Music library website on your desktop browser and download it there. Can you tether your computer to your phone's mobile internet?

 

[benxman7]

Sorry for the category problem. Thanks for moving it.

Ah piracy. Makes sense. Also explains the needing to root before access to the file and how the file isn't even labeled correctly.

Unfortunately, with my service tethering isn't an option either.

I had the alternate idea of opening the file in Google Music via desktop similarly to your suggestion, but chrome doesn't allow Music to be opened without an internet connection.

Haven't tried it yet but I was curious if using a converter to convert it to wmv or other would fix it.

 

[benxman7]

(bump reply after 24 hours)

One other thing, I've noticed other people have taken this similar approach (which is where I found out the possibility of grabbing the files in the first place, BUT I haven't been able to find one forum post with this particular problem.

So has anyone else who has gotten these files ran into the same problem? I figure that would answer whether or not it's on my end or everyone in general.