What is a .OMA file?
The .OMA file extension is used for a type of music file known as a Sony OpenMG Music File. This kind of music file uses a special way of organizing and compressing the music called ATRAC, which stands for Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding. This is a method developed by Sony to make the music files smaller without losing much quality, so they can be stored and played on various devices.
However, there's something unique about these .OMA files. They often come with DRM, which stands for Digital Rights Management, copy protection. This means that the file has a special code to prevent it from being played on any devices or computers that are not authorized. This was done to control copying and sharing of the music to protect copyright.
To open and play .OMA files, you can use several programs. One popular option is the VideoLAN VLC media player, which is available for free and can handle a wide range of music and video files, including .OMA files. Another option is File Viewer Plus, which you can get from the Microsoft store. It's designed to open various file types, including .OMA files.
Originally, Sony had a program called SonicStage that was specifically designed to manage and play these files, but it has been discontinued, meaning it's no longer supported or updated by Sony. For Mac users, the Macgo Mac Media Player is another alternative that can open .OMA files.
It's important to note that .OMA files were primarily used in conjunction with the Sony CONNECT Music Store, a service for buying and downloading music that Sony discontinued in March 2008. Since the store is no longer active, these files are not as common as they once were, but they can still be found in some music collections.
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