CD Copy Protection

Yes, we've mentioned this before...

However, today I very nearly bought two CDs, but immediately put them back on the shelf and walked away when I saw that they were copy protected.

Not that I don't want the CDs. Not that I want to make 10000 copies for all my friends.

Simply that I won't spend the money on the CDs when they do not play properly. Maybe they do play fine with some players. But far from all, and they do NOT work with my transport/DAC combo.

At what point will the record companies realise that they're shooting themselves in the foot with these stupid systems? By turning away those of us who are happy to pay a reasonable amount for a CD, what are they hoping to achieve?

If the record companies will sell me a version of the disc that plays correctly, I'll buy it. Until then, I know where I must turn...

 

Yep, its a disgrace. The only way they'll learn is to vote with your wallet - put it away when you see it. Problem is, they probably wont learn

 

The thing is, the vast majority of punters will keep buying them regardless so a few of us "voting with our wallets" is going to make precious little difference.

The irony is that the systems don't actually work. So it's all for nothing and all it has done is piss off legitimate punters who can't play the CDs.

I don't use Kazaa (Lite) much and I've very rarely downloaded illegally ripped music off the net but I'm quite tempted to host quality rips of all the copy protected CDs I own just to poke a stick in their eye :inferno:

Just for the record, I'm not in favour of getting music without paying for it - it's theft, pure and simple but these ill thought out "blunt instruments" to try and stop it are even worse.

Michael.

 

I don't like piracy either and I find the copy protection systems are just punishing the innocent. I have yet to buy a CD that dosn't play on my machine but I am probably just lucky and also I don't buy that many new CDs with the protection on it anyway.

I hope that solid state technology takes off where you can download good quality and legal music of the net, it should of course be cheaper than on CD. I know you can download good quality music at the moment but its still in its early days. It will probably be another 10 years before we start to see much less CDs in the shops.

 

And taking my money for something that does not do what it is meant to isn't theft?

What goes around, comes around.

 

you'd probably have more joy writing to the artists agent, and explain why you didnt buy the album rather than making a silent protest.... (IMO)

 

I tried phoning the record company earlier. They said to call back monday...

 

Well...

Now I have just sorted things in a way...

Yes, I've made a copy that doesn't have protection, so that it actually plays in my CD player. It doesn't have any of the additional gubbins, none of the low bit-rate computer audio files. In all respects, a proper CD.

The CD that I've just done this to is one of the latest copy protection schemes, as it was only released at the end of september.

This proves a few things.

1) That the copy protection does not work.
2) It was the copy protection that upset the superDAC.
3) That the record companies are trying something futile. The disc can be copied perfectly easily, yet its compatibility is distinctly limited for no benefit.

 

I always used to think it was radio DJs who knew the least about music. Nowadays, I think it must be record industry managers [except Dev, of course!]

cheers,

Graham C

 

Copy protection: The music industry has to look like it is trying, they must know that the copy protection that is installed does not work. When i have bought so called cd's in the past only to realise that i haven't purchased a cd, i have taken it back for a refund. I have always got a refund. Does this mean that the shops are told that if this happens just to give the 'punter' there money back???
GAZZ

 

Copy protection has been known to degrade the quality.

Elektropacs and Maplins sell a gizzmo that is claimed to remove them. Both CDs and DVDs.

I haven't tried it though!

 

the thing is theres arnt what you cal CD's as such they are a hybrib disk for music with copy protection.

now CD players are design to play CD's not somthing else so what do you expect.

the worst thing is most of the cd's i buy are fromt eh internet and you have no idea what they are and i cant be arsed with spending more money to try and send it back if it doesnt work.

although i have found that some albums from say america or japan dont have the same copy protection allowing you the buy the cd withought a problem.

 

Not only that - Depending on the copy protection mechanism it can reduce the lifespan of a disc. For copy protection mechanisms that screw with the TOC then this is not a big problem but for mechanisms that deliberately introduce errors into the data stream then it can be a big problem.

Consider this - if a disc already has errors on it then introducing other errors by way of scratches (which, even if your anal about you discs, is going to happen eventually) will increase the possibility that the error correction will fail. So the discs are more likely to start skipping or muting over time than "proper" CD's

 

I think tones (not Wm) is the man to ask last time ther was a cd copy protection thread he seemed to hve the most knowledge.

 

how can you tell if it is a proper redbook or not?

Just got the new fleetwood mac disc, but hasnt got the cd mark anywhere