Last month a copy protected CD took the number one position in the U.S. music sales chart. Because of this some analysts now believe that customers are warming up to the idea of copy protected CDs. Right now these copy protected CDs are not iPod compatible. Eventually this iPod problem will be taken care of. As the two main companies for copy protection are working hard to find a solution. Until that time it looks like iPod owners will be out of luck.

When a copy-protected CD hit No. 1 on the U.S. music sales charts last month, it marked a breakthrough for the antipiracy technology in all but one sense: The music still wouldn't play on Apple's iPod.

Now the two companies responsible for most copy-protected CDs are scrambling to create new versions of their technologies that are compatible with Apple's popular digital music player. In the process, they're both making substantial changes in the way CDs are digitally locked, changes that could ultimately be a setback to recent Microsoft strides into the music business.

"If you look at the 500 or 600 customer service comments we've gotten, you see that 80 percent of them have to do with iPod compatibility," said SunnComm International Chief Executive Officer Peter Jacobs, whose technology was loaded on last month's chart-topping Velvet Revolver disc. "The rest are, 'Why can't I do what I want with my music.' And a lot of those are really iPod questions too." The effort on the part of record labels to protect music CDs against unauthorized copying and "ripping" has been in limbo for several years while the companies that make the technology have been trying to work out bugs that sometimes prevent discs from being played. But new discs are now finding their way into United States markets in growing numbers.

News source: ZDNet





There are 20 additional comments
Advertisement
(6 replies) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #1 Posted by tool hippy on 12 Jul 2004 - 15:07

Mail

Agenda

Planner
QUOTE
Because of this some analysts now believe that customers are warming up to the idea of copy protected CDs.


I don't think so. The only reason people are still willing to buy those "protected" CDs is because the CD isn't labeled very well (some people may not notice it) or that the copy protection is so lame (hold down the Shift button to bypass it).
Quote this comment #1.1 Posted by bozthepcnerd on 12 Jul 2004 - 15:09
QUOTE
(hold down the Shift button to bypass it).


lol. But there's always a way around copy protection, be it a codec or a small free program to rip the cd's
Quote this comment #1.2 Posted by threedaysdwn on 12 Jul 2004 - 15:09
Yeah I thought this was a joke at first...

And what's with the headline? I don't get that at all.
Quote this comment #1.3 Posted by pottypigeon on 12 Jul 2004 - 15:27
It's just me or...

I usually purchase copy-protected CDs because... I don't know why but it's like that! Eventually my favourite genre is made up by "greedy" artists (or should I say "greedy record labels".

Anyway... I own either a PC and a Mac (Powerbook); when I try to listen to the protected CD on my PC, the copy-protection "thing" shows up in all its beauty, with custom-built media players burned onto a separate CD session that jump all over the place and let me listen to the CD only in that fashion. Try to rip my legally prchased (protected!) music and whatever software I try, makes the CD spin endlessly without any good result (or an error sooner or later).
If I use my Powerbook with iTunes, I rip EVERYTHING, even if specified as Mac-incompatible on the label...

So... is it just me or...?
Quote this comment #1.4 Posted by jasondefaoite on 12 Jul 2004 - 16:15
nah it ain't just you. iTunes for windows also does the same thing
Quote this comment #1.5 Posted by threedaysdwn on 13 Jul 2004 - 04:40
You can rip everything in Windows just as easily...

All you have to do is turn off AutoPlay for CDs. Or, hold down the shift key when you insert the disc and for about 15 seconds after. Holding down shift tells windows not to autoplay the disc you've just inserted, thus not loading their ridiculously stupid "copy protection" scheme.
Quote this comment #1.6 Posted by saralk on 13 Jul 2004 - 18:35
on that note, when ripping my dido album, despite the back of the cd saying copy protected blah blah blah... all that happened was a little dailogue popped up saying
"you need to install some software to play this cd
[OK] [Cancel]"

I clicked cancel, and the cd ripped fine.
No shift holding, no auto-play stopping.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #2 Posted by HeAtWaVe on 12 Jul 2004 - 15:37
oh man velvet revolver has the weakest copy protection.....
Quote this comment #2.1 Posted by rogerroger on 13 Jul 2004 - 06:32
You are sure right about that! Here today, gone tomorrow.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #3 Posted by mihir on 12 Jul 2004 - 15:45
i have not yet come across such a CD.
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #4 Posted by imtoomuch on 12 Jul 2004 - 16:18
Yet another reason not to buy CDs.
Quote this comment #4.1 Posted by chacho on 12 Jul 2004 - 22:41
agreed
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #5 Posted by Bling3k12 on 12 Jul 2004 - 17:11
I looked at the Velvet Revolver CD at the store to see if I could see any indication of Copy Protection... and I didn't find any, or at least if I did, it was in the VERY tiny print where they usually put copyright information.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #6 Posted by enigma429ad on 12 Jul 2004 - 17:25
i think the protection was difficult to crack, like a month ago
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #7 Posted by Domino76 on 12 Jul 2004 - 17:49
Are there two versions of the CD? If not, then the whole thing about customers accepting it is a crock. People aren't accepting it, it's just the only way they can legally get the music.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #8 Posted by JonathanSmith68 on 12 Jul 2004 - 18:04
Does it say if it's copy protected on the cd case? I've never seen anything like that... maybe its because I live in Iowa.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #9 Posted by MipScript on 12 Jul 2004 - 21:24
If you want to rip your legally purchased CD's to your computer just rip them like normal but make sure the Autorun is not activated on Windows. (this is not even a problem for macintosh users though)

Really this protection thing is the most stupidest thing int he world it dont even work.
Quote this comment Reply to this comment #10 Posted by Xantos on 12 Jul 2004 - 22:07
Um... how come i have contraband on my ipod then if it locks ipod's out? riaa just needs to get with the times d00d! don't forget its all about the "shift" button
(1 reply) Quote this comment Reply to this comment #11 Posted by matric on 12 Jul 2004 - 22:37
Oh man, it doesn't support the iPod - the world will end!
Gah, I am sick of hearing about that white little pain in the ass.
Quote this comment #11.1 Posted by plasticparadox on 13 Jul 2004 - 02:33
Jealous.
[1]

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.


Scroll to the Top
....
My Preferences
....
Communicating with server
Loading
Please Wait...
....
Loading
 X 
....