NSync Copy Protected CD

admiral2001 writes "This article from NewScientist.com details the most mass market venture into copy protected CDs. Namely, NSync's new CD will be released in a least 3 different versions (with different copy protection techniques). Also, one of the types has (small) labelling saying that the CD cannot be played on computers."

Whoa... I just noticed...

[cmowire]

"Both the UK and US versions will play on a Windows PC and both let a PC CD burner make a copy onto a blank CD."

"Copying using home CD recorders is variable, with the US CD giving a "no disk" message on some recorders."

So this is lovely! The US version is still rippable. Except on the "consumer" home CD recorders that pay the royalties to the RIAA anyways because the only thing they were usable for was copying other CDs.

This is even more fscked than at first glance. ;)
It's just the German version. German geeks: your mission is clear. Buy and return as many NSuck CD's as possible! ;)

Re:Part of bigger problem, not just N'sync CDs

[Quizme2000]

I was at Seybold for the DMCA debate, and one very strong positions about the new CDs was that if the consumer can't copy it, Many consumers may not buy it (yes I will argue the DVD exception, just not here). Two points though: (1) the other cp CDs have tanked, (2) yes even pop music fans know how and do copy CDs. If sales slip on a copy protected CD, are the record companies going to eat the loss or pull the the plug? Still too early to tell IMHO.

Re:trademark?

[Baconator]

That'd be Philips actually. They started the trademark process in 1980 but adandoned it in 1983. So I don't think that the compact disc logo is trademarked at all.

Here [uspto.gov] is the USPTO record.

'N Sync-Celebrity is Available.

[datian]

Yes, the thrice protected CD is out there on Gnutella. Twitching in agony, I downloaded it. Now all you 'N Sync fans can grab it when you want.

Re:What should be done...

[Anonymous Coward]

Uh, they've generally thought of that at most music stores, and will break the seal on the one they give you in exchange, for your opening convenience.

~~~

Canadians...?

[SubtleNuance]

In Canada, we collect a levy on CDR media, rigthly or wrongly this allows us the RIGHT as a citizen to make copies of any music CD for our own personal use.

I can take YOUR NSync CD and make a copy for myself (%insert_your_own_joke_here%).

See more about this here: http://neil.eton.ca/copylevy.shtml#copy_for_friend s [neil.eton.ca]

So, does this mean that this 'version' of the NSync CD wont be sold here in Canada? Or will I have to start buying and returning CDs and showing them that their product infringes my rights as a Canadian according to the Copyright Act...

This could be seriously fun...

Re:What should be done...

[Kris_J]

The more savvy stores/salescritters open the replacement in-store. Just keep returning it as defective, over and over and over...

Re:trademark?

[Jburkholder]

as discussed last time [slashdot.org], no one seems to be able to point to a clear-cut case of why this would be the case.

Panasonic licenses the technology needed to create cd-da, and will probably send lawyers after anyone who attempts to use their trademark without paying the required tribute.

But the claim that you must somehow meet the IEC 908 standard in order to legally use the trademark has not been backed up by any information I've seen presented thus far.

Analog doesn't suck. 128 kbps MP3 does.

[yerricde]

But that is not a digital copy, I can't listen to that analog crap, digital only! Only digital copies are good! Digital! Digital! DIGITAL!!!!

How is a full bitwise digital copy intrinsically better than one with an analog step in-between? Nothing matters but that you enjoy the music. The quality loss from encoding to 128 kbps MPEG layer 3 interferes more with the subjective experience than does the DAC on a good CD player or the ADC on a good sound card, especially ADCs that sit outside the noisy computer case environment and connect through SPDIF. (The analog step may be necessary in case your sound card recognizes SCMS.)

Re:copy analog

[Anonymous Coward]

The windows program is cdex, $13 on download.com, lets yuo rip a wav from the LINE IN on your sound card. You can then convert the wav to mp3 or rip straight to MP3. You have to play with the levels to get it right but WITH MP3 YOU CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE FROM A DIGITAL RIP. I rip tapes and LPs with this setup also. Go on winmx and download on "from tape" and listen for yourself. It's also good for ripping entire albums to a single mp3.

How to rip the audio files of the new copy protect

[Anonymous Coward]

Hey guys. Why doesn't anyone use COMMON SENSE? For christ sake. Everyone just talks about hacking the encryption blah blah. What a waste of time. What you do, is bring your CD Player over to your computer. Hook a cable from the cd player OUTPUT, to your soundcard's INPUT. Open sound recorder and record your wav's. Convert WAV to mp3 and there ya go. It's now on the net everywhere. Pretty tough huh? Wow... how much money was spend on this encryption? ROFL what a joke.