Next Restricted CD Coming Soon

jroysdon writes: "Music industry quietly unveiling copy-proof CDs - 'Gariano said the CD case would carry a copy protection sticker and an insert explaining the technology. Record stores will accept returns, even if the CD case is opened, if buyers are unhappy with it.' I say we specifically look for titles with this sticker, purchase them, give them a whirl in our PCs and see them not play, and return them. Vote with not just our money, but their overhead costs to handle all the returned merchandise and bad publicity when stores don't want CDs with those stickers." Read the article - there are some great quotes there.

For 2 days...

[Letter-D]

I laugh when I hear that something has copy protection. I give it a month before someone cracks it.

Nice 'piracy' comment

[CaptainSuperBoy]

From the article:

Midbar Tech's Noam Zur called copy-protection critics a fringe group that probably are pirates themselves. "Mainly those people have a large number of compilations on their PCs," Zur said.

Oh really Noam? At least you're not making any broad assumptions there. Say, did you know that music piracy actually STEALS billions of dollars from the industry each year?

Maybe he should call the EFF and hear what they have to say about it? After all they criticize copy protection.. therefore they must be a fringe group that supports piracy. I bet they have lots of "compilations" on their PCs, which we can safely assume are illegal (who would want to put songs on their computer if they already own the CD?)

What amuses me is how useless they'll find this to be. It only takes one person who can get a clean digital transfer, to populate file sharing networks with a song. They can't seriously think they'll prevent 100% of the copying. Of course they'll fight any attempts at interoperability (they call it piracy) with the DMCA.

Re:we're beta-testers

[Computer!]

Just crack the copy-protection (which many rippers already can do) by checking the "do not use CD error-correction" checkbox availible in some rippers/encoders. I can't remember whether it's to be checked or unchecked, you figure it out. Or, you could write a crack, and release it sans source. That way, it's protected by the DMCA. You can market it as a "sound quality enhancer" or some such. That way, the Industry must legally sit helplessly by as anyone with both brains and balls wrecks shop.

Exact tactics to use for returned CDs

[WillSeattle]

First, use a credit card. Keep the receipt and the packaging.

Second, take it home. Do not play it on a standard CD player. Play it on your home PC, your MP3/CD player, something likely to not work "flawlessly".

Third, since it failed to work there - take it back to the store. Insist on a full credit card reversal of charges, including sales tax. If they balk, deny the charges via Visa or Mastercard. Point out that you will do this. Ask to see the manager at the first sign of hesitation. Do not accept an in-store credit or partial refund.

Fourth, file a complaint with your State Attorney General for misleading business practices. Use the info from the insert slip that you copied down when you bought it. Each of these must be investigated as attempted consumer fraud. Which they are. You can't sell shoddy or imperfect goods as if they were standard goods, and unless the ADVERTISEMENT pointed that out in large letters, they have committed an implicit fraud on you the innocent buyer.

Fifth, file with the FTC under the same claim.

Sixth, sue them in small claims court for time and trouble, travel expense (36 cents per mile to and from), postage, and any other expenses.

Seventh, send an email to the execs of the record company who did this.

Eighth, send a postcard to the artist who had their music polluted. Point out you will never buy their music again, you are so offended.

Ninth, have a merry christmas!

-

Foreign copying is low tech anyway

[mugnyte]

If you've seen the movies and music that are hacked the "cheap way" overseas, you know that they're going to put up with a few DAC loops to get the music out. Copy protection takes a whole step downward once pushed through pipes like that (although its not impossible).

I WILL buy CDs from artists I like, but only buy downloading/ripping the ones I like and mailing a personal check to the band (via member,fan club/agent) for how much I think its worth.

Yes, I also pay for shareware. I can't code and sleep at night otherwise. Call me the fool, but I want the SOURCES of things I like to continue, even through the nutjob management decisions.

Right now, bands make the most money from you directly when you organize your friends to hit the club and pay the cover and then leave with discs and t-shirts.

mug
+/-
pickle me elmo

Re:not all stores will accept open returns

[Anonymous Coward]

please, please, please - don't fuck over the little guy. Please please please - if you do plan to do the "returnfest '01" do so at you local Blockbuster / Virgin / SamGoody / Big Record Store [tm]. Please don't screw over you local record shop. As a DJ and part owner of a small vinyl shop in las vegas - I beg you, please don't fuck over the little guy. There are fees involved in returned merchendise.

Come to think of it, if you go to the tower record that is just down the way from me and put them out of business with this little scheme, you're entitled to free records at my shop. Not really, but I'll hook you up ;)

Re:not all stores will accept open returns

[WillSeattle]

If you have a credit card, insist on speaking to the manager. Insist on a full credit reversal or you will deny the charge on your credit card.

Then, if they balk, report them to BBB, your state attorney general (misleading advertising), and the FTC.

-

4 Days Tops

[thumbtack]

I expect that it will take people no longer than four days tops. (probably much shorter) Point your browsers at CloneCd [clonecd.net] for the latest news on the workarounds. They also list a program called Cloney that detects copy protection , but its only availble in German. It checks for all the various CD Protection schemes. Now if I could only read the instructons.

Disks not copy protected

[Twiles]

Guys:

You can not copy protect a CD. What they have done is restricted the players that will PLAY the CD. A computer can not PLAY the cd but it certainly can COPY the CD. As long as CD writers are available that write in RAW mode, you will be able to copy any CD. As long is their is LINUX, CD writers will be manufactured with RAW write capability. Almost all CDR's manufactured today have this capability, and I am fairly shure that all CDR's that are 8.8.16 or older will. Here is the URL of a company that makes a nice piece of software that will copy these CD's.

http://www.elby.org/CloneCD/english/index.htm

This software does not break the incryption so there is no problem under the DMCA. It simply does a binary image of the CD in RAW MODE. Works basically the same way as GHOST works for imaging a hard drive.

TOM

Defeating SCMS

[Anonymous Coward]

"I was under the impression that there is a "copy bit" of some kind in the digital stream that prevents direct digital copying, am I mistaken ? do soundcards with digital inputs ignore it ?"

The copy bit ("serial copy management system," or SCMS) is embedded in the recording when you record via S/PDIF (coax or optical) to a standalone "consumer" machine. Once that bit is set, you cannot copy the recording if you go via S/PDIF to a "consumer" machine.

If you make the copy via AES/EBU digital-audio connection, the SCMS bit is ignored.

Most pro DAT machines have a switch or menu item which lets it disable SCMS when recording.

My M-Audio Delta-66 (six-channel sound card; four analog channels and two digital channels on S/PDIF) has a Control Panel checkbox which lets you enable or disable SCMS. Other pro soundcards (MOTU, Digidesign, Digital Audio Labs, etc.) have similar features. The Soundblaster Live! series do not (and they suck in general -- mainly because they sample-rate convert everything to/from 48kHz).

--a