SoundExchange Backs Off DRM for Webcasters

Radio Free Europe writes "The big news is not that SoundExchange has repackaged the same royalty proposal that small webcasters rejected in May, but that SoundExchange has dropped its previous insistence that DRM be a part of any agreement. 'On the bright side, it doesn't appear as if DRM is part of the terms this time around. Previously, SoundExchange stated that webcasters who agree to the deal must actively "work to stop users from engaging in 'streamripping'." This began a war of words between the Digital Media Association (DiMA) and SoundExchange, with DiMA accusing SoundExchange of using rate negotiations to push mandatory DRM. SoundExchange's letter leaves the much-maligned streamripping issue out of the discussion, clearing at least that hurdle.'"

Re:Streamripping?

[bmo]

"Recording off the radio onto tape produces a lower fidelity analog copy and subsequent generations of copying of that copy introduces more noise at each generation."

You just time traveled from what decade?

FM Radio cards:

http://www.cel-soft.com/RadioCard.htm [cel-soft.com]

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTool s/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2905632&CatId=1425 [tigerdirect.com]

USB radio:

http://www.engadget.com/2004/07/13/usb-radio-dongl e/ [engadget.com]

http://www.redferret.net/?p=7760 [redferret.net]

So how is saving a stream off the net any different than recording from one of these?

--
BMO