Copy Protected Disc Problems?

[JBL Dog]

I just got a copy of Dire Straits: Making Movies (Remastered) from Amazon.
Its a great album and replaces a VERY worn vinyl copy. It plays fine in my HK changer on the big system - but it turns out that when I stick it in my Mac, it doesn't recognize the disc as a CD, so it can't play it or add it into iTunes. Its on the Vertigo/Mercury label.

FWIW - I don't share music online - its for my use at home or in my iPod ...

I have some other "CDs" that aren't recognized in the computer ... an old Chris Isaac CD, a couple Marianne Faithful releases.

I didn't buy a copy of the 30th Anniversary Edition of Springsteen's Burn To Run CD/DVD release because of the Sony copyright software rootkit issues ...

If its a copy protection issue, its frustrating and insulting that record companies are driving away legitimate purchasers of music, loyal fans and supporters of the music.

Anyone else have similar issues?

I purchased a stand-alone TASCAM burner a few years ago to transfer copyright protected discs to a format that can be read by my PC. Just take the digital out from a single-play cd player and hook it up to any stand alone burner and you're up and running. $200 (or so) investment and problem solved.

For those concerned, I don't do the flea market circuit. No flames please!

[JuniorJBL]

There are most certainly many ways to do it, and that is a good one!!

[hjames]

'Spose I should've posted an update on this a few weeks back, but I've been busy getting the yard and pond ready for spring ...

After some tests I found that it wasn't actually a problem with the disc, it seemed my Mac Superdrive (DVD/CD writer/reader) had failed!
Fortunately I have Applecare (extended warrantee) so after a bit of runaround with their customer support folks explaining that I am technically proficient and yes, I know its not normally a customer-servicable item, but I have a CATV engineering background and worked in a computer shop for a few years, they relented and shipped me a new optical drive. Once I got that installed, I was able to rip the songs from my discs just fine again. Problem solved, and no need for extreme hardware or shareware solutions!

Yes, I did all that shareware/freeware stuff when I had a Windows machine a few years ago, but if I have to dupe every CD I own when I buy it, its frankly not worth the grief. This way I can play the CDs directly downstairs with the big JBLs or put them on my iPod for roadtrips (like mixtapes), or even stream music playlists at my desk or through the house down to the main stereo via airtunes (like my own personal radio station).

Airtunes may not be quite the fidelity of playing discs directly, but when I'm in the kitchen cooking it beats running back and forth changing discs with food on my hands.

[Titanium Dome]

(snip)

Airtunes may not be quite the fidelity of playing discs directly, but when I'm in the kitchen cooking it beats running back and forth changing discs with food on my hands.

Airtunes does totally rock for its intended use. I just put my PowerBook on the kitchen counter while I prepare food, cook, do the dishes, or whatever, and it's like having a huge remote control right there. The best part is I don't need a line of sight.

If my GF says it's too loud (often) or can you change the music (less often), it's easy. I don't even need to leave the kitchen, let alone look for another CD, take the old one out, put the new one in, put the old one away, etc. I just scroll (or search) and click, and I'm done.

[Akira]

Nothing personal but you reap what you sow.

Rob

Right on! The record companies are the thieves. They have been stealing money from musicians and the public for years. What about those legendary Mowtown artists that created the sound and are poor to this day. That's why the Beatles and all those bands from that era purged them once they gained the clout to do so. How many vinyl albums were you forced to replace with CD's? Back in the late 80's Sony music bought the biggest names in music to force the public to once again dump CD's for the mini disc. George Michael sued them estimating 5 mil, loss of income because they would only issue his product on mini disc. AND THE BIGGEST CRIME OF ALL... the 21 cent surtax on all blank discs that goes directly into the pockets of the record companies. Do you know how that started? Years ago when you used to play vinyl, these same jerks said you were not allowed to copy your own material onto cassette to play in your car. They wanted you to buy the product twice! So the superior court reached a compromise that added the 21 cent surcharge to cassettes and now to blank discs even if you only use them for computer purposes...talk about double dipping.
AND: You want to blame the poor quality of Mp3's and music in general...look no further than those same band of thieves! Once upon a time they used scout and sign bands, record and groom them. They lost money on 90% of the contracts but, made a killing on the 10%. Then they decided new blood could be obtained cheaply if they were approached by artists who produced their own music, reducing their role to merely distribution companies. So what if the product was a little worse. WE HAVE ALL SUFFERED....YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
p.s. having been in the music business for 20 plus years I can tell you about the money scam that happens when a band signs that million dollar contract, but that would take up the space of a book. The short version: You never see a cent because they make sure you can never repay your bill. The artist gets the publishing. The record companies own the CD sales.

[Akira]

forgot one thing. The easiest way to copy audio (if you have the means) is to go SPDIF out onto your computer.

btw: While down loading in Canada is legal (for personal use) I would gladly pay money for quality. My daughter paid for a download from itunes. You are allowed only 5 transfers. (ie: computer to ipod) BUT, you can not burn a disc even when you paid for it! So it can't be played on the home stereo or in the car. If she updates her ipod, that counts as a transfer. The lesson she has learned? ....Doesn't pay to play by the rules.

[Titanium Dome]

forgot one thing. The easiest way to copy audio (if you have the means) is to go SPIF out onto your computer.

btw: While down loading in Canada is legal (for personal use) I would gladly pay money for quality. My daughter paid for a download from itunes. You are allowed only 5 transfers. (ie: computer to ipod) BUT, you can not burn a disc even when you paid for it! So it can't be played on the home stereo or in the car. The lesson she has learned? ....Doesn't pay to play by the rules.

Really? Are the rules different in Canada? I can burn it all day long to CDs as long as I don't burn the exact playlist in the same order more than seven times. I've never had a problem burning any purchased song to CD.

Don't you guys have to pay a tax on blank media to cover this?

[Akira]

perhaps you are right? I am taking the word of a very upset little girl. I never bothered to check it out myself as I can copy anything I want using standard SPDIF pro gear.

[Earl K]

Don't you guys have to pay a tax on blank media to cover this?

I believe the answer is yes. There's a "hidden tax" built into the price of the media .
Those monies are supposed to be distributed back to the entertainment industry at large .

[JuniorJBL]

Those monies are supposed to be distributed back to the entertainment industry at large .

Large indeed

[duaneage]

When CDs took off they went from making 67 million records a year to 2.3 million a year later (I think it was 87/88) and then tapered it off even more. This really pushed people into getting CD players. The end of the 8 track was even quicker. What followed were obscene profits on the Cds for the next 10 years until the internet and mp3 format arrived.

I must have missed the part where they are legally guaranteed profits which are greater year after year no matter how God-awful the product is. All industries face new challanges and threats to their supremecy, but the entertainment industry feels they can hide behind outdated copyright laws, bought politicians, and civil litigation against their customers. Can you honestly say the music scene today is as good as or better than it was 20-30 years ago? Technology has replaced talent making it too easy to turn out a product. Maybe it is all overvalued to the point where if it was not downloaded it would be largely ignored.

I spent enough money on music the past 20 years, I'll enjoy what I have and listen to the radio for background noise.

[Titanium Dome]

I haven't purchased a CD in a couple of years unless I downloaded it first and determined I really wanted/needed the slightly higher resolution OR if I heard it somewhere else and had to get it, like with Neil Young's Prairie Wind.

A few years back, I'd buy four or five CDs a month at least, sometimes more. In retrospect, I could have done without most of them, and with many the sound quality was not that great. Now I can download a few tracks @ 99 cents, and if I don't like it, I'm done. If I do like it, then I'll go for the CD at the best price I can get.

So, five CDs at an average of $16 equals $80.

Three downloaded tracks each from five "albums" equals $15, plus let's say I actually like and buy one of the albums on CD @ $16 equals $31.

Who's smiling now? Not the record companies.

[morbo!]

Thanks to sharing I hear music that i would otherwise not have heard .
The quality isnt as good as the original
So im lightly too buy the original if i like it that is.
Im defanitly sending peter pringle a few $bux$ too hear him in full resolution

How many records did i buy cause i liked a song and the rest of the album was complete crap

I think sony got sued here a bit back for the protection thing
had to refund or replace the money of any1 who had a copy protected cd(or somthing like that)

[hjames]

I haven't purchased a CD in a couple of years unless I downloaded it first and determined I really wanted/needed the slightly higher resolution OR if I heard it somewhere else and had to get it, like with Neil Young's Prairie Wind.

A few years back, I'd buy four or five CDs a month at least, sometimes more. In retrospect, I could have done without most of them, and with many the sound quality was not that great. Now I can download a few tracks @ 99 cents, and if I don't like it, I'm done. If I do like it, then I'll go for the CD at the best price I can get.

So, five CDs at an average of $16 equals $80.

Three downloaded tracks each from five "albums" equals $15, plus let's say I actually like and buy one of the albums on CD @ $16 equals $31.

Who's smiling now? Not the record companies.

The only thing I bought new out of the box lately was the new CD from Paul Simon: Surprise - I heard 3-4 songs on NPRadio before it was released, AND Amazon had a preorder price of $10. Otherwise, I usually buy used CDs.
Used discs usually play fine and cost $3-7 each - with very few exceptions.
Well - I'm waiting on Bob Wills: the Tiffany Transcriptions Vol 1 ($9), Too Much Fun: Best of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen ($7), and Monk's Brilliant Corners (I think that one cost me $8 - so the order of 3 Cds with shipping was around $30) .
Its VERY rare that I'd pay $16-20 for a single disc album ... unless it was a birthday gift for a close friend or something.