Another reason why copy-protected CDs suck
Published April 04, 2003
Having trouble playing those copy-protected discs of yours? You're not the only one:
Music companies which use copy protection may be denying the artists under contract to them legitimate play time on radio stations, if the happenings at one outfit are any indication.
This radio station, which recently received its regular bag of freebies from EMI, finds that it is unable to play any of the CDs it received - the copy protection on the discs gets in the way. [...]
The station in question has no standalone CD players, just desktop PCs (all running Windows 2000) and a couple of old Denon CD Cart players.
"The CD tries to install some files to allow the PC to play the CD but my boss won't authorise the installation of these files because he has no technical info on the software," wrote the gentleman who let us know about this.
"And if we can't transfer the CD tracks to our digital playout system the CD ain't going to get any airplay at all!"
Incidentally, there are exactly four CDs listed on Amazon at the moment which admit to being copy-protected.
- Another reason why copy-protected CDs suck
- Published: April 04, 2003
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- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: News
- Writer: James Russell
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I'm absolutely annoyed with the way KoRn have chosen to make a deal with EMI and place protection on their CD. It makes it near impossible to copy the tracks to a more functional medium and makes playing it almost just as difficult. I have attempted to play their music in Windows Media Player as they have advised and even still there are issues. This doesn't make an incentive to keep buying music and supporting the artists. If they're going to make access to their CDs this difficult, I would prefer to not pay for the music and download it instead.
Stealing suddenly becomes more enticing.
It is their own fault if they lose money and fans because of said systems.
I am really annoyed at KoRn and EMI for what they've done to this CD. I paid for it. It's mine. I'M NOT STEALING IT. I just want to listen to the f$#%ing thing on my MP3 player, but no....
This makes me WANT to start stealing music after decades of being a loyal CD buyer.
I'm going to do everything in my power to rip this CD and then return it to the store for a refund.
Okay, you're going to think this is crazy, but If you can afford to try, try this. the anti copy instructions are contained in a line near the very outer edge of the CD.
A freind swears by this. get a black sharpie marker and carefully do a line covering the outer 18th of an inch of the underside of the cd, then try again. If it doesn't work, take a little rubbing alcohol and carefully remove it again.
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Out of curiosity, what CDs are those on Amazon? I was under the impression that domestics CDs were not allowed to have any kind of protection scheme on them because we do have the right to have an additional self-made copy on the media of our choice.
But I am very glad to see that the copy-protected discs are already causing problems. I pay for my music, I listen to it in my computer and in my car's CD player (two places that copy-protection prevents these discs from playing) and don't own a home stereo. If copy-protection enters the market and I find I am unable to play music wherever I want to, I will simply stop buying. How this punishes those that steal mp3s, I don't know, but it sure as hell does punish those of us who happily (and regularly) pay for their music.
If the music industry wants to kill itself off, this might be a very effective way to do so.