Still More 'Copy Protected' CDs

maniac11 writes: "This story describes new CDs planned on being released by Universal Music Group that sport anti-copying technology. Not much in the way of actual details, but a heads up on a new plan to foil." Same price, worse product -- higher sales! Universal seems to be the first company to commit to downgrading its entire lineup over the next six months or so.

Comments

Not CDs?

[crushinator]

Isn't it true that the little "Compact disc" logo which appears on every jewel case of every CD is licensed from Phillips, and that it indicates an adherence to some sort of standard, as set out by the patent held by Phillips? And isn't it also true that if a CD doesn't adhere to that standard, it presumably can't be licensed, and so it can't be assigned the logo, and can't precisely be called a "compact disc."

So does this mean that the new, crippled CDs will still be sold under the name "CD"? Wouldn't Phillips want to protect their patented technology's name from being misapplied to products which don't adhere to the standards which they established? And, on the flipside, if these new things aren't CDs, then do the companies pressing the new, flawed discs still have to pay licensing to Phillips? Could it be that there's an additional financial incentive to switching over - a marginal savings in cost in avoiding those fees?

Maybe I'm just paranoid, or misinformed... but I can see how this would read as win-win to record companies: Cheaper bulk disc fabrication, and the elimination of all that pesky fair use!

Okay, we need to organize something.

[Wakko Warner]

Someone set up a domain. "CopyproofCDs.org" or something. Make a list of every copy-proof CD out there.

Then we need to get people to sign up and deliberately go out and buy them.

Here's the fun part.

Once you've bought them and opened them up, return them.

Do this ad nauseum. On your way home from work or school, on the way to the store, or when you're at the mall. Just return a copy. They'll have to throw it out. Ask for another copy of the same album. Bring in a laptop to prove to them that it doesn't play in your computer. What can they do? They HAVE to give you your money back or give you a new copy of the damned CD.

Now, if we get THOUSANDS of people doing this -- and we can, this is slashdot we're talking about -- record companies will soon realize that there's NO money to be made in copy-proof CDs.

Good idea?

Sony _is_ 'protecting' Michael Jackson's CD's

[Mynn]

Sony _is_ 'protecting' Michael Jackson's CD's Sorry slash, I sent it to you first, you didn't want it so I picked it back up.

CD Logo

[HaeMaker]

The Compact Disc logo is owned by Phillips.

http://www.licensing.philips.com/cdsystems/cdlog os .html

The right to use the logo is as follows:

"This logo may be used on discs complying with the CD-DA specification: IEC 60908 and/or the Phillips-Sony Compact Disc Digital Audio System Description (also known as the RED Book)"

Players have similar restrictions. So if the disc dosen't play on your "Compact Disc" labeled device and it is labeled "Compact Disc" one of them is lying, or the spec is too loose.

Re:Label clearly, or get sued for misrepresentatio

[huh_]

Philips does, and according to the rules stated in the rule book on their web site:
This logo may only be used on discs complying with the CD-DA specification: IEC 60908 and/or the Philips-Sony Compact Disc Digital Audio System Description (also known as the RED Book)

Protecting audio CD : what for?

[chrysalis]

I still can't understand why people are trying to create complex protections to avoid copying CDs.

Support that finally an "unbreakable" method has been found. So what does prevent anyone from plugging the line output of his cd player into a DAT recorder, a minidisc, a sound card, etc? Once this is copied, you can duplicate it at will. So what's the point here?

As far as you can *hear* the sound, you can record it. The only way to avoid that would be to encrypt CDs and to put secret decryption chips into speakers. But this will never happen. It'd mean that effect racks, mixing consoles, etc. wouldn't work any more.

Its not file sharing that's killing music...

[maddman75]

Its the crappy prepackaged, overproduced garbage that is killing music. MTV, Clearchannel, the big chain stores choking out innovative new music, just rehashing the same crap over and over again. Not Gnutella, Limewire, or KaZaA

I personally can't wait to get a CD that won't play in my CD player at home. That would be my computer. I'll return it for being defective. That should be a fun arguement :)