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Digital Rights Management on CD's This Christmas?
McDrewbie asks: "Has anyone discovered that the new CD's found under the tree or in their stocking don't play on their brand new CD player? My father got a Brookstone Wafer-thin CD system and several new CD's. Most play fine, however several ones from Sony (with CDextra software on them) and from Columbia, either don't play or play with some crackling and popping, yet play fine on our older CD player. Did these companies decide to quietly unleash DRM on the public this holiday season? Or is this just a problem with the new player (separate from it not being DRM capable)? What are other Slashdot readers experiencing today?"
Anyone care to offer some insight as to which cd titles are doing this? ... so I can save the trouble of buying them and skip right ahead to downloading the mp3's :)
First, if it has DRM is it really a "CD"?
Second - COMPLAIN!
Regardless of it being DRM or a faulty player, you should be compensated. You bought a product (be it the CDs or the player) that does not work. Try complaining about the CD player first (and try the CDs in a few other machines too). Get your player and/or CDs replaced or get refunds.
If it is DRM, they should have labelled it, and they deserve to take some shit for fucking over their customers.
Down with Saudi Arabia!!!
You obviously missed the question at the end of the article.
Let me quote it for you . Did these companies decide to quietly unleash DRM on the public this holiday season? Or is this just a problem with the new player (separate from it not being DRM capable)? There. See how he asks whether the problem is related to DRM or if it's an issue with his player? You jump down the writers throat for no reason. Posting it in the context of some of the replies to this article would make sense. But straight off the article itself, as if the author is some sort of dweeb is a little rich
Are the CDs labeled with a DRM sticker? If not, AFAIK, they're not following the standards of an audio CD. Hence, they're defective.
They don't play in your CD player. Regardless of what they say to the above, I think you can make a very good case.
~Dalcius
Rome wasn't burnt in a day.
Thank you for pluralizing the word "CD" correctly.
Let's not all suck at the same time please
Huge flaw in this logic.
Before I get started, let me clarify that I definitely hate DRM. I pretty much despise large record labels. So I'm not supporting them or anything, but simply sending a check to the artist is crazy.
First, where the hell are you going to send a check? Their fanclub? Do you know Timberlake's address? How about Snoop Dogg's address? How about Creed's address? Tim MCGraw? Whoever it is you listen to, you probably don't have any idea how to actually get money to them, unless they are local to you. And that's an altogether different story.
Secondly, there are TONS of people other than the artist who should be compensated. I mean, just because the CD says "Metallica", it doesnt mean that you are hearing Lars playing the drums on every track. It is very common for artists to hire studio musicians for recording sessions. Especially if they need to meet deadlines while the bassist is in rehab, or jail, or whatever. It happens, a lot, and the session players deserve a cut as well.
Aside from the actual music, there are the studio people. There's as much talent involved with skillful recording as there is with skillful playing. The cover art came from somewhere, and that person should be compensated. There are lots of people who attempt to make honest livings from the production of music and rely on CD sales for a income.
What the RIAA would have you believe is that their job is making sure the revenue gets spread out to all of these people fairly. And we all know this is a bunch of BS.
Really, the best thing to do is to support independant labels when you can. And when you can't, go MP3, Vorbis, whatever. This will (hopefully, if enough people do it) draw the talent away from the RIAA music nazis and empower the independant labels. Everyone benefits.
Many people have CD players where it won't be a problem, but would be scared away by an up-front warning. Futhermore, some people won't bother to return the CD. Together, these probably outway the expense of processing returns for Target.
It would be interesting to see if they'd show you the list if you asked.
You know, this is a good theory, but we did this. We bought 10% fewer recordings last year from the major labels. And, of course, they have used that against us as a sign that we need far MORE DRM in our lives. It couldn't be a 25% reduction in albums produced, or a ridiculous price creeping far above that set around the world, or a rising anti-RIAA sentimentality. Of course it is Napster's fault.
We can't just boycott the labels. We have to take power away from the labels and give it to the independents. How do we do this? By buying CD's from independent music labels and sharing the first 4 tracks, and refusing to share music from the major labels. Kazaa isn't just a way to avoid the distribution tax... it is a way to discover new music. We need to make sure that music is good, both in quality and in spirit. It would also be great if we could convince major artists to move away from the RIAA labels and strike it out on their own, but so long as they feel that their livelyhood is threatened I doubt that will happen. We'll have to make it happen on our own.
-C
This Sig is a mnemonic device designed to allow you to recognize this author in the future.
What do I do? I ask the guy at the store if I can have them in MP3, if not then I buy something else. Hint: the list is growing smaller and smaller day by day.
1. Buy CD-RW.
2. Download P2P file sharing app.
3. (optional) Pay for a buy CD if you want to pay the record label for it.
4. Download entire CD from P2P app.
5. Burn to CD.
6. Play in car.
== Jez ==
Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
Indeed! If the disc won't play, it is defective. Take it back, and join the ever-growing boycott of the recording industry. When you take the disc back, demand a cash refund. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the customer is always right.
The Uncoveror: It's the real news.
Sorry, but this sounds like bullshit to me.
has often been felt that long playing-time CDs (greatest-blah-album-ever type things) sound poor but the wisdom is that digits-is-digits. Until Studio Sound actually tested this assertion. Bugger me if it wasn't true. Something to do with narrow track widths,
Bullshit. It doesn't matter how long the audio portion is so long as it's less than 80 (or 74) minutes. The track is the same width, regardless, it simply doesn't go all the way to the outside portion of the disk.
This guy is just trying to sound like he knows what he's talking about.
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
Hey Einstein? If you want to have the artists CDs and not just crappy mp3 downloads, you have to buy it from the damn store.
Most record labels aren't majors or members of the RIAA. Same goes for CD releases. Most are on independent labels or the band self-released.
I spend thousands of dollars a year on music. Shows, shirts, CD's...I spend more on music than I do on food. Not a dime goes to majors or RIAA.
And you'd think I was missing out on the 'best' stuff but I'm not. While all those major and RIAA labels are wetting their pants writing songs to conform to clearchannel standards and mastering all the dynamics out of the CD (so theirs will be louder than the competition), the independents are recording music that they like. Music which stands on it's own merits.
As a consumer of music, I have a choice of who I buy music from and why. I choose not to buy music from people who I feel are doing a disservice to musicians and our musical heritage. I actively buy great music from great bands and labels who are not evil.
The major labels are not a utility like PG&E. They are companies who live and die by convincing consumers to give them money. When I can get music which is as good or better from people who treat their musicians and customers with respect there's no reason to pay somebody who acts without ethics or morals. In fact, I feel it's wrong to reward somebody for negative behavior. Rewards are for people who do good.
So if you disagree with what the majors and the RIAA are doing and you give them money, you are a hypocrite. You are saying one thing but doing the other. We are not to blame for their behavior, but we are wrong to reward them for it.
"Let him go, Ralph. He knows what he's doing." --Otto Mann (simpsons)
consider this. someone has an older analog style (not cdrom based) reader. their player works just fine on some protected cd - TODAY.
then tomorrow their cd player breaks and they buy a new one. all of a sudden, that new player (and all other new players) refuse to play a disk that SEEMED ok before.
I find this very unnerving. if you noticed it didn't play immediately (or in 30 days) you could return it. but suppose you had it for years and then the new player didn't play it? what do you do then?
this whole thing sucks.
--
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
How smart do you have to be, then, to take your brand-new SEALED copy to a different store to exchange it for whatever you want???
Smart enough to forge the receipt of that store? I don't think they'd exchange it without you showing them the receipt as well.
== Jez ==
Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
If you really aren't sure if the problem is the CD or the player, try playing older CDs that you have lying around. Sony's players seem to be having the most trouble from the reading I've been doing.
I was taking one day at a time, but then several days got together and ambushed me. (from a Rhymes with Orange comic)
This is probably because the later tracks are closer to the edge of the CD. Normal wear and tear from handling the CD may beat up the tracks closer to the outside. I don't take any original CDs in my car, it's too easy for them to get beaten up.
A fair question. Answer: http://www.fairtunes.com/
Aside from the actual music, there are the studio people.
Bands pay for their studio time to produce the album. And they pay a lot for it. The "studio people" got their money already.
The cover art came from somewhere, and that person should be compensated.
If I download the MP3 for a song, why exactly should I pay for cover art?
And the final counter to this, thus the store wins, is to say "We are not responsible for the labeling, packaging, and so forth. We only sell them. If you wish to pursue this, here is the number of our distributor (or whatever number they decide to provide). You should take it up with them. If they will give us a refund, we'll gladly extend it to you."
Here in the UK that won't fly. When you buy from a store you are making a transaction with the store, not the store's suppliers.
Where they get them from is not relevant. The contract is between you and the store. They should stop whining about their crummy suppliers and give a refund.
If they do start this approach and seem unmovable on it then I'd suggest quietly telling them you are going to get very loud and angry if you don't get your own way - there's isn't a store in the land that wants a noisy and angry ex-customer in-store, They'll soon pay the refund and have you on your way ;-)
Remember, when you buy stuff the contract is between you and the store - not you and the entire supply chain of the store.