Super MP3 Will Feature User Tracking

An anonymous reader writes "Next generation super MP3 files will support four-channel audio tracks and contain what's dubbed Light Weight Digital Rights Management (LWDRM) code to track it's owner via p2p programs." We've mentioned these multi-channel, DRM-ified MP3s before.

Comments

Alternatives to standard MP3

[thedillybar]

There are plenty of alternatives to the standard MP3.

This one will not be widely used by consumers if it has a light-weight tracking mechanism embedded in it. We'll simply use one of the others. Not to mention, there will always be players (and converters) that disable the tracking and convert to a more well-accepted format.

But maybe it's a step in the right direction. We'll see what becomes of it. My guess...absolutely nothing.

Cut them off at the pass.

[ameoba]

What's to stop the community from making some sort of DRMless multi-channel MP3/Ogg format? Let the RIAA push their own formatfor their own files, it doesn't force us to use it for our own data. If users demand support for the non-restricted format, media player authors will be forced to either support it or lose customers.

Don't cry....

[hot_Karls_bad_cavern]

Don't bitch and moan. This is wonderful for independant artists and those listeners that want to make sure where an mp3 came from. Personally i will encourage those recording friends of mine to use this...it's not to keep you from copying/sharing, rather to guarantee quality and authenticity.

Re:What use is 5.1...

[WindBourne]

who said that next generation music will have only 2 channels? RIAA are looking for a reason to have another generation of CDs. Improved quality is the reason to buy new CDS. Unless indi music really catches on, ppl will just be like sheep and do it.

Multi-channel? I want multi-track!

[MBCook]

I really don't care about multi-channel. I spend 95% of my time listening to music listening to my iPod (only two channels, only two ears). The rest of the time I'm listening in the car (which is noisy, and multi-channel music won't do me much good). I don't care about multi-channel music. The only thing I see it as any good for would be the BGM in computer games or something like that. I don't want it.

That said, I would LOVE multi-track audio files. I would love to be able to press a button to disable the vocal track, or turn down the volume on the guitar track, or turn up the base track, or whatever. Basically like the tracks you see in Frequency or Amplitude on the PS2. There are many times I would love to be able to turn off the vocals, or turn UP the vocals to hear them over the rest of the music.

I would love this for TV too. I would love to be able to turn up the dialog track, or turn down the sound effects. Or my idea: turn OFF THE DAMN LAUGH TRACK.

THIS is the feature I want. Give music like this and files to store it in, and I'll be happier. Don't give me something I can't use. If you want me to swallow DRM (even LIGHT DRM) give me something that I want in exchange, not something useless.

I see the possibility for fraud

[Orion Blastar]

#1 Learn how the Super MP3 file format works.

#2 Collect information on your enemies.

#3 Insert that information into various Super MP3 files and strip out your information.

#4 Share files on web sites or P2P file sharing networks using an alias on a system that is not yours. Like upload files from a library, college, rental system (Kinko's, CyberCafe, etc using an fake ID to get access to the system, wear a disguise too).

#5 Sit back and watch the RIAA punish your enemies for you.