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Super MP3 Will Feature User Tracking

Posted by timothy on from the hello-is-this-mr-public? dept.

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.

11 of 391 comments (clear)

  1. And so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...nobody will use it.

    1. Re:And so... by Der+Krazy+Kraut · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And what will prevent pirates from converting their Super-MP3s to another multi-channel format without DRM?

    2. Re:And so... by Leffe · · Score: 5, Funny

      Windows Longhorn :-)

    3. Re:And so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      the biggest reason it will not be used is exactly why mp3pro is unused.

      if the companies wont upgrade all existing equipment to support it for 100% free then people will not use it.

      I am not going to replace my audiotron, Kenwood car stereo, ipod, and other mp3 enabled devices because of a tiny improvment and added features for some rich asshats.

      Same as DVD replacements coming down the line... they WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. DVD for video will be here a really long time as consumers get royally pissed when some moron engineer decides to change things every 3 months. the consumer wants to buy something and use it for 5 years or so. and they get pissy when their old stuff does not work in the new.

      this new mp3 will not be accepted, ipod's native format will never get as big as mp3 and is only popular because of the ipod.

    4. Re:And so... by Der+Krazy+Kraut · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It doesn't look like some kind of authentication which can only be acquired using some special Windows Longhorn feature is needed to decode the Super-MP3s. How will Longhorn prevent simple file conversion tools from running?

    5. Re:And so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Sadly, dumb users will use anything the industy can afford to spend a billion dollars to make them use.

      The only hope is if the consumer electronics **industry** rebels against the RIAA MPAA - no one cares about music lovers ... The MPAA and RIAA (with helpfulness from MSoft) want to take control of consumers, yes this is true (see http://www.2600.com/news/0130-flyer/flyer.html). And most governments are in favor of reducing comsumer choice and giving more power to large corporations: the US courts and administration notoriously favor industry over consumers - which is strange for such a liberty loveing individualist country until you remember that these corps. have the status of "legal individuals" ... individuals with rights to their property and several billion$ to pursue court cases when needed!

      Consumers don't have that power ... real flesh and blood indivduals count for ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Corporations will always win. Our best bet is to set corporations to feuding and fighting amongst themselves. We need to find allies in other industries and countries. So:

      1) Work to sew contempt and spread distrust between consumer electronics firms and owners of content (of course many have merged - e.g. Sony but many smaller manufacturers have not). Always ask at electronics stores if the equipment is compatible, tell horror stories. If you and your friends are buying gear get them to ask them same questions.

      2) Try to turn music distributors against the RIAA Always ask at the cash if your DVD can be played on your laptop on the plane or if CD tracks can be put transformed and use on your iPod - if they don't know or say no then say: "Oh, hmm damn I like browsing your shelves with the airconditiong and all but these [DVD's||CD's] are so inconvenient". When in a music store add loudly: "Actually on second thought I won't purchase the CD from your store I will look for it at Apple or another online service. Cool to see this place is still going strong!! We used to come here all the time back music stores were the best place to get music. Anyway, sorry these new fangled CD's are way less convenient than the online services". Then toss the pile (of say 5 CD's This works best in a loud voice with a large line behind you - and if you have a friend who will do almost the same thing 2-3 hours later. 10-15 people doing this can make music stores shudder!! One store in our town even put up a sign saying: "Our CDs are not copy protected". They left it up for almost a week.

      3). Always return CD's that don't allow playing on your equipment.

      4). China is a horrific communist regime but thankfully they don't respect IPR laws. Encourage the Chinese consumer electronics industry that does not cooperate with US content makers. If .cn makers of equipment can make a buck selling gear that doesn't build in all the DRM features they will keep doing it. The US will be forced to ban the imports in a big visible way, it will bug people, it will become an issue.

      5). If buying a computer always ask at the store if it runs Linux. If they haven't and they won't let you test a knoppix disk and watch the boot up messages. Leave the knoppix disk in the store (in a small paper CD case with the URL to the site on it) and say: "you guys should test your systems for linux, I am (or my brother my girlfriend is) a computer science major and the machine *HAS* to dula boot and run linux. It's 2004! this is crazy!" (unlike the record store don't be loud though say it sort of sympathetic in a confused voice ... as if you were in a restaurant reading a menu and they only sold porridge). If they say they have a policy against linux or something say: "wow it must be hard for you guys". If they then make a smart ass comment like: "no, everyone buys windows". Just chuckle softly and say "everyone?" ... then walk out or phone a friend on your cell and say: "No don't meet me here actually, they say

  2. Riiiiight... by Noryungi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's see Super-MP3's will incorporate a lightweight DRM?

    How long is it going to take to have a converter that transforms Super-MP3s into normal MP3s, with the DRM stripped?

    How long until someone incorporates this into, say, xmms or lame, so that the conversion is actually totally transparent to the user?

    Gentlemen... start your compilers!

    --
    The right to offend is far more important than the right not to be offended. (Rowan Atkinson)
    1. Re:Riiiiight... by CoolVibe · · Score: 5, Funny

      Just give Jon (from DeCSS fame) a few weeks. That guy is the ultimate masochist, and we love him for it :)

  3. Ok... by protocol420 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So another good reason to use OGGs. I never trust any non-open-licenced formats (it's all an illuminati plot).

    --
    www.gaian-mind.org - eco-punk/crust coop and collective | www.anarchistfederation.org - so cal anarchist federation
  4. Don't cry.... by hot_Karls_bad_cavern · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

  5. Multi-channel? I want multi-track! by MBCook · · Score: 5, Interesting
    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.

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.