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Sony Doing An End Run Around Its Own DRM
glassgnost writes "According to a story at CNN, Sony has an odd response to complaints from fans who have discovered they cannot import their CD content to an iPod. Individuals who complain to Sony BMG about iPod incompatibility are being directed to a Web site that provides information on how to work around the technology. In short, some labels appear to have been instructing customers how to defeat DRM -- which, IIRC, is a violation of DMCA." From the article: "For now, the copy-protected discs work only with software and devices compatible with Microsoft Windows Media technology. Apple -- the dominant player in digital music -- has resisted appeals from the labels to license its FairPlay DRM for use on the copy-protected discs. The DRM initiatives are generating complaints from fans, many of whom own iPods. The message boards of artist fan sites and online retailers are filled with complaints from angry consumers who did not realize they were buying a copy-protected title until they tried to create music files on their home computers."
The linked website does not provide information on how to work around the technology. It explains how to 'work with' the DRM software. This page on the website mentions the problem of playing their DRMed music on an iPod and directs you to this form that you are required to fill out to apparently be emailed instructions.
Why are labels allowed to put this type of technology on albums and then say that they are not violating the consumer's fair use rights? I really don't understand why the fair use doctrine seems to have been thrown out the window lately. What would happen if someone took this to court claiming that their rights have been violated, not only by the DRM, but also by the DMCA?
This is it.
Thank you for contacting Sony BMG Online.
We appreciate your purchase of our CD and apologize for any inconvenience. Please follow the instructions below in order to move your content into iTunes and onto an iPod.
[Macintosh] If you have a Macintosh computer you can copy the songs using your iTunes Player as you would normally do.
[Windows] If you have a PC place the CD into your computer and allow the Sony BMG audio player on the CD to automatically start. If the player software does not automatically start, open your Windows Explorer. Locate and select the drive letter for your CD drive. On the disc you will find either a file named LaunchCD.exe or Autorun.exe. Double-click this file to manually start the player.
TIP: If your CD does not contain either the LaunchCD.exe or Autorun.exe files, it may not be compatible with this iPod solution. Please reply to this letter for more information.
Once the Sony BMG player application has been launched and the End User License Agreement has been accepted, you can click the Copy Songs button on the top menu.
Follow the instructions to copy the secure Windows Media Files (WMA) to your PC. Make a note of where you are copying the songs to, you will need to get to these secure Windows Media Files in the next steps.
Once the WMA files are on your PC you can open and listen to the songs with Windows Media Player 9.0 or higher (or another fully compatible player that can playback secure WMA files, such as MusicMatch, RealPlayer, and Winamp). You can then burn the songs to a standard Audio CD. Please note that in order to burn the files, you will need to upgrade to, or already have, Windows Media Player 9 or 10.
Once the standard Audio CD has been created, place this copied CD back into your computer and open iTunes. iTunes can now rip the songs as you would any normal audio CD.
Please note an easier and more acceptable solution requires cooperation from Apple, who we have already reached out to in hopes of addressing this issue. To help speed this effort, we ask that you use the following link to contact Apple and ask them to provide a solution that would easily allow you to move content from protected CDs into iTunes or onto your iPod rather than having to go through the additional steps above:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html
Thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance.
The Sony BMG Online Support Team
CCKM
This message and any attachments are solely for the use of intended recipients. They may contain privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you received this email in error, and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this email and any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error please contact the sender and delete the message and any attachments associated therewith from your computer. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated.
Oops.
"And, if you are, would it be considered entrapment?"
Entrapment is a legal term used only when the other party is a law enforcement agency, I believe.
Yep, I recognised the symbol and used my coldplay album. They sent the directions instantly. The album doesn't say it's Sony though so I don't think it matters. I think the only real info you need is the email so they can you the directions. Excerpt. "Thank you for contacting Sony BMG Online.
We appreciate your purchase of our CD and apologize for any inconvenience. Please follow the instructions below in order to move your content into iTunes and onto an iPod.
If you have a PC place the CD into your computer and allow the Sony BMG audio player on the CD to automatically start. If the player software does not automatically start, open your Windows Explorer. Locate and select the drive letter for your CD drive. On the disc you will find either a file named LaunchCD.exe or Autorun.exe. Double-click this file to manually start the player.
TIP: If your CD does not contain either the LaunchCD.exe or
Autorun.exe files, it may not be compatible with this iPod
solution. Please reply to this letter for more information.
Once the Sony BMG player application has been launched and the End User License Agreement has been accepted, you can click the Copy Songs button on the top menu.
Follow the instructions to copy the secure Windows Media Files (WMA) to your PC. Make a note of where you are copying the songs to, you will need to get to these secure Windows Media Files in the next steps.
Once the WMA files are on your PC you can open and listen to the songs with Windows Media Player 9.0 or higher (or another fully compatible player that can playback secure WMA files, such as MusicMatch, RealPlayer, and Winamp). You can then burn the songs to a standard Audio CD. Please note that in order to burn the files, you will need to upgrade to, or already have, Windows Media Player 9 or 10.
Once the standard Audio CD has been created, place this copied CD back into your computer and open iTunes. iTunes can now rip the songs as you would any normal audio CD.
Please note an easier and more acceptable solution requires cooperation from Apple, who we have already reached out to in hopes of addressing this issue. To help speed this effort, we ask that you use the following link to contact Apple and ask them to provide a solution that would easily allow you to move content from protected CDs into iTunes or onto your iPod rather than having to go through the additional steps above:
Of course, that solution would be like so:
1. Give the CD to a friend who uses a Linux or Mac machine, which won't recognize the autoplay app that hijacks Windows into seeing only the data section of the disc and not the audio section.
2. Have that friend use their Linux box or Mac to burn a new CD of the raw audio files from your defective purchased -- er, "copy protected" -- disc, NOT the atrac or WMA files.
3. Rip whatever you want, however you want from the burned CD.
And the circle of life continues to spin, occasionally wobbling on its axis thanks to the weighty presence of dumb.
Even simplier:
1. Disable autoplay in Windows, or simply hold down the shift key while inserting the CD into the computer. This prevents Windows from auto-installing that DRM crap.
2. Rip the CD in whatever audio program you want (Audiograbber, iTunes, Winamp, WMP, whatever).
Incorrect (but I know what you're trying to say).
It is certainly a CD so long as its 120mm in diameter and all the other usual disc-shaped properties. It is NOT an audio cd as it doesn't adhere to the Red Book audio CD standard.
I actually did this :) When iPod-owners can't buy your music, you lose. Fuck you, record companies. You're not in control anymore.
Technically, though, FairPlay won't even work when distributing CDs. FairPlay works by encrypting the song with the iPod's key. When the CD is pressed, they obviously don't know the key to your iPod. So this isn't even possible.
Actually, when you download a song from iTMS, YOUR computer applies the DRM to a clean copy it gets from iTMS. Running tcpdump and reassembling the file results in a non-DRM'd file. FairPlay, like all DRM, is a joke.
My other car is first.
To use the compact disc logo, you must meet the appropriate spec. Check your local "protected" cd. It doesn't have the logo.
When in doubt, parenthesize. At the very least it will let some poor schmuck bounce on the % key in vi. (Larry Wall)