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EMI Says Its DRM Will Support The iPod

Posted by Zonk on from the should-have-thought-that-one-through dept.

mbelly writes "Ars Technica has an article about EMI saying that its copy-protected discs will play nicely with the iPod. Problem is, nobody told Apple." From the article: "With the popularity of the iPod, being able to provide copy-protected discs with out-of-the-jewel-box support for Apple's digital music player has been something of a holy grail for the record industry. Macrovision, the company responsible for the copy protection mechanism used on a number of discs, made the claim last year that Apple was about to license FairPlay and that it would provide iPod during 4Q 2004. So far, Macrovision has failed to make good on its claim, and the record labels are left with angry customers who purchase albums only to discover they cannot play the music on their iPods."

6 of 18 comments (clear)

  1. EMI is full of it lately... by danaris · · Score: 3, Insightful

    From what I can tell from TFA, this is no more likely than Apple changing their fixed-rate pricing policy, which EMI was loudly claiming they were certain Apple would do, too. With no evidence.

    Come on, people, EMI is just making noise and hoping it makes them more money.

    (Kind of like many of the artists the labels promote these days...)

    Dan Aris

    --
    Fun. Free. Online. RPG. BattleMaster.
  2. What is the point?? by porcupine8 · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Why bother using DRM on CDs? Especially Fairplay?

    Non-DRMed CD: I can rip it to MP3 - and possibly do something illegal, like give my friends copies or share the files somewhere.

    DRMed CD: I can rip it to AAC, then burn a non-protected CD and burn that to MP3 - and then possibly do something illegal, etc etc etc.

    If you really don't want people to rip your CD, use a DRM that makes it unrippable (and watch people come burn your offices down). Otherwise, you might as well just let them rip it to MP3, and they can buy whatever music player they want to boot. You're just putting one little step between them and MP3s anyhow.

    (I know it doesn't say that they were planning to use Fairplay specifically, but from the description it sounds extremely similar - and would allow burning of the songs to blank CDs, which I'm assuming could then be reripped to MP3. Of course, it's all a moot point if Apple refuses, but it's silly for them to even pursue it.)

    --
    Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
    1. Re:What is the point?? by FidelCatsro · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I don't really mind (well I do , but I am making a point ) , so long as it plays on a standard player and so long as I have a line out cable .
      You can DRM them to hell , but if it plays it can be ripped .
      Not that I want to have to jump through hoops , but if they keep raising the bar , I will keep retooling my pogo stick .

      --
      The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
  3. Interesting in light of previous articles by Morgalyn · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Between this and the other EMI vs. Apple posting recently on /., I have to wonder if EMI isn't mounting some sort of weird media FUD campaign against Apple. It's just weird that they would speak out on two topics near and dear to Apple's heart (price point of song downloads, usage of FairPlay for CDs) in this way.

    BTW, here is additional coverage of this story: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/18/apple_emi_ macrovision/

    --
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    Well, you know
    We'd all love to see the plan
    (The Beatles)
  4. I don't understand the issue by c0d3h4x0r · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How can an audio CD "not work" with iTunes/iPod? I mean, unless you're dumb enough to let an audio-CD with a data track auto-install DRM rootkit shit on your computer, you should be able to rip the CD audio tracks with Exact Audio Copy or any other of a number of CD-ripper programs, convert the tracks to MP3, and then add them to your iTunes library. What's the problem?

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    Moderator hint: a comment is neither "Flamebait" nor "Troll" if it is true.
  5. What gets me... by dodongo · · Score: 2, Insightful
    tell consumers that they don't need iTunes to get THEIR music that mean old Apple isn't letting them have.


    Here's what gets me about the whole thing: I never needed iPod, iTunes, rootkits, DRM, or any other Breaks With [OperatingSystem]-certified CD formats. If you give me an Audio CD(TM), like you've been doing for the last two decades, I can listen to it on any dinky-damn CD or music player I want. I give you cash money for the CD, you let me do with it what I please, as long as I don't violate copyright laws. Otherwise, sue me.

    The only problem with that system is, of course, the fact that the digital revolution has not led to a more perfect form of control for people in power. Fuck that. Seriously.