Copy protection for music CDs.

[TheFamilyMan]

Today's San Jose Mercury News (California) has a very interesting article on a CD copy protection scheme that apparently is being implemented on new CD releases. Here a link, though the detailed story required site membership (free), or if you can, get today's paper and read about it in the business section.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/

[Noahtuck]

Posted on Wed, Jun. 15, 2005

How the protections work

Sony BMG and EMI use different technologies to copy-protect music CDs.

ON A WINDOWS PC

1) Insert the CD into the computer. You'll be asked for permission to install a small software application that unlocks access to bonus features -- such as lyrics or photo galleries -- but also prevents you from ``ripping'' the songs in as unprotected MP3 music files.

2) An on-screen menu presents you with a list of options, including copying music tracks onto the computer. Click this icon to make a copy.

3) Sony BMG's technology, from SunnComm, uses Windows Media protection. You'll need the Windows Media 9 or more current version to listen to or copy the songs.

4) Once the Media Player launches on the PC, you can import the tracks from the copy-protected Sony disc onto the computer using the ``album import function.''

Macrovision refused to discuss its deal with EMI or provide details about the technologies it uses to copy-protect CDs.

IPOD USERS

Windows users who own iPods will have to employ familiar work-arounds to move music off a copy-protected CD and onto the device. For EMI's releases, that involves burning individual tracks onto a CD and importing them one by one into the iTunes music software. For Sony's tracks, that means burning the songs to a CD and then importing them into the iTunes music management application.

ON A MACINTOSH

Apple Computer refuses to license its proprietary copy-protection technology to the labels. That means Mac users will encounter problems with some copy-protected discs. Sony BMG's tracks will be directly imported into the iTunes music management software, just like any other CD. But EMI releases will have to be burned, one track at a time, onto a CD, then imported into iTunes.

Source: Mercury News research

And there is Macrovision popping up again 8)
suprise suprise suprise

[dvdguy4]

Who needs to buy cds these days. Music today sucks. But thats my opinion

[Headbanger's Ball]

It's not just your opinion! I've bought a total of 1 CD in the past 5 years & it was a used import. The hundreds I got in my teens & early 20s can hold me though the talentless years.

These copy-prtection schemes & the idea that I don't own things I bought are getting old quick.

And before someone starts a "piracy" & "what's legal" arguement; I don't care.

[nelson133]

In the end, this is a pointless exercise, the output from any cd player can be input into a sound card and recorded in wav or ogg or mp3 format and then millions of copies could be made. The solution to this problem will be very difficult using technological means. Nyah Levi

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

Somebody can buy the songs from Itunes and put them in his shared folder and tah dah!, all the p2p over the world now has the "copy protected cd songs".