New twist on CD Copy Protection.

[BJ_M]

in defense of sony:

they did not create copy protection on cd's

"making proprietary software that will only work on sony's portable players"

they are moving away from this completly or do not use it all ..

[garman]

I think this is a problem with huge multi-national companies. Profit is thier only goal. I unfortuneately work for one. So doing what thier doing is what they need to to do to produce the bottom line. In regards to the portable mp3 player with proprietary software. This is not the last you will see of this. It's on the shelf waiting to pop up again. -garman

[ViRaL1]

With something as ubiquitous as MP3 / Music players it's getting harder to get by trying to corner the market with proprietary technology. Everyone and their drunnken lover has an MP3 player and Sony hasn't been offering enough lately to get hordes of people to buy in. As much as I dislike Apple, it's going to take a lot to knock the iPod off the top of the pile.

[garman]

I hope apple stays on top. God knows the company could use a little cash injection. The good thing about apple being thier instead of sony, Is Apple doesn't own music or movies and they won't concern themselves about "do I have to make this copy protected so we don't take profits away from the other divisions of apple". -garman

[ViRaL1]

They still have their copy protection, but at least there are options other than their music store to get the same songs.

[garman]

Not harping on Sony but, I believe when i first bought a dvd player it was the pioneer 525 I also bought a pioneer cd player for my car and that was during the early 90's they had no problem accepting burnt discs. Few friends of mine went with sony brands, they all suffered from campatability issues. I still think sony still does this with dvd players. I'm not sure as to why, my thought is they want you to buy commercial cd's/dvdd, making it impossible to create your own mixes or video backups, etc.... -garman

[Doramius]

Sony's got their hands in a lot of different areas. Music, Video, Light Electronics, Major Appliances, etc. They are all over. Apple isn't as diverse, which has given an advantage to Apple at different times. Apple's iPod makes use of the standard technology. It's meant to play music in a specific and widely used format. the format is open to everyone. However, some companies like people to stick with their own merchandise because it brings more profit to the. Look at game systems. Why are there so many different games systems. Honestly, it'd be easier if one single game system was made by every company, the same way a DVD player is.

Here's an example. Well make a game system called the 'PlayCube'. Sony can make one. RCA can make one. Zenith, Sanyo, JVC, etc. Several companies in a place we'll call 'Gameywood' will make the games. Any game from any company can play on anybody's system because the games are all made in the same format. However, Disney comes in and says, "We're going to make the "DGS" (Disney Gaming System) and only DGS format and style games can play in DGS consoles. DGS games are not compatible with the PlayCube and PlayCube Games are not compatible with DGS. However, Disney get's rights to some really nice gaming companies and pays them buttloads of money to stay with them. DGS game titles and types are not anything like the PlayCubes and people want to play them. Now they have 2 systems. Now the same amount of games are sold as before, but now 1/3rd more total game consoles are sold because people want to play both PlayCube and DGS games. By doing this a company can bring in several billion dollars a year in sales. And after sales slump off, their technology has new advances, and they incorporate it into a new system, format, and design. Now they sell more stations and games. They do this intentionally rather than make a system that can upgrade. Many early gaming systems could upgrade, but the more recent systems have very minimal upgrade capabilities. Most of the upgrade capabilities they do have could have been installed on the machine when it frist came out for lower cost, but they left them off for people to buy at greater cost after market, to create more profit.

The only problem with movies, is that the movie companies do not necessarily make the players they play in. Some companies have tried this and failed. Many more have tried with music and some meagerly still work (IE: Hit Clips, Video Now, etc.). However, gaming systems seem to hang on for some reason. Gaming systems also seem to be where the heaviest amount of copy protection is involved. Because Music and Movies are not set the same way, you see more spotlight for copyright infringement there. Especially music, and this is why you find large companies, like Sony, making their own game company, music studios, and movie/video technology. They are trying to set it up where you can only have their music, games & movies used only with their created technology systems. Thus drives their revenue up.

It's all for profit.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Actually sony just opened up to mp3. It's going to make its newer players compatible and MAY do upgrades for older players.

Apple's iPod makes use of the standard technology. It's meant to play music in a specific and widely used format. the format is open to everyone

Then why were they so upset that Real hacked into their propreity system?????

Kevin

[Doramius]

They play MP3s. You'd be upset if another company hacked into your system to use your technology. The fact that they play MP3s hasn't changed. They don't try to code or uncode anything. Real has it's own format which is why you can't watch or hear certain Real Clips on QuickTime or MediaPlayer.

[ChrisX]

This is why I stay away from sony.

EMI is just as bad and I've read that consumers have complained of unplayable CDs or something all to do with them.

I have a CD copy of Deep Purple hits and EMI is copy protecting old songs recorded so many years ago.

The songs such as Black Night as recorded during the 70s.

The copy protection is getting so ridiculous that I can copy that song from an old single record or record it into a VHS HiFi tape without a problem for my own use at home.

I got heaps of records and I intend to record them onto a DVD disc as linear PCM stereo sound.

This uncompressed audio recording is as so good and I intend the do them one day just for archiving old records. I can still keep the records though.