Dirt Cheap Music Online.

[slimmx]

Hi all,
I just discovered allofmp3.com. The site offers very cheap music for dling. It's 2cents per megabyte. The music is so cheap because the site is located in Russia . My question is whether you think the music on it is legal and whether I can get in trouble? I looked around a lot and from what I found is that it's actually legal because of a loophole in Russian copyright laws. Lawyers in different countries looked into it and said that it's actually legal. I just wanted to know what you all thought.

[richdvd]

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1112894&highlight=mp3search#1112894

[ViRaL1]

I believe the general rule of thumb is that, if you're not in Russia and the copyright itself doesn't originat in Russia then Russian copyright laws (or lack thereof) won't really do much to help you.

[JohnnyCNote]

When I was in Moscow in '92 & '93 there were pirated products everywhere, sold quite openly. I wouldn't be surprised if this has spread to the 'Net as well.....

[slimmx]

When I was in Moscow in '92 & '93 there were pirated products everywhere, sold quite openly. I wouldn't be surprised if this has spread to the 'Net as well.....

I have a lot of family in Russia and Ukraine and my cousin tells me that bootlegs of software, movies and music are sold everywhere. It's harder to find a legal copy of something rather than illigal. He says a licensed copy of Windows can be $50 where an illigal copy is $5.

As far as allofmp3.com goes, I don't know whether I should use it. It seems that it's legal but with a catch. Also, how can I get in trouble if I am just looking for the best deal out there? I am not a lawyer, I don't know that kind of things.

[Faustus]

I've used them for a while now. Never had a problem with their credit system, they use the same credit company as Sony russia. their selection is sometimes lacking however.

If I find proof its illegal I'll stop, but I haven't found that proof yet. I know the RIAA hates it though.

[yoda313]

Hello,

I know the RIAA hates it though.

I think RIAA hates anything they didn't come up with.....

Kevin

[glockjs]

I know the RIAA hates it though.

if thats the case, then count me in

[richdvd]

I use mp3search.ru all the time.
Only 10 cents/song and most of the songs are very high quality.

[smearbrick1]

The sweet thing about this site is that you don't have to settle for 128kb/s mp3 files. You can choose the encoding format (if available). Sometimes you can even download the cd audio file uncompressed. It's a great service.

[slimmx]

The sweet thing about this site is that you don't have to settle for 128kb/s mp3 files. You can choose the encoding format (if available). Sometimes you can even download the cd audio file uncompressed. It's a great service.

Why? Is Itunes and Napster only 128kb? If that's so it sucks.

[BJ_M]

iTunes is AAC, a much bettter audio codec than mp3 by a long shot -- so you're not comparing apples to apples .

[yoda313]

Hello,

so you're not comparing apples to apples

APPLES TO APPLES???? Ugh... HORRIBLE pun when talking about ITUNES :P :P :P

Kevin

[BJ_M]

i was trying to make a funny

[yoda313]

Hello,

PENALTY!!!!

Attempt at humor OVERRULED!!!! Ten yard penalty - PLAY BEER!

Kevin

[Garibaldi]

Hello,

so you're not comparing apples to apples

APPLES TO APPLES???? Ugh... HORRIBLE pun when talking about ITUNES :P :P :P

Kevin

[richdvd]

iTunes is AAC, a much bettter audio codec than mp3 by a long shot -- so you're not comparing apples to apples .

There quality isn't justified in the $.90 price difference. IMO.
AAC is supposed to be better, but high quality mp3s (300 kbps and higher) are VERY comparable.

$1-iTtunes
$.10-mp3search

[ViRaL1]

Now all I need is an AAC player.

[BJ_M]

iTunes is AAC, a much bettter audio codec than mp3 by a long shot -- so you're not comparing apples to apples .

There quality isn't justified in the $.90 price difference. IMO.
AAC is supposed to be better, but high quality mp3s (300 kbps and higher) are VERY comparable.

$1-iTtunes
$.10-mp3search

i didnt say anything about the price - all i said is that for a same size bitrate - AAC is much better (128)

[richdvd]

iTunes is AAC, a much bettter audio codec than mp3 by a long shot -- so you're not comparing apples to apples .

There quality isn't justified in the $.90 price difference. IMO.
AAC is supposed to be better, but high quality mp3s (300 kbps and higher) are VERY comparable.

$1-iTtunes
$.10-mp3search

i didnt say anything about the price - all i said is that for a same size bitrate - AAC is much better (128)

Ya, and I said........

AAC is supposed to be better, but high quality mp3s (300 kbps and higher) are VERY comparable.

bitrate for bitrate AAC is better.

[Faustus]

Yes but all of mp3 will encode in AAC if you want.

[Heywould3]

Now all I need is an AAC player.

winAMP free plays them right out of the box

[Faustus]

Yay! my dreams are answered. Someone made a nice download utility for the mac to work with allofmp3.com

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/16844

Works great!

[shelbyGT]

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/0,,SB110632225796232623,00.html?mod=todays_free_feature

Might want to read that. Some shady territory.

[BJ_M]

Meanwhile, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, or IFPI -- the RIAA's international counterpart -- has threatened legal action against some Russian music sites. The group says music CD piracy is rampant in Russia, second only to China. "We are looking closely at [Russian sites] and will take whatever legal steps are necessary against them," says Adrian Strain, a spokesman for the group. He declined to say which sites the group has targeted, and declined to comment specifically on AllofMP3.com, MP3search.ru or 3MP3.ru.

good luck - in russia they are legal and operating within the law - so fat chance of doing anything about them - other than blocking them or suing users (if they knew who they were)

[shelbyGT]

It's a huge tangle of mess, but I would side with the part that if you are in the U.S., it's probably illegal for you to download from them. Whether anything will actually happen is yet to be seen.

[Doramius]

They can make a statement about downloading, but proving certain things is very difficult on the download side because of certain circumstances or situations. I honestly could have a large group of friends together and have a LAN party with shared IP access. One of them can download something and it shows my IP address. I can say I don't have the file and at the time it happened, there were nearly 20-50 people using the line and it could be any one of them. Uplodaing is where they seem to target mostly, unless they can get solid evidence, but even then, there have been a few where there has been no evidence, but they still sued people.

This is where external HDDs are great. Tell them, "Honest, judge. I don't have any copies of Shania Twain anywhere in my computer." Once released and given your equipment back, you go to your friend's house and ask for your removable drive.

[shelbyGT]

Doramius -

Your quite specific example has some holes to it. It is your IP, leased to you, under your information. If you choose to let other people connect on it, that is your choice, but you are still responsible for the actions while they are using it.

At least, that is how I read the situation. Much like if you let your uninsured friend drive your car and he got in an accident, you're in trouble as well.

[Doramius]

The ISP can fine me $250-$500 because it's their rule, but I don't think there's much the MPAA or the RIAA can do about it. I have done nothing wrong. It's like my friend borrowing my gun and killing someone with it. I might get in some trouble for lending it to someone, but I can't be convicted of murder because I didn't do it.

[slimmx]

other than blocking them or suing users (if they knew who they were)

That's actually going to be pretty easy for IRAA to do. The way Russian business works is not an advantage to users. If they will ever be required to shutdown their operation and release the names of all the users, they will do it in a second. They will shutdown the site, send all the info to the authorities and then stay quiet and wait for things to settle. That's how it works over there most of the times.