If we don't own the music...

[cord]

Just a random thought I would appreciate some comments on:

As an example, I bought a DRM-protected CD, and because it's DRM protected, I can not create a copy of it without going low-tech (plugging my home stereo into my sound card's line-in, and capturing the audio to CD-R that way), as is allowed under my country's (Canada) "fair use" provisions. Then I have a bunch of rowdy friends over, and some drunken moron decides to use my CD as a coaster for his flaming Sambuca shots, rendering it unplayable.

I bought a license to listen to that CD, but my understanding it that I never actually owned the contents of it. Can I now take my unplayable CD back to any music store and swap it for a new, playable copy at no charge? At no point when I bought it was I informed that my license is only good for the duration that the CD is playable. I have had non-readable original data CDs be swapped out for readable ones by companies such as Corel, Oracle and Apple. Does anyone think that Sony or another music label will honour such term as others have interpreted in their licensing agreements? Or that a court would see the merit of my PoV? (No, I am not looking a long, expensive, protracted legal battle.)

Any thoughts would be appreciated...

 

[xxenclavexx]

I think that they would honor your request. I dont think it would be easy, it would probably take you along time. But did you registor this CD with them? I dont think so. you would have to prove you bought this CD to sony/BMG or whomever you bought it from. If you could do that I would bet they would oblige your request.

another thought DRM sucks hard. what CD did you buy and how is it protected?

 

[cord]

To The 5 Boroughs by the Beastie Boys. I don't know how it's protected ( or if it is! I just assumed because Hello Nasty was a few years back); I made a DAT copy on my stereo. I just can't make a good copy of it to CD from my DAT source drive easily. HMV (I don't know if it exists in the states) did replace Dexter Gordon's Blues for Gates CD for me since my initial post, just by making a scene and the manager (rightly so) wanted me out of the store ASAP on a busy Saturday morning.

 

[r0x0r]

Do you remember the good ol' days when you bought a CD and owned everything that's on it?

Anyway, if, as you said, the license is still valid even if the CD is unplayable then you could use that to back them into a corner. The CD store will probably try and get rid of you but if there is nothing that states that if the CD is unplayable then too bad for them, they've got no defense.

Please make sure to tell us how it goes.

 

[cord]

I don't know about you, but back in the vinyl days, you never heard about copyright infringement. Mind you, unless you had a really high end turntable and amp, any copy would be greatly inferior to the original. Mind you, I'm sure the big labels are pining about those "good old days."

 

[xxenclavexx]

Do yourself a favor and pick up an MP3 ripper. You can get some freeware versions with some good features on them, or if you need all the bells and whistles you can get one for about thirty dollars. I use real player, the free version, I encode all my MP3s in 128 kpbs sound quality, you can go higher if you like, but I have only encountered 3 cds that would not allow me to rip them, the first was Foo Fighters, In your Honor. Next was Static lulaby, and the last one was bayside. Each of these CDs had an algorithm that did not prevent me from copying them, but it did make the track sound like the worst static you have ever heard.

Get the free download and try for yourself.

 

[cord]

I appreciate the advice, but I really can't say I use MP3s. I already have the Real Player, v. 10 I think; I also bought Nero 7 with the MP3 Pro plug-in. When I made MP3s in the past, I used Sonic, but better taste got a hold of me. My computer music is either a CD broadcast via Bluetooth from my home stereo, or Internet Radio. Yeah, I know I'm a Luddite, or as much as a person in my profession can be... :?

 

[xxenclavexx]

What kind of quality can you get from internet radio? MP3 can quality can sound really good, and there is real audio as well, that claim to have lossless sound quality. I would check out your ripping options, I know that if you dont mind about size you can get some really good sounding tracks onto your computer. If you can deal with internet radio, you will be satisfied with your tracks if you rip at High Bitrate.

 

[cord]

I only listen to CBC Radio One and Three; Radio One comes in lousy with our over-the-air signal, so internet radio is by far superior to FM in this instance. And Radio Three is only broadcast over the 'net and on Two on certain evenings. Besides, if I was going to actually rip a CD, it would require effort on my part, and I'm not going to go there.