Labels look to put digital files on CDs

[vniow]

This is good right?
Wrong!
Yes you may get a hidden track that will add to the album but guess what, you can't burn it to CD or copy it anywhre else but on the same computer.
And look at this, it's not an MP3, I especially liked this quote:

Because Windows Media is the most commonly supported audio player on computers WTF?!, the labels usually request that technology, McPhail said. However, Macrovision plans to release technology that will also let the discs be played on Apple computers in upcoming months.

Can you say, corporate payoff?

Huh? WMA is the most commonly supported audio player on computers?
Guess I'll have to throw out my MP3 player then.
Just because every new PC supports it doesn't mean that it's the most commonly supported audio format period, WMP also supports MP3s too.

And I don't want to hear the label's bullsh*t about copy protecting that file.
If I buy the damn thing I want to be able to use it how I choose and if you copy-protect that file yes it will prevent people from sharing it on p2ps, but also prevent me from using it as stated by fair use rights.

Sorry labels, this one's another bomb until you can be on the comsumer's side as well as keeping your precious copy laws.

Edit: this revision is about 20 times calmer than what I origionally wrote, if we're going to fight record label bullsh*t, it's a good idea to be calm.

Edit again: forgot the link

 

[Hemingray]

Look on the bright side... even if they do succeed with this crap there is always... ALWAYS... a way around it.

 

[Nipsy]

Gotta love record comapnies:

Research technology.

Disregard research, and use poor technology with best marketing behind it.

Raise price of CD to fund 'research'.

Complain when one person rips the CD and distributes it electronically.

Raise prices again.


Nowadays a CD costs $18.99-19.99, and a DVD often $14.99-17.99. An album costs a few million to master, a movie often $100 million. Someone in DVD sales has learned that economies of scale matter, while in CD sales the solution seems to be make it more expensive. I buy/own a lot of music, but I will not be buying a new Major Label/RIAA CD ever again, however, I'm buying new DVDs every week, and I'm not a huge film buff...the price point just makes sense.


Thusly, I dislike the MPAA slightly less:

Research technology.

Decide on Macrovision/CSS.

Complain when someone writes DeCSS.

Lower prices of DVDs to make the hassle of piracy greater than the cost of a DVD.

Complain that increased sales would be greater without piracy.


All this brouhaha is the direct result of industries which are outdated, and outmoded, struggling to survive.

I think everyone would be a lot happier if CDs were $8, DVDs $10, and the RIAA & MPAA did not exist.

The talented artists would make the same amount of money. The non talented artists would make beautiful greeters at you local GAP. The lower costs would make piracy more hassle than it was worth, and we consumers/taxpayers would quit footing the bill for all the legistation/research/commitees/lobbying/hardware crippling crap.

 

[cubist]

WMP is the most popular???

My Windows PCs don't even have it. I don't know anyone who does. I'm kind of fond of winamp on the PC side. For playing CDs, why would you need a program at all? The hardware does it all by itself.

 

[drastik]

On the PC side, there is a program called Creative Recorder, or something along hose lines. It is a sample recorder. One of the options for audio input is called "what you hear" which basically angs and records any audio signal that is headed for you speakers. Now, if someone wrote a simmple little script to teach this thing to start new files everytime a CD changes tacks, copy protection yould be moot. You would in effeect be putting a digital mirophone up to your speakes.