Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

kavika411

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 8, 2006
617
3
Alabama
Thank you for reading this. I am not trying to start a fight for fun; I am genuinely interested. Also, please go easy on me if I use the wrong vocabulary.

Let me start by saying I am NOT asking about what's wrong with DRM generally. Again, I am not asking what is wrong with DRM generally. I am curious why people don't like Apple DRM, and that is not a rhetorical inquiry. It has been criticized in terms of iTunes/the iPod, and now with iTunes/Apple TV. What I don't understand is this - is there a better MP3 player than the iPod, and/or is there a problem with converting audio/video to an iTunes-friendly formats (for Apple TV purposes)?

Is there some concern that we'll buy all this iTunes content, or convert to an iTunes-friendly standard, and then Apple will go out of business and the hardward (iPod, Apple TV, etc.) becomes obsolete? Is there a concern that someone will come out with better MP3 hardware/home entertainment hardware and that you won't be able to play your content on that because of Apple's DRM? (I know the first Apple TV generation doesn't appear perfect, but surely we're not so pessimistic (sp?) that we don't think it will be improved upon, just as all Apple hardware is improved upon.)

Thank you for reading this. I am not bating anyone; I am genuinely curious.
 

Queso

Suspended
Mar 4, 2006
11,821
8
My problem with Apple DRM is that they refuse to license it to third parties. So outside of the USA there are no services with Apple's DRM for TV, Movies, etc. As a result, here in the UK all the broadcasters and radio stations have begun to standardise on Windows DRM, which locks Mac users out of many services entirely.

And whilst Apple continues refusing to license their DRM, the problem gets worse. To be honest, I'm getting pretty sick of their inaction.
 

kavika411

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 8, 2006
617
3
Alabama
Thanks, dynamicv. That shows you how little I know and how much I take State-side stuff for granted. I can see why you'd get frustrated. I guess that is similar to "zones" with DVD; dang I hate that stuff.

Thanks, Phil9579. I don't own a 360 so I'll take your word for it that there are times you want to use it in conjunction with that device or similar devices.
 

MacVault

macrumors 65816
Jun 10, 2002
1,144
59
Planet Earth
Down with DRM!

I say DOWN WITH DRM! It's bad enough to pay for music that's "controlled". Now to pay for music that is in the controll of ONLY ONE entity/corporation is even worse! I'm a long-time Apple fan. But if I buy a song I want to be the one to decide what to do with it for my own personal use.
 

Jeonat

macrumors regular
Jul 25, 2006
158
0
United Kingdom
I think there is an issue with ownership. Now Apple tout all the time that once I have bought a song from iTunes, I "own" it and it is mine.

But the DRM seems to hamper ownership. Yes, I can play the song. I can burn it to CD if I want (I don't, particuarly). But I can't sell it to someone else, which I could do with a CD. And in years to come, if heaven forbid, Apple go out of business or just get bored of iTunes and shut the whole thing down, will I still have access to my songs? Will I be able to get an authorisation in 50 years time? It's worrying that one day I could just be cut off from the music I have bought.

I know if I buy a CD today, in 50 years time I will still be able to play it. Okay equipment might have moved on, but on the balance of probabilities, I will still be able to get equipment to play my CD from somewhere. That is not necessarily the case with iTunes music.

Obviously this situation is not exclusive to iTunes, Napster and all other music download services have the same potential problem.
 

GFLPraxis

macrumors 604
Mar 17, 2004
7,152
460
My only problem with Apple's DRM is that I can't burn movies to DVD.

I see no problem with the music DRM. I can transfer it between all my computers fine, and I can burn it to CDs fine. No hampering, no problem.

The movies on the other hand, I can't use them on my TV because I can't burn them to a DVD.

Why would I buy an iTunes movie that'll only play on my computer and iPod when I could buy a DVD that'll play on all my TVs and my computers, and I can Handbrake on to my iPod as well?
 

lil' brudder

macrumors 6502
Jan 14, 2007
261
0
Minneapolis, MN
I agree about the dvd burning! But, other than that, the drm
isn't a huge limitation to me. I just burn em and reimport them. I do however still go by apples rules as far as usage of it goes, I just reimport them so I can stick em on my pda.
 

iW00t

macrumors 68040
Nov 7, 2006
3,286
0
Defenders of Apple Guild
My problem with Apple DRM is that they refuse to license it to third parties. So outside of the USA there are no services with Apple's DRM for TV, Movies, etc. As a result, here in the UK all the broadcasters and radio stations have begun to standardise on Windows DRM, which locks Mac users out of many services entirely.

And whilst Apple continues refusing to license their DRM, the problem gets worse. To be honest, I'm getting pretty sick of their inaction.

This is so true.

I once wanted to buy an electronic copy of a game's soundtrack from a site known as directsong.com, ended up it is sold only in WMA for the exact same reason.
 

MacVault

macrumors 65816
Jun 10, 2002
1,144
59
Planet Earth
I think there is an issue with ownership. Now Apple tout all the time that once I have bought a song from iTunes, I "own" it and it is mine.

But the DRM seems to hamper ownership. Yes, I can play the song. I can burn it to CD if I want (I don't, particuarly). But I can't sell it to someone else, which I could do with a CD. And in years to come, if heaven forbid, Apple go out of business or just get bored of iTunes and shut the whole thing down, will I still have access to my songs? Will I be able to get an authorisation in 50 years time? It's worrying that one day I could just be cut off from the music I have bought.

I know if I buy a CD today, in 50 years time I will still be able to play it. Okay equipment might have moved on, but on the balance of probabilities, I will still be able to get equipment to play my CD from somewhere. That is not necessarily the case with iTunes music.

Obviously this situation is not exclusive to iTunes, Napster and all other music download services have the same potential problem.

These are the same issues I've been wondering about too. Yes, what if Apple went out of business or for some reason there is no Apple/iTunes Store to authorize my music in the years to come? Yea, what then? This is why I don't buy from the iTunes Store except when I'm absolutely in a bind and have to have the song right now.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.