[Pierre Lambion]

I guess most of you will have read about Universal and TimeWarner upcoming cd protections.

I do not intent to launch a debate about the legitimacy of it but about the consequence for normal/CDP listening (I already know it will be plain annoying to copy them on my MD unit!).

I understood those protections consist in errors in the CD TOC. Will it have any impact on sound quality when played on a CDP? Anyone tested?

Thanks in advance for your opinions and comments,

Pierre

 

[Peddler]

My suggestion is to purchase these CD's - copy them using analogue if necessary and then TAKE THEM BACK!

Under no circumstances should the industry think for one minute that we are going to put up with this - express your vote by consumer power. once they look at their sales figures and return figures they may have a rethink. It's the duty of every MD and MP3 user out there to do this now before the rot really sets in.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Pierre Lambion]

Well, I am quite upset by such a decision. Especially when CD's are already pretty expensive and majors benefits margins so large. 50% of my MD are my OWN CDs copied digitally. Of course, it leaves around 60 MD copied from CDs borrowed from friends ... So, I am not completely innocent and victim in this stuff.

But the worse would be to sacrifice sound quality to achieve this protection.
Many are convinced that the transition from vinyl to CDs caused a quality loss. Now, instead of pushing SACD seriously, they are ready to compromise CD quality ... Such a politic would have long term detriment for music lovers.

The majors being so focused on mainstream audience, they will end up neglecting more and more quality (cf quality of pcdp sacrificed to more autonomy/anti-skip/...).

But I am not sure I have all the facts straights. It is just what I fear from what I read.

I dont know if the protection causes quality loss.

P.

 

[dngl]

the copy protection is in the error checking bits of the CD. From that, I assume that it injures the CRC process of playback.

 

[gloco]

I have read that they would add files for pc users to use to make mp3's from. In other words, instead of taking the .cda/wav files and converting them to mp3's at your leisure, they will include inferior versions, i guess in some compressed state, for pc users. I wouldnt be surprised if they do something like 64kb/22khz (radio quality). So all the mp3 users will be screwed as well as pc burner folks who make mixes for the road. Real bastards if you ask me.

However i do know that stores pay something like $10-$11 for a new cd (one box slot has 30 cds). Older cds cost considerably less, something like $7, like the "super savers."

George

 

[Peddler]

Buy em - copy em (using analogue if necessary), get it processed into high quality MP3 format, post on the net and then TAKE THEM BACK AND GET A REFUND!

If everyone who disagrees with this protection does this, it won't take long before they get the message and drop it. That's what I hope anyway.

 

[DanG]

I wanted to put several Jimi Hendrix songs from the 6-month-old Voodoo Child collection, a collection with some previously-unreleased tracks which is remastered to a level higher than the individual albums.

I copied the ones I wanted to my computer in .wav files -- I often like being able to make a playlist in winamp to listen to on my speakers when I'm doing work. Lo and behold, the tracks were just huge empty files!

Thanks, MCA, now I know that Big Brother really is watching my back for me.