Copy protected CD's

In general, yes, this appears to be true. I don't have any direct experience with copy-protected Audio discs because I refuse to buy them, but from what I have read from other Mac users the new generation of copy-protected Audio discs don't cause problems for very many of us Mac users.

Additionally when talking about these Audio discs you should know they are not traditional "compact discs" or "CDs" since they do not conform to the original Compact Disc Digital Audio standard developed by Phillips. This standard is also known as the Red Book Standard.

That is a bit of a dilemma. On the one hand, you want the album on disc so that you can then import the music how you want it and use it on your iPod. On the other hand the record company wants to illegally curtail your fair-use rights to be able to do this with the disc. So they apply copy-protection which might interfere with how you want to use the music on the disc, then they blame Apple for any trouble you might have. Disingenuous, to say the least.

As you say you could buy the music from iTMS, which is an equitable solution (not for everyone, I know. I'm generalizing.). But then you have song files that are not quite CD quality. It is as if the record companies are treating us as criminals on purpose so we will go to the P2P networks for our music so they have something to complain about. Oh, wait... that sounds suspiciously like a conspiracy theory...

Windows PCs handle copy protected CDs every bit as well as Macs, provided you take some precautions and know what you're doing.

On any platform, some of the very latest copy controlled discs contain loads of intentional CRC errors, so even if you can rip the disc with various jukebox software such as iTunes, you'll end up with hisses and clicks and all sorts of garbage in various places. The best way around this is to use software capable of precise CD reading and error correction. For Windows users, the best software would be EAC. For Mac users, the best software is xACT.

I'd suggest not buying these rogue discs, and should you get one by mistake, send it back as faulty (if it gives you any trouble, that is).

I don't have any experience using copy-protected audio discs with Windows, but does EAC really completely get around the copy-protection?

I agree, Guy. I have not knowingly bought a copy-protected CD since I had a bad experience with two of them in 2002. I sent them back to Amazon as defective and my money was refunded.

Although if the latest generation of copy-protection really doesn't affect Macs, and we are able to rip with impunity I don't really see a problem. Of course that does bring up the question of if the record labels see these discs are selling will they issue more like them? The answer is probably yes, so we should not buy copy-protected discs for just that reason alone.

But I am digressing off the original topic. I don't want to thread-jack away from the OP.

I should say first that here in Finland, there has been a lot of news lately about what consumers can do with copy-controlled discs. As I understand it at the moment, it seems that we are allowed to make copies of them (if technically possible) for personal use, just as with unprotected CDs.

That said, with very few exceptions, no CD rippers use software to circumvent copy protection schemes. Success in ripping copy controlled discs depends on how the disc is recognized by Windows and the ripping technique used. EAC is no different than other popular rippers (even iTunes) in this respect, but it provides the most accurate rips of any program in existence on any platform. The error correction capabilities it has, in addition to countless other features found nowhere else, make it the best ripper to use. For just about any troublesome CD, whether copy controlled or not, there are several different ways to extract the audio with perfect results. If one technique doesn't work, you can try another. I won't outline any specifics, and don't advocate ripping copy controlled discs to anyone not aware of his/her right to do so.

I share the sentiment of others posting in this thread that the best thing to do is to simply refuse to buy copy controlled (corrupt) discs. There have been a couple of recent releases I've bought that are generally sold as copy controlled, but I have made sure to investigate where to buy the same discs without copy control technology, and have ordered them from those markets. When there is no such possibility, I will simply not spend my money on the album. Period.

Thanks for the clarification. I did not think I was understanding what you meant so I wanted to make sure.

I have experience with CopyControlled discs that I imported from a Japanese store and they seem to rip pretty well under a Mac. I didn't had to do anything special to make it work ... it just works. I'm not sure about other kinds of copy protection but CopyControl doesn't seem to phase the Mac.

On a side note, Dave Matthews and a few other bands, even a label, Sony, has posted work-arounds for copy-protected CDs they release which is a nice thing to hear. The simplest method based on their FAQs would be to use a Mac since it's almost no-hassle when it comes to importing. Yay for being a Mac user, I'd say.

StarDeb:

In general, at this time, Mac users are not affected as badly as Win users by copy protection. ie, I haven't bought a single CD that I haven't been able to rip with iTunes. But unless we take action that will eventually change. In time the music cartel will force hardware manufacturers and software developers to build Digital Restrictions Management technology into their devices and we'll all be playing to their tune.

So now is the time to fight back. I have written two form letters and with each new CD I buy I send one of the two letters (appropriately personalized) to both the artist and label. One letter thanks the artist and label for respecting my fair use rights and contains a promise that I will never willingly or knowingly abuse the owner's rights. The second letter condemns the artist and label for their use of copy protection methods. In this second letter I inform the artist that it is the last CD I will buy and that I will no longer support them in any fashion until they stop allowing their music to be sold with copy protection.

The more vigorously (and respectfully) we stand up and make our opinions known the better our chances for stopping this insanity before it destroys the music industry.

""....and we'll all be playing to their tune. ""

Well it is their music after all.

And these CDs do play in your computer don't they?

In my opinion, this is not the point. The point to opposing copy-protected CDs is because the the record labels are assuming, in advance, that you are going to pirate their product. They are assuming that just because you are buying their product you are a criminal. I don't know about you but that bothers me. For the same reason I oppose copy-protected CDs (I'm not a music pirate) I do not allow retailers to search any bag I might carry into their establishment. If they insist I no longer shop at at that store. The same with copy-protected CDs. I wont' buy them.

Additionally, they are violating "fair use" provisions of current copy right laws by attempting to not allow us to import the songs to our computers then to our iPods, or other digital music players.

Robert - your quick remark ""Well it is there music after all" ignores two central facts.

1) DRM destroys fair use - makes it utterly and completely meaningless
2) the iPod would have been an expensive toy and little else had our only source for music been the iTunes store (and P2P)

Its follow up "And these CDs do play in your computer don't they?" ignores another pithy fact. A European music executive remarked last week that playing a music CD in our computer isn't a right, its a privilege. One, I gather, he'd like to take from us.

Your attitude will let the music cartel whittle away our consumer rights until we have none.