Santana -All That I Am CD won't import, way around?

There is no way you could avoid this issue without downloading extra software to copy the files. You have a new copy-protected cd in your hands. This is the record label's way to retaliate against Apple's Music Store for taking a lot of the music industry's sales. I suggest returning the cd to the store stating your problem, and buy it from the iTunes Music Store. You might also want to write a letter to the artist and record label. This is becoming a common problem now. This also goes for the "new" Dave Matthews cd Stand Up, Foo Fighters In Your Honour, and many more cds. Just make sure the cd is not on Capitol, BMG, or Sony if you want to copy a cd.

From Amazon.com

Content/ Copy-Protected CD
This product limits your ability to make multiple digital copies of its content, and you will not be able to play this disc or make copies onto devices not listed as compatible. Content/ copy protected CDs should allow limited burning, as well as ripping into secure Windows Media Audio formats for playback with most compatible media players and portable devices. In rare cases, these CDs may not be compatible with computer CD-ROM players, DVD players, game consoles, or car CD stereos, and often are not transferable to other formats like MP3.

Not getting my money, November 1, 2005
Reviewer: bostonears (Lincoln, MA United States) - See all my reviews
This review isn't commenting on Santana's new music, but on the CD, specifically the copy protection. I won't be buying "All That I Am" as long as it is in copy protected form that prevents me from listening to a CD that I PURCHASE on any device that I want to listen to it. I looked at this disc in a store, and the list of copy protection compatibility restrictions reads like warnings for a prescription drug. Among other things, you can only rip the disc on a PC to WMA format with rights management using Windows Media Player, and apparently cannot rip it to MP3 format.

Review:
I have been a huge Santana fan since the very beginning. I have seen the group live twice, and I have owned at least 10 of the albums over the years. But, sorry Carlos, I won't be buying this one as long as it is in this restricted form.

Review
The quality of the recording is very poor particularly after ripping it into itunes. The sound is empty. I would not buy this CD.
/review-Amazon

The only work around I know of is to buy the "album" via the iTunes music store. But if the future of music is to purchase 2 copies of everything, one compressed and one uncompressed, I think you will see much more pirated music. But that's just my opinion.

Mike

Carol, you have now learned the hard way, unfortunately, about the "evils of copy-protected CD's. When I buy CD's any more, I am extremely careful to check to make sure they aren't copy-protected. I'm a huge Santana fan & did some checking on the new CD prior to release, discovered it was copy-protected, & downloaded it from the store this afternoon. I am in total agreement with Katie, TAKE IT BACK! Get the store manager & politely but firmly tell him that this isn't even a real CD due to the copy-protection & it denies you your "fair use" rights, & you would appreciate a refund. Until we the consumers, refuse to buy this type of CD's, the record companies will continue to deny us our fair use rights.

The copy protection is not in retaliation against Apple & iTunes. The record companies are using various forms of copy protection to stop illegal file sharing. There is no way around the copy protection to get these CD's into iTunes & on to your iPod.

That too, but I do know for a fact that the record companies are really mad about the iTunes Music Store, Deb. You're right also though - one of the reasons why the disc makers are doing this is to stop piracy. (75% of sales in the music industry are in the music store.) I read about this issue in the Rolling Stone magazine, and I still have the issue.

I just purchased the All that I Am CD 2 days ago in Florida, imported it to iTunes, synced iTunes with my iPod and have listened to it all the way through at least twice. No skips or problems detected. I did nothing special at all.

Tristinator, that is truly strange because the CD is clearly advertised as being copy-protected. I have no idea as to how you got so lucky because PC's normally can't handle the copy-protecttion.

Good article that explains the disconnect between Apple/itunes and the copy protected CDs from Sony-BMG-RCA:

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121949,00.asp

Also, this is straight from the Sony-BMG site. My opinion is this is just a continuation of the PC vs Apple war...Microsoft obviosly is weilding some control by forcing our hand with the protected WMP files and singling out the ipod/Apple. Anyone heard of a class action lawsuit yet to make the two sides work together? We need one.

"Apple's proprietary technology doesn't support secure music formats other than their own and therefore the music on this disc can't be directly imported into iTunes or iPods.

Sony BMG wants music to be easily transferable to any device that supports secure music. Currently, music from our protected CDs may be transferred to hundreds of such devices, as both Microsoft and Sony have assisted to make the user experience on our discs as seamless as possible with their secure formats.

Unfortunately, in order to directly and smoothly rip content into iTunes it requires the assistance of Apple. To date, Apple has not been willing to cooperate with our protection vendors to make ripping to iTunes and to the iPod a simple experience.

If you believe that you should be able to easily move tracks from your protected CD to your iPod then we encourage you to use the following link to contact Apple directly and tell them so. http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipod.html "

Matthew, welcome to discussions! Thanks, for the link to the PCWorld article, very interesting. The one thing I disagree with is asking Apple to accommodate other record companies, etc. Apple/iPod is the leading portable music player on the market & it's my opinion that it's absolutely the height of arrogance on the record companies part to try to force Apple to yield to their demands. It's all about economics, Apple has the LION's share of the market & record companies, along with Microsoft will do whatever they can to cut into that share. I DO NOT buy copy-controlled CD's & as long as we, as consumers, purchase these CD's the record companies will continue to attempt to deny us our "fair use" rights.

Your boycott of the copy protected CDs may constitute a personal moral victory, but let's be honest, you have a 9% chance of it actually making a difference...half of the eligible voters in this country won't even vote for the President; I highly doubt the masses will form in protest to the copy protection discs that double as a veil to hide the Microsoft attack on Apple and iTunes.

"Apple's proprietary technology doesn't support secure music formats other than their own and therefore the music on this disc can't be directly imported into iTunes or iPods."

If it really is just a file security support issue, then why won't Apple concede? Ah, because there must be more to the story. To me it is apparent that Microsoft is getting slammed in the portable digital music battles and they are leveraging the record companies for help. What happens when in 2-3 years 75% of the music sold in stores on Compact disc cannot be imported to ipods?

1)iPod users will have to be almost entirely dependent upon the itunes store, 2)Apple loses the battle all together.

Ipod users are being targeted by Microsoft and the Record industry. Remember when Microsoft got in trouble for their heavy handed ways with Internet Explorer?? Same story, different media.

OK, so start by boycotting the copy protected discs, but what else can we do? I prefer to own the CDs and the art work and I like full use of them, especially in the modern age of portability. I don't like being stuck in the middle of this pi$$ing match because I am PC user with an iPod.

Maybe I'll send a letter to Bill Gates and the record companies too.

Matthew, go for it! Mr. Gates & his companies tactics are one of the reasons I switched to an iMac a month ago.

Debbie

I would not put any "Music CD" into my computer that would try to do anything but allow me to play music. Period. It is not a boycott, it is common sense. More and more people are going to side with Debbie.

I found some other info in doing some research this morning, plus in an email I got back from Sony-BMG. I responded to another post, so I'll just cross reference here:

Matthew Wilder, "Copy Control Technology on New Audio CDs" #1, 11:37am Nov 6, 2005 CDT

Thanks, Deano. I learned from my participation in the forums about what copy-controlled CD's can do to your PC. That is the main reason I make sure I don't purchase them, besides being unable to exercise my "fair use rights."

Debbie

Here is another article on Sony's DRM. It's the equivalent to a Trojan horse. It installs when you play the CD, and can't be removed.
http://www.cnet.com/4520-6033_1-6376177.html?tag=nl.e501