´Copy Proof´ CD´s? NOT.

[greenfreak]

'Copy Proof' CD's? NOT.

LONDON (Reuters) -- Technology buffs have cracked music publishing giant Sony Music's elaborate disc copy-protection technology with a decidedly low-tech method: scribbling around the rim of a disk with a felt-tip marker.

Internet newsgroups have been circulating news of the discovery for the past week, and in typical newsgroup style, users have pilloried Sony for deploying "hi-tech" copy protection that can be defeated by paying a visit to a stationery store.

"I wonder what type of copy protection will come next?" one posting on alt.music.prince read. "Maybe they'll ban markers."

Sony did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Major music labels, including Sony and Universal Music, have begun selling the "copy-proof" discs as a means of tackling the rampant spread of music piracy, which they claim is eating into sales.

Source: CNN

 

[Luis G]

They invested millions.....and we only need to invest US$2

 

[ris]

the irony for me is that you need top have those markers for writing on the top of the blank.....

 

[MitchSchaft]

I was gonna say ban markers, but somebody beat me to it!

 

[ihcra]

In response to this news, the RIAA has started legal proceedings to ban the sale of felt tipped markers. "Felt tip markers are depriving artists of their well being and are responsible for a dip in over all CD sales." Bertelsman has responded by purchasing several felt tip marker makers. Senator Fritz Hollings is introducing new legislation called "The Consumer Marker Technology Protection Bill" that forces all marker makers to develop new markers that won't write on CDs. In doing so, according to Senator Hollings, all new markets for HD television and broadband will open up because content providers need not fear markers. Though there may be a slight increase in the price of these new markers, it is felt the overall result will be wider use of markers for RIAA and DISNEY sanctioned activities. Michael Eisner is scheduled to testify about the dangers of black markers in Congress, and taking an entirely unexpected stand on the matter, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer stated that black markers are the tools of communists. Apple Computer has created a new slogan for its digital hub strategy, "Mark, Rip, Wipe, Mix, Burn. It's your marker."

 

[Luis G]

Originally posted by MitchSchaft
I was gonna say ban markers, but somebody beat me to it!

(i knew it, i knew it) hahaha

Palabras del dia:[/]
love = amor
to love = amar
[/size]

 

[sbcanada]

Long live warez and mp3!!!

 

[mx-6*]

Doesn't it seem strange that someone would actually paint part of their CD with a black magic marker in the first place?

The reason that people paint part of the CD black with markers is that some people believe that it stops some of the reflection and makes the music sound better. I'm not joking. Alot of Audiophiles do it to all of their CD's and they swear that the difference is very noticable. I'm not sure if it works and I don't plan on trying it unless I want to make a copy of something and can't but its funny that doing that clears the copy protection.

 

[Justintime]

known about markers for years, something about light absorbtion, god bless STEREOPHILE

 

[outside looking in]

 

[Luis G]

Originally posted by mx-6*
Doesn't it seem strange that someone would actually paint part of their CD with a black magic marker in the first place?

The reason that people paint part of the CD black with markers is that some people believe that it stops some of the reflection and makes the music sound better. I'm not joking. Alot of Audiophiles do it to all of their CD's and they swear that the difference is very noticable. I'm not sure if it works and I don't plan on trying it unless I want to make a copy of something and can't but its funny that doing that clears the copy protection.

I have my doubts about quality, it could certainly sound different, but better ?, they are stopping some reflection, thus stoping also some flow of data from the cd to the reader, which makes the copyprotection to go south...


go south??, what's the story behind it?

I hope south does not mean Mexico.......

 

[Justintime]

Has something to with clearing up the music somehow, few tests were carried out and most audiophiles didna feel any real difference i think.

 

[Justintime]

btw, you bastit, i'm waiting on you to authorize me on icq now

 

[Luis G]

Done...

 

[outside looking in]

I'm sure that the copy protection defeat is to color in the underside of the CD, around the edges, to completely block reading of data from those sectors.

I don't think I've ever heard of using a marker on a CD to improve sound quality, and I've been an avid audiophile for years. Maybe it's just a European thing.

I think they are probably marking on the top (label) side of the CD though, not on the bottom as in this case for copy protection. Marking on the top will do nothing but absorb light that isn't reflected back to the laser, but passes through a pit or land. I'm not sure how that could help things at all, unless it helped keep reflections down that aren't supposed to be there. I would think any label would have to be removed for this to have any effect at all though, unless the CD was mostly transparent with just text on the surface.

Weird beans.

 

[Gomez Addams]

I have heard claims of various types of marking improving CD sound. When CDs first came out people were using green pens around the edges.

The fact of the matter is that the data is DIGITAL. Marking on a CD will have NO EFFECT on it. Even if the marking was to distort a word or two there is an immense amount of error correction data on a CD and the lost data would be fixed by the player. This is why a disk with radial scratches can still be played correctly.

Sorry to get riled up. I always get annoyed when I read such claims about CDs. The next thing you know, we will hear that taking a pen to a DVD will sharpen the video image. Yea, right.

However, it is true that the first CD players and digital recording equipment were noticeably inferior to today's. I'll explain why if anyone wants to know why. The key point is that you want a player that hays 8X (or higher) oversampling. That is a good thing.

ihcra: if that weren't so plausable it would be hilarious.