2 Comments
Comment By: Huz
I used to use Hymn to remove the copy protection from iTunes Music Store files. It doesn’t work with the latest version of iTunes, but it was great while it lasted. Still doesn’t do you much good if some mishap befalls the unlocked file though, in which case you’ve paid for something you can no longer use. I know this is just like scratching a CD beyond repair, or losing it, but it doesn’t feel the same. You never have a physical copy of a digital download. You know?
In other news, the only thing protecting that Narnia soundtrack was (more than likely) the software that autoran and installed itself the first time you shoved it in the drive. Such technical wizardry can be circumvented by…. holding down Shift when you insert the CD. That stops autorun from functioning. Sad but true.
I’m not opposed to the concept of copy protection per se, I just think publishers need to strike the right balance. I don’t think I had a good rant about that Sony-BMG copy-protection software that was worse than a virus, and it’s probably too late now, but that definitely overstepped the mark. And Apple could quite easily make their own DRM less painful by allowing users to redownload their purchases from anywhere.
I’m less keen on the iTunes Music Store now that Hymn no longer breaks the copy protection, because I don’t like iTunes either. It’s slow and weird-looking and it slows my computer to a crawl. WinAmp all the way, and no more iTunes Music Store until Hymn starts working again, for me.
Man, this comment is virtually longer than the original post itself.
Comment By: stan
Friday 20th January 2006 | 12:40
Of course, if you weren’t so adverse to the whole illegality business, you could just download one of those pieces of software which removes protection from mp3 and wma and most other forms of audio fun.
It’s interesting how companies are broaching this now though – I got the Narnia soundtrack free with my HSBC vouchers and, being the way I am, wanted to copy it to my computer for easy listening at any time without the pain of the physical CD. (This wouldn’t be so much of a pain if I didn’t like 240 miles away from home.) But obviously the CD was heavily protected and I couldn’t rip anything from it. Alas. But then I realised that the on-board player in the CD’s autorun had a record function of its own… so I recorded the CD legally onto my computer for backup using the software supplied on the actual soundtrack. Of course, it made a whole load of protectionist gibberish, but that doesn’t really matter when you own the CD – if I change computers I’ll just rip it again.
Maybe HD-DVD will adopt a similar approach. Anyway, as for buying music, I used Tesco once and that was only in desperation. It was only 79p! And I don’t like iTunes (shut up) and once I was allowed in the DJ box in Hush bar to play some music and it was running from iTunes and I was all confused and it sucked.