[Rumori] new sony copy protection

stAllio! the original wanksta stalliongsta at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 10 07:48:27 PST 2003


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20031110/tc_nm/media_sonymusic_dc

the last paragraph says it all:

----
Sony Music Sings New Copy-Protection Tune
By Derek Caney

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sony Music (6758.T), home to such artists as
Beyonce Knowles and Bruce Springsteen, on Monday said it plans to
introduce new CD technology in Germany that prevents users from copying
songs to file-sharing sites, but allows them to make copies for their
personal use.

The record industry blames its recent sales slump on file-sharing
services like KaZaa, which it says are havens for piracy. Last year,
major labels issued "copy-protected" CDs that prevent them from being
played on computers.

The copy-protected discs faced a backlash from customers and music
fans, and several lawsuits emerged from some customers that complained
these CDs caused their computers and other devices to malfunction.

But Sony thinks it has an appealing approach: Give customers added
incentives to buy copy-protected CDs.

On Monday, Sony will release rhythm & blues group Naturally Seven's new
CD in Germany with a so-called "second session." The disc can be played
on almost any device conventionally, said Sony Music Chief Technology
Officer Phil Wiser.

It also contains a compressed digital copy of the music that can be
quickly copied onto any computer. From the computer, users can copy
that music onto Sony portable digital music players.

The CD's also allow users to connect to Web sites with exclusive
features such as bonus songs and concert tickets. The features are only
available if you have the original CD.

Such features are already available with Sony artists like Tori Amos
and AC/DC. But the new discs combine the "second session" copy
protection with the bonus features, which Sony has dubbed "ConnecteD."

Sony will evaluate customers' reaction to the new technology before
introducing it in other countries. Wiser declined to specify a
timetable for which the technology will be available in the United
States.

"We believe we can deliver more value by delivering more immediate
content, an interactive experience, a better experience. Even if you
could go to a (file-sharing) site and download a single song, you won't
get the kind of content that we can deliver."

A label on the disc will say it includes the new copy protection
software features.

There are several limitations. The digital files will only play on
Sony-licensed digital music players. Wiser said Sony is working on
"plug-in's" that will allow the files to be played on more popular
players like Microsoft's Windows Media. He expects the plug-ins to be
available early next year.

To copy the music to the Sony portable player, the technology requires
an extra step to copy the files to a separate program to transfer the
music to the portable player.

At this point, music can be transferred only to Sony portable players,
although Sony executives note that Apple Computer's popular iTunes
service works the same way with the Apple-branded iPod.

Earlier this year, BMG introduced similar technology with its hip-hop
performer Anthony Hamilton.

BMG, which announced plans to merge with Sony Music last week, is using
software from SunnComm Technologies to restrict the amount of copies
that could be made of Hamilton's music. The software, however, did not
work on some operating systems and was quickly hacked.

"All copy-protections can be hacked," Wiser said. "But if give people
what they are asking for in terms of value, they won't go out and steal
it. It's called trusting the consumer." 
----

er...  if they trust the consumer so much, why are they using copy
protection in the first place?  that comment is blatantly contradictory.

=====
"I am so happy that taste can be refined into a defined logarithm. I'll 
never have to think again!"
http://www.animalswithinanimals.com
http://badtastesucks.com

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