Help With Sony CD Copy Protection!

Hi,

I recently purchased a music CD that was an import disc from the UK not
available here in the US. I didn't realize until I receieved it and
wanted to copy it's tracks to my hard drive with the rest of my MP3
collection that Sony apparently has a copy protection device on this
CD! I have hundreds of CDs and have never seen this before.

Apparently, in order for me to copy and play these tracks on my
computer I must download and use Sony Music Player!

I do NOT want to make illegal copies of this CD and I paid well over
$25 for this CD as it's hard to get and I had to wait weeks for it to
come from the UK.

However, I have my entire music library ripped to my hard drive so I
can enjoy it on my PC, my Dell MP3 player and on my Tivo so I can play
my music on the main home sterio system.

OF COURSE, this wonderful trick from Sony means I can't add this ONE CD
to my LEGAL music library nor can I use it with any of the other MP3
equipment I own!

I use iTunes for organizing most of my files (2000+). Of course, when I
try and import the tracks from this CD they come across all choppy
because of the copy protection.

Is there ANY way to get these files to iTunes or where I can play them
on something other than this Sony Music Player? Kinda stupid for me to
have this software loaded for ONE CD when my few hundred other CD's are
ripped elsewhere.

Not trying to break any laws here, just trying to enjoy the music I
paid for!

Ryan wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I recently purchased a music CD that was an import disc from the UK not
> available here in the US. I didn't realize until I receieved it and
> wanted to copy it's tracks to my hard drive with the rest of my MP3
> collection that Sony apparently has a copy protection device on this
> CD! I have hundreds of CDs and have never seen this before.
> 
> Apparently, in order for me to copy and play these tracks on my
> computer I must download and use Sony Music Player!
> 
> I do NOT want to make illegal copies of this CD and I paid well over
> $25 for this CD as it's hard to get and I had to wait weeks for it to
> come from the UK.
> 
> However, I have my entire music library ripped to my hard drive so I
> can enjoy it on my PC, my Dell MP3 player and on my Tivo so I can play
> my music on the main home sterio system.
> 
> OF COURSE, this wonderful trick from Sony means I can't add this ONE CD
> to my LEGAL music library nor can I use it with any of the other MP3
> equipment I own!
> 
> I use iTunes for organizing most of my files (2000+). Of course, when I
> try and import the tracks from this CD they come across all choppy
> because of the copy protection.
> 
> Is there ANY way to get these files to iTunes or where I can play them
> on something other than this Sony Music Player? Kinda stupid for me to
> have this software loaded for ONE CD when my few hundred other CD's are
> ripped elsewhere.
> 
> Not trying to break any laws here, just trying to enjoy the music I
> paid for!

Have you tried writing over the outer groove or two with black felt-tip
pen? I know the procedure only by hearsay.


Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
�����������������������������������������������������������������������

Ryan wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I recently purchased a music CD that was an import disc from the UK not
> available here in the US. I didn't realize until I receieved it and
> wanted to copy it's tracks to my hard drive with the rest of my MP3
> collection that Sony apparently has a copy protection device on this
> CD! I have hundreds of CDs and have never seen this before.
> 
> Apparently, in order for me to copy and play these tracks on my
> computer I must download and use Sony Music Player!

You didn't say what operating system you tried this on. These
copy protection schemes simply don't work on Linux systems,
allowing you to rip the CD without hassle.

Erik
-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
  Erik de Castro Lopo  nospam@mega-nerd.com (Yes it's valid)
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
Spammer:     Any of you guys looking for a permanent position in Scotland?
Kaz Kylheku: No, I'm looking for a thug in Scotland who might be interested
             in beating up off-topic Usenet spammers, on a pro bono basis.

Ryan wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I recently purchased a music CD that was an import disc from the UK
not
> available here in the US. I didn't realize until I receieved it and
> wanted to copy it's tracks to my hard drive with the rest of my MP3
> collection that Sony apparently has a copy protection device on this
> CD! I have hundreds of CDs and have never seen this before.
>
> Apparently, in order for me to copy and play these tracks on my
> computer I must download and use Sony Music Player!
[... snip ...]
> Not trying to break any laws here, just trying to enjoy the music I
> paid for!

The rumour over here (Scandinavia) is that both the audience and
the artists are very sceptical to CD copy protection, for the exact
reasons you mention: Music is no longer used only on the CD player,
and people want to bring their legally bought music in the format
that suits them.

The pressure is, apparently, so strong that some publishers (I don't
know if Sony was among them) have decided to abandon copy protection
on CDs.

Complain to your local salesman of CD players, MP3 players or
whatever, make them know what you think of their practice. Make
sure you mention this to a Sony dealer. He will not be able to
help you, but he might register your opinion about Sony products,
which he ought to be interested in hearing. Perhaps the band whos
CD you bought would like to hear your opinions as well.

Rune

Use Windows media player (8.0 or higher) cd ripping facility.

You can always make an analog copy of it!  I know it's not as elegant and you 
will need to manually trim the ends, name the tracks, etc. but it is certain to 
work.  Most CD-ROM drives have an analog connection to your sound-card that you 
could use.  Or connect the output of a standard CD player to the line-in on your 
sound card.  I wouldn't want to do that for my whole collection, but it 
shouldn't be too much trouble for 1 disk.

"Ryan" <welziak@snet.net> wrote in message 
news:1103421472.862414.221840@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>
> Is there ANY way to get these files to iTunes or where I can play them
> on something other than this Sony Music Player? Kinda stupid for me to
> have this software loaded for ONE CD when my few hundred other CD's are
> ripped elsewhere. 

I've heard of that too.  Try here:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2294
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,52665,00.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/05/14/marker_pens_sticky_tape_crack/
http://www.audiorevolution.com/news/0701/24.safeaudio.shtml

"Jerry Avins" <jya@ieee.org> wrote in message 
news:32kbomF3ngi8uU1@individual.net...
> Have you tried writing over the outer groove or two with black felt-tip
> pen? I know the procedure only by hearsay.