RIAA: Ripping CDs to iPod is Not Fair Use

[kedawa]

I don't really see a problem with having all your media on HD.
Sure, it could fail, but if you bought the music from a download service, then your licenses should still be valid and you just download it again for free. If you downloaded it for free in the first place, then you can just do the same thing again.

The problem I see is that the RIAA and MPAA are forcing hardware manufacturers to include DRM technology in their products that is of no benefit to either the manufacturer or the consumer. Why the hell should LG, Samsung, Matsushita, or whoever have to build this shit into their products, and why the fuck should we have to pay for it?

I don't mind if some company like Apple incorporates DRM into their software in order to safeguard their service, because I can always use a different program for my music, but I'll be damned if I can't find a way to get rid of the region lock (which is DRM) in my DVD-ROM drive.

I think in the very near future, we're going to see a very lucrative grey market for DRM free hardware, and I'm going to make damn sure I'm in on it.

[voltz]

Hardware imbedded or not, even that technology can be broken. Should I end up with a DRM based peice in the futue, I'm gonna make damn well sure I can break that protection and do whatever I damn well please.

[Mman]

Yeah, most experienced people will be able to bypass DRM technology eventually. But will your average mom or young kid be able to? Ripping music to your computer is an activity that lots of people do across a wide spectrum of demographics. It might not be enough to stop everybody from doing it, but it is going to make it really hard for a lot of people. What will likely end up happening is an arms raced between the tech and the bypasses, so even if I go and set my mom up with the ability who is to say it will last a couple months down the line?

[Cheebs]

I don't really see a problem with having all your media on HD.
Sure, it could fail, but if you bought the music from a download service, then your licenses should still be valid and you just download it again for free. If you downloaded it for free in the first place, then you can just do the same thing again.

#1: Have fun downloading 6,000 songs when the HD crashes.

#2: Have fun listening to compressed music.

Yeah, all of my songs are on the HD as well. Can't be bothered to locate a CD and put it in the drive when a far superior option is available. But it feels good knowing that I can re-rip a CD any time I want, and it feels good knowing I can rip I in exactly the format at exactly the bitrate I want. I need to really own it, ya know?

[kedawa]

#1: Have fun downloading 6,000 songs when the HD crashes.

#2: Have fun listening to compressed music.

Yeah, all of my songs are on the HD as well. Can't be bothered to locate a CD and put it in the drive when a far superior option is available. But it feels good knowing that I can re-rip a CD any time I want, and it feels good knowing I can rip I in exactly the format at exactly the bitrate I want. I need to really own it, ya know?

I know where you're coming from, but downloading it is really just a last resort. Ideally you would have at least one backup copy of all your stuff, either on another HD or on DVD-R. Most DRM schemes allow you to make as many copies of the files(including licenses) as you want, but require the the system playing them to be properly authorized.

As far as quality goes, I think services like iTunes will eventually clue in and offer at least CD quality content at some point.

[Mr-K]

The iTrip is a piece of crap.

Meh, works better than a lot of other FM transmitters I've come across.

[TobalRox]

but I'll be damned if I can't find a way to get rid of the region lock (which is DRM) in my DVD-ROM drive.

This was the first thing I did on my DVD-ROM drive back in '99. maybe things have changed since then, but it was as simple as downloading a simple program.

[kedawa]

This was the first thing I did on my DVD-ROM drive back in '99. maybe things have changed since then, but it was as simple as downloading a simple program.

It depends on your drive model.
So far there's no firmware hack for mine.

[SpoDaddy]

If CD's have a future, it's $10. There will always be demand for hard copies of music that can't be lost with a computer crash or hard drive failure.