[t.toner at NTLWORLD.COM: tech buffs crack copy-protected CDs with a marker]

[Buddy Brannan]

Ohmigod, this is *so!* funny! 

----- Forwarded message from Barry <t.toner at NTLWORLD.COM> -----

To: HANDS at MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU

>
> 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.
>
> The new technology aims to prevent consumers from copying, or "burning,"
> music onto recordable CDs or onto their computer hard drives, which can
then
> be shared with other users over file-sharing Internet services such as
Kazaa
> or Morpheus MusicCity.
>
> SONY AGGRESSIVE ANTI-PIRACY PUSH
>
> Monday, Reuters obtained an ordinary copy of Celine Dion's newest release
"A
> New Day Has Come," which comes embedded with Sony's "Key2Audio"
technology.
>
> After an initial attempt to play the disc on a PC resulted in failure, the
> edge of the shiny side of the disc was blackened out with a felt tip
marker.
> The second attempt with the marked-up CD played and copied to the hard
drive
> without a hitch.
>
> Internet postings claim that tape or even a sticky note can also be used
to
> cover the security track, typically located on the outer rim of the disc.
> And there are suggestions that copy protection schemes used by other music
> labels can also be circumvented in a similar way.
>
> Sony's proprietary technology, deployed on many recent releases, works by
> adding a track to the copy-protected disc that contains bogus data.
>
> Because computer hard drives are programmed to read data files first, the
> computer will continuously try to play the bogus track first. It never
gets
> to play the music tracks located elsewhere on the compact disc.
>
> The effect is that the copy-protected disc will play on standard CD
players
> but not on computer CD-Rom drives, some portable devices and even some car
> stereo systems.
>
> Some Apple Macintosh users have reported that playing the disc in the
> computer's CD drive causes the computer to crash. The cover of the
> copy-protected discs contain a warning that the album will not play on
> Macintoshes or other personal computers.
>
> Apple has since posted a warning on its website at:
>
http://kbase.info.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/kbase.woa/wa/query?searchMode
> -Assisted&type-id&val-KC.106882.
>
> Sony Music Europe has taken the most aggressive anti-piracy stance in the
> business. Since last fall, the label has shipped more than 11 million
> copy-protected discs in Europe, with the largest proportion going to
> Germany, a market label executives claim is rife with illegal CD-burning.
>
> J.J. Meddaugh - jj at bestmidi.com
>
>
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----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV/3  | I choose you to take up all of my time.
Email: davros at ycardz.com | I choose you because you're funny and kind
                         | I want easy people from now on.
                         | --the Nields