Help me with my stupid protected audio cd

[wrongfullyaccuzd]

OK so I bought this CD today (Hed PE "Only In Amerika," if you're curious) and I popped it in my computer, expecting iTunes to pick it up and get me the track names and stuff and get ready to import, like every CD ever. So I wait and wait and iTunes acts like it's not there. I open the directory in Explorer and hit the autostart icon, which, obviously, had not kicked in. And this window pops up saying I can use it to copy the CD to my computer, but I hit the "?" icon first, which informs me that this mystery program will copy the songs onto my computer in WMA. OK, fine, I do it. Then I open MusicMatch and play the CD straight from there, and all the songs are fucked up, like skipping and shit. But when the CD plays straight from the program on the CD, it works fine.

So I try using both iTunes and MusicMatch to convert the WMA files to MP3 and it won't let me. I even try converting the WAV files directly from the CD into MP3 using MusicMatch, but it doesn't see the CD.

I want to be able to listen to these in iTunes and basically do whatever the hell I want with them. I tried searching the CD for WAVs and every kind of music file, and nothing came up.

This is a huge pain in my ass. Suggestions?! Please help.

[the_marq]

Take it back to the store you bought it from and write a letter of complaint to the music publisher, the artist and anyone else connected to this shit. You have seen the future of copy protection, no longer should you have to put up with this.

[bendsley]

Here is some information about the copy protection on the CD and how to get around it.

Hope it helps.

http://weblogs.asp.net/christoc/arch...08/151147.aspx
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~jhalderm/cd3/

[Hardknock]

The_marq is absolutely right. It's for this very reason why I don't buy CD's anymore and I still download my music. I'm REFUSE to pay $20 for a CD not to be able to do what I want with it when I want.

More RIAA bullshit. I won't submit to it.

[trickyy]

if you can play it on your computer, you can certainly copy it. this is why most copy protection schemes are kind of worthless...

if all else fails, try this:
you need to open the windows volume properties on your taskbar, then Options > Properties > Recording
Make sure CD player or Wave Out Mix are checked
Hit OK, now you should have the recording volume levels and the ability to select which one you want (check CD or Wave Out).

now you can record any sound from your computer/cd player as a wav file, provided you have a program such as cool edit to do it for you. (i don't think windows sound recorder uses optimum sound quality.) a cd sample rate is 44.1 kHz, and don't forget to check your volume levels throughout the process.

[connyosis]

I'd return it and download it from allofmp3.com. But maybe that's just me.

Edit: Oh nevermind, noticed it wasn't there yet.

In any case, this copy protection bullshit is nothing you should accept. I'm thinking if more people actually cared and complained to record companies, things might change. We can only hope for the best.

[Cereberus]

To ask what may be a stupid question, is the store going to accept a return of an opened CD?

I think I would tell them it doesn't play.

Just goes to show what happens when the RIAA gets their hands on anything.

[sashime76]

I haven't used it myself but Elby's AnyDVD also "unprotects" audio CDs.

[wrongfullyaccuzd]

This is so much bullshit. I tried bendsley's link (which I appreciate a lot, by the way, thank you) and I went through the steps but I don't know the name of the driver that's specific to this CD, so I didn't know what to disable.
I haven't tried using a sound recorder yet because I don't have anything that would give me decent quality.
This really beats. I'm definitely going to write a letter of complaint and demand my money back. No, the store won't accept a return, just an exchange for the same product. I'm going to see if I can't send it back to the record company or the distributor or something, this is bullshit. I hope they realize it's shit like this that encourages me to download and fileshare.
Thanks for all the moral support, fellas.

[braisler]

So take it to the store, exchange it for the same product using the "it didn't play" remark from above, then return the unopened copy at another branch of the same store for your money back. Doesn't sound ethical? F*ck 'em! They are the problem, not you.

[KMA-628]

ok, different question, similar topic -

Would this relate to new CD's and older car stereo's?

I have driven the same car for 14 years since it was new (1991 toyota cressida) and the CD i bought just the other day won't play in my car (original sound system) but it will play on my computer without a problem.

Any relation to this problem?

[connyosis]

Could be yeah. Older CD players can have big problems playing copy protected CDs. It should say somewhere on the case whether it uses copy protection or not. Take a look.

[shadowalker]

Originally Posted by braisler

So take it to the store, exchange it for the same product using the "it didn't play" remark from above, then return the unopened copy at another branch of the same store for your money back. Doesn't sound ethical? F*ck 'em! They are the problem, not you.

Most stores will return for the same cd, but many many places open the wrap before handing it back to you. So you cannot return it.

[glytch]

Since you bought it, you legally own the material. Why not just download the songs from your favorite source now? I doubt there would be anyone that would have a problem with this, since you've already spent your money on this material.

[Ambient1]

Originally Posted by wrongfullyaccuzd

This is so much bullshit. I tried bendsley's link (which I appreciate a lot, by the way, thank you) and I went through the steps but I don't know the name of the driver that's specific to this CD, so I didn't know what to disable.
I haven't tried using a sound recorder yet because I don't have anything that would give me decent quality.
This really beats. I'm definitely going to write a letter of complaint and demand my money back. No, the store won't accept a return, just an exchange for the same product. I'm going to see if I can't send it back to the record company or the distributor or something, this is bullshit. I hope they realize it's shit like this that encourages me to download and fileshare.
Thanks for all the moral support, fellas.

Please do... there's nothing that pisses me off more than when I buy a CD and I can't rip it.

I'm always around a computer, so 99% of the music I listen to at home or the office is in MP3 format.

I also have a ipod that I take everywhere.

And lastly, after losing 50 cd's that I had left in my car (and finding out that my car insurance wouldn't cover it), I only keep a copy in my car. The original stays on the shelf at home all the time. I also have a MP3 head unit in my car, so most of the cd's in my car hold 4 or 5 albums on a single disc.

The one thing I have found is that often a retailer will have two versions of the cd on their shelf. Sometimes I have noticed that some cd's on the shelf are from a different "revision" and lack the copy protection.

But basically, If I get a cd home and can't rip it, I will go out of my way to let the record company know that I will be downloading a copy.

[sixate]

Originally Posted by sashime76

I haven't used it myself but Elby's AnyDVD also "unprotects" audio CDs.

You would be correct.

Either way, you shoulda just downloaded it. It's not Like Hed PE is actually gonna get any of your money. If you want to support them go to one of their shows.

[citrid]

Originally Posted by the_marq

Take it back to the store you bought it from and write a letter of complaint to the music publisher, the artist and anyone else connected to this shit. You have seen the future of copy protection, no longer should you have to put up with this.

... yeah right ... this also made me bring the CD back to the store and let me put up a search query for these in the ed2k-net instead

U guys @RIAA are so f*cking clever !

Bugging ur clients off geting it from "alternative" sources ... haha


sorry ..... greetz, CITRUS

[Hain]

Originally Posted by glytch

Since you bought it, you legally own the material. Why not just download the songs from your favorite source now? I doubt there would be anyone that would have a problem with this, since you've already spent your money on this material.

I would suggest the same thing. That or mess with Windows Media Player till you can rip CDs into odd formats. There are cracks on the web. I've never needed anything since there has never been a problem with "copy protection," yet. Media Center XP might be good for something.

Originally Posted by Citrid

U guys @RIAA are so f*cking clever !

You know where I can buy one of those shirts with "Hey RIAA!" on one side and "FUCK YOU!" on the other (real world stores would be preferable)?

[t3m3st]

This is why for the last 4 years I have only bought 6 CD's. And yet my music collection won't fit on an iPod Photo. Pft, 60 gig, soo small. My policy is that I check the torrent sites to see if I can find what I'm looking for. If it's not there, I check iTunes. I spend about $40 a month on iTunes now. I've been buying from them for about 2 months now. If it's not on iTunes, I'll check Best Buy or HMV or wherever, and I'm usually just discouraged alltogether when I see the prices. I'll look for what I'm looking for, then I'll look for what I bought on iTunes to see what amazing packaging I'm missing out on. Then I'm happy I paid 9.99 instead of 24.99. I use an iPod. Why am I gonna buy a CD?

Good luck with the ripping dude.

[trache]

Use Exact Audio Copy.

It will read the CD 3 times before it finishes, and you can read the CD at any speed (I suggest 1x) to make sure it gets it right.

If that doesn't work, and it's the "ring-type" of copy-protection, wherein you can see a physical ring around the edge of the under-side of the CD, put a piece of clear plastic tape on the underside CD itself on a tangent to the ring. That way the drive will not be able to read that section properly, defeating the copy-protection altogether.

I successfully ripped a purchased copy of Massive Attack's "Future Proof" CD when it was released some time ago last year.

I promptly e-mailed EMIs quality control (I believe the address is qc@emi.ca or something to that effect) and bitched to them mentioning the fact I couldn't play it in 5 separate <em>audio only</em> CD players. After about 2 weeks, I received an unemcumbered copy of the album.. so now I have two. :-)