copy-protected CDs

[Seance]

I had planned on buying a couple Enslaved albums tonight off the net, "Monumension" and "Beneath the Lights", until reading about "Monumension" apparently being copy-protected by the label it was released under.

So what does this mean in terms of ripping it to my computer? Is there any kind of work-around for copy-protected CDs? I usually use a program called FreeRIP to rip all the CDs I purchase to my computer, which I would then transfer to my MP3 player if I want, and I doubt it would be that easy. I hardly ever ever ever use an actual CD player anymore. All my music listening is either done from my computer or MP3 player, so this is a pretty huge deal.

Does anyone own that specific CD, and can vouche for any difficulties you may have had ripping it to your computer or playing it in certain CD players? I mean CDs have music on them. Music is meant to be listened to. If I have to go through a lot of bullshit and annoyance just to listen to a CD I spent money on, or if I can't listen to it at all, I have no real reason to buy it. I'll stick to the illegally downloaded copy I have if that's the case and wait til it's possibly reissued or re-released without copy-protection, on another label or not. I hope I'd never have to go through something like that with Opeth's music, as I'd rather buy it as opposed to pirating it and not buying it.

 

[OpethNZ]

just use CD-ex, it shows the part that is the copy protection when you go to rip it, and you just dont select it, works a treat

 

[Seance]

just use CD-ex, it shows the part that is the copy protection when you go to rip it, and you just dont select it, works a treat

thanks for the suggestion

I think I'll start using that

is that all there really is to it? getting around copy-protection is that easy?

 

[OpethNZ]

yeah but dont tell the RIAA

 

[Seance]

well that's good then, I think I can order the CD a bit more comfortably now

 

[CAIRATH]

Most copy protections are actually so rubbish that you may not even have to do anything special. My DVD drive can read every single copy protected CD I own without needing to do anything special. My old drive couldn't, so what I did then is make a CD image with CloneCD and then mount that and rip from there. Worked pretty well but that took more effort.

I am principally against all kinds of copy protection on audio CDs. Infact some copy protection schemes go so far that the resulting discs no longer comply to the Red Book standard and aren't even allowed to be called a CD anymore (yet they are still sold inbetween normal audio CDs without the proper warning labels usually). But since most copy protection schemes are so inept and useless I kind of stopped caring and just continue to buy CDs that are copy protected. Though I avoid it if I can. Luckily so far it seems that it's mostly the major recordlabels that are doing this. I don't think I own a single copy protected CD that was released on a smaller metal label. Most of them are from BMG, Sony and those kind of labels.

Oddly enough it also seems to differ from continent to continent. I remember when I bought Radiohead's Hail To The Thief here (the Netherlands) I ended up with a copy protected version while a friend of mine who lives in the US bought it around the same time and had an unprotected version.

 

[Bierbommetje]

Most copy protections are actually so rubbish that you may not even have to do anything special. My DVD drive can read every single copy protected CD I own without needing to do anything special.

Yep, same here. I don't think Ive ever not been able to rip/copy a cd. And I just use Media Player.

 

[biggsy]

Well my DVD drive is shit and I can't rip the new Butterfly Effect album to my computer! It's driving me crazy!

 

[Splintered Vision]

Well my DVD drive is shit and I can't rip the new Butterfly Effect album to my computer! It's driving me crazy!

Windows Media Player doesnt recognise it as a disc or something so you need to use the player thats on the disc to rip it. Have you tried ripping it from "The Butterfly Effect player"? Thats what i did and it works a treat...but its only 128kb

What do you think of the album BTW?

 

[biggsy]

Well I tried ripping it from the player the CD uses, but it comes up with an error message.

Sounds fairly nice, though I only got it yesterday so i haven't heard it too much. I intend to spend some time tomorrow listening to it, and finally give Katatonia's new one a break.

 

[Splintered Vision]

Hmm thats odd...it only allows you two copies so maybe you used them up somehow?

Its a really good album imo, not as dark as Begins Here, but just as good.

 

[biggsy]

Wel it says 1 copy remaining... so I think I may be missing a plugin or some shit... I don't know, I'm not very good with computers.

BH is one of my favourite albums, so if Imago lives up to it, I will be stoked!

 

[Kenneth R.]

If you have Cubase or any other recording/editing program, try this rather involved yet sure-fire way to get the music you want at the bitrate you want and no bullshit, works 100% against all copy protection:

1. Insert CD.
2. Open recording program.
3. Set in sound control record input to be wave output or analog output.
4. Hit record in recording program.
5. Play CD.
6. When the CD ends, take it out.
7. You now have 1 super long track recorded. Use the cut tool to split it into songs and save at any bitrate you choose.

Why does this always work? Because all it banks on is that you can play the CD. If you can't play the CD, then take it back and complain they sold you something that doesn't work!

 

[Seance]

Oddly enough it also seems to differ from continent to continent. I remember when I bought Radiohead's Hail To The Thief here (the Netherlands) I ended up with a copy protected version while a friend of mine who lives in the US bought it around the same time and had an unprotected version.

funny that you should mention that specific album, as I just got my copy of HTTT in the mail today, and my copy is indeed uh... "protected" (US version as well), as sorta noted on the back next to the track listing, yet I just test-ripped it with the program I usually use at home on this probably 6 year old computer/cd-rom at another house, so... lol, it's kinda funny

edit: and it ripped fine at home now as well

when I put the CD in, a prompt comes up saying something along the lines of "you need to install some files to listen to this CD", with a Yes and Cancel option, and of course I cancel... odd... I need to disable auto-run actually

 

[narcoleptic haze]

Before I bought 'Alice In Ultraland', I read that it had really aggressive CP, and you couldn't even put it in a computer. But I got it home, put it in, and ripped it straight away. So much for CP. I suppose, I haven't tried actually burning a copy of it yet, so I guess it may have a problem with that....

 

[Seance]

well Monumension arrived yesterday, and after loading up my ripping program and querying freedb for album info, I noticed in the "comment" part of the tag it read something along the lines of "non copy protected version", and it of course ripped perfectly fine... so I guess even they realized it was a failure, or maybe they were getting complaints/returns and realized "oh ya, we aren't sony, we're a tiny metal label, our dumbasses can't afford the loss in sales over a petty issue like this"

either way I'm happy, and Below the Lights should hopefully arrive today