Don't Buy Sony Music CDs -- Installs rootkits

Music Lovers Feel Ripped Off

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Compatibility Woes Dog Digital Music

Proprietary formats and copy-protection schemes leave some music lovers feeling "ripped" off.

PC World
Saturday, December 17, 2005; 12:10 AM

All the advances in digital music players, accessories, and services are bound to be music to the ears of any music lover. But tech journalist Dawn Chmielewski steps in to inject a sour note. It's a matter of compatibility. And it boils down to this: Not all hardware and music services play well together. Particularly when it comes to songs you buy over the Net.

The most popular player around--Apple Computer's IPod --only works with Apple's own music service. That means you can't use it to listen to any of those songs you bought from, say, Napster or Yahoo. And you can't use anything but an IPod to listen to songs you buy from Apple's ITunes Music Store.

Naturally, Apple doesn't see this as a problem. But for consumers, that's a hassle in the making. Say you just bought a new Sonos Digital Music System or a Roku SoundBridge so you can listen to your music throughout your house. Both manufacturers say their devices are compatible with ITunes. But in reality, you can't play any of the songs you bought through Apple's online store on your new digital stereo. The only songs you'll be able to listen to are from the CDs you've imported, or "ripped," onto your computer's hard drive. If you've purchased hundreds of songs through ITunes, that's a major disappointment.

Which brings us to another looming compatibility problem: copy-protected CDs. The record labels behind some of music's best-known acts have begun to release CDs whose songs can't be ripped into unprotected MP3 music files that will play in any portable device. The only way to get the songs off the CD and onto your computer is in the form of a locked Windows Media file. Which, needless to say, can't be stored in your ITunes music library or played on your IPod.

It's simply a mess. And it's happened before: When 45 rpm records came out back in the fifties, they initially played only on special phonographs. Same thing with 33 1/3s. It may have been a good way to sell hardware, but it left consumers angry and confused. But it didn't take long before the music industry got wise to the idea that it was better to have players that could handle both formats--and the old 78s, too. Within a few years, single-speed turntables were history, and every player could play every disc. Then stereo came in and the old players wouldn't work with the new records--but that problem got fixed pretty fast, too.

Let's hope the digital compatibility clash ends soon.

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Cheers,

Linda

I bought an EMI CD that had copy protection on it and when you ripped the songs as MP3 they had quite discernible artifcats in them.

For test purposes, I made a back up of the CD using Blin*Wri*e and ripped from the backup CD with no artifacts at all - magic.

Incidentally, my wife has just started getting into buying music off the net and we bought our first song from www.sanity.com.au lastnight and before you made your final purchase it came up with a warning saying that the downloaded track could not be played through Itunes but you could burn it to CD.

Thus implying, in my opinion, that you could then rip it from CD into Itunes.

As a test I burnt the 192Kbps WMA file to a CD and then ripped it to MP3 format.

Copied both the orignal WMA file and the new MP3 file to my Creative MP3 player and the WMA file said it was copy protected, but the MP3 file plays beautifully.

Of course if they do introduce controls that makes the track on the burnt CD protected and not able to rip to MP3 then that's all donw the gurgler for me.

From http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/

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December 21, 2005

Texas AG: Sony violated deceptive trade practices laws

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott amended his November lawsuit against Sony/BMG today, saying the music giant's copy-protection software violates Texas' deceptive trade practices laws:

In new allegations today, Attorney General Abbott invoked the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The Attorney General alleges the company’s “MediaMax” technology for copy protection violates the state’s spyware and deceptive trade practices laws in that consumers who use these CDs are offered a license agreement, but even if consumers reject that agreement, files are secretly installed on their computers that pose additional security risks to those systems.

“We keep discovering additional methods SONY used to deceive Texas consumers who thought they were simply buying music,” said Attorney General Abbott. “Thousands of Texans are now potential victims of this deceptive game SONY played with consumers for its own purposes.”

The Attorney General’s lawsuit asserts the company failed to clearly warn consumers of the harm its copy protection software could cause when installed on consumers’ personal computers, and the fact that files secretly embedded in certain CDs purchased at retailers would likely compromise computers.

Sony initially denied its rootkit-based copy protection caused any problems. It eventually caved, agreeing to remove it, only to discover that the removal created other security risks. The company eventually agreed to pull its copy-protected discs from stores and is now rethinking its entire copy protection strategy.

But some retailers continue to carry the discs, and Abbott warns they may face his wrath as well.

In addition, Attorney General Abbott is taking action to minimize the number of consumers who become potential victims of SONY’s spyware on millions of certain CDs by various artists. In a letter sent today, he urges retailers who continue to carry the tainted 52 CDs titles to take quick action to remove them.

“These CDs open the door for malicious hackers to target consumers’ computers. Hackers may be using the SONY files to install viruses, malware or even commit identity theft,” warned Attorney General Abbott.

“Retailers that continue to sell these CDs may be just as liable under the law as SONY.”

The amended lawsuit is here; Abbott's letter warning retailers is here.

The music industry, by suing its own customers, is trying to make the point that illegally sharing music isn't worth the trouble it can bring.

Back atcha, guys: Burdening the dying CD format with copy protection isn't worth it, both in terms of legal hassles if you screw up and in further alienating customers.

In other words, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Posted by Dwight Silverman at December 21, 2005 11:09 AM

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There are more comments to this post on this website, http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/

Cheers,

Linda

;) :rolleyes: :cool:

And more here:

http://news.com.com/New%20spyware%20...5042&subj=news

I'm pleased to say, that this saga looks like it may just hit Sony where it hurts, in the wallet :) Maybe all the music companies will learn something from that.


http://www.globetechnology.com/servl...ry/Technology/

I think that you are right SuperSparks. Consumer sales may not hurt Sony all that bad but by the time all of the lawsuits are heard and settled, Sony will be feeling the pain for their arrogance and deceptive trade practices.

Linda

I'll bet someone's annual bonus takes a BIG hit.

In other Sony news, it seems Sony is trying to anger gamers as well.

Sony developed a technology that could be used to block the playing of used games on the upcoming PS3 console. Supposedly it works by encrypting an authentication code upon the software, thereby making the game playable only on console it was first played on. Though, Sony has yet to announce if they will actually be using this technology or not. :mad:

Here's more interesting news for Sony and the other recording studios, which is designed to hit them in the pocketbook. This is from Dwight Silverman's TechBlog at http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/.

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December 27, 2005

Spitzer looks at digital music price fixing

While I was semi-vacating, this interesting story broke: New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is investigating whether the music industry violates antitrust laws in the way it prices music downloads, and Warner Music Group has been subpoenaed, along with two other labels:

Music industry sources said the current probe appeared to center on whether the Big Four music studios -- Warner, Sony Corp.'s Sony BMG Music Entertainment, EMI Group and Vivendi's Universal Music -- colluded to set wholesale pricing for song downloads.

Could Apple, whose iTunes Music Store dominates the digital download landscape, be drawn into the probe?

The investigation also could be related to the studios' upcoming licensing renegotiations with Apple, maker of the wildly popular iPod digital music player, for its iTunes music store, the sources said.

Apple could not immediately be reached for comment. But in September, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs called the music industry "greedy" for considering hiking digital download prices and warned that the move could drive iPod users to piracy.

The studios have indicated that they want to institute variable pricing at the iTunes store, which now charges 99 cents a song.


Spitzer's already smacked Warner around once this year, winning a $5 million settlement in his payola probe.

My questions are these:

If Jobs is fighting industry moves to have variable pricing, and almost all commercial music download sites are selling songs for 99 cents, exactly who's controlling the pricing? The music stores? The music labels? Or a conspiracy consortium of all the players? Or is the market actually dictating these prices?

Let us know soon, Mr. Spitzer, mmm-kay?

Posted by Dwight at December 27, 2005 07:04 AM

Comments

We all know who is controlling these prices. It's those greedy men and women on Wall Street.

Posted by: Ricky at December 27, 2005 07:56 AM

At a dollar a song, that would price an analog LP record at about $13-14. With its greater capacity, that would price a CD at roughly $20. This with far lower sonic quality (lower sampling rate, cheesy compression, etc.), and absolutely no production costs; cheap really. And far, far lower marketing cost. Yet despite the too high price and lower costs - there are no price "wars", no competition, no "sales" events, and/or low ball competition taking advantage of the high profit margin.

Like Jack Sparrow said: "take all you can and give back nothing"! These "angels" are doing that real well as a group! All the while prosecuting mothers for "illegal downloads" and crying wolf about music "pirates". Makes you wonder who the pirates really are...

Posted by: rick roberts at December 27, 2005 08:35 AM

I much prefer paying 99 cents for a song I want to paying $14 for an album which has only 4 or 5 songs I really want. And though it is true that the MP3 format has lower quality, my ears can't detect the difference. My best argument in favor of MP3, however, is it's freedom from copy-prevention technology. That's a 99-cent bargain.

Posted by: Joe Marcom at December 27, 2005 10:12 AM

I still prefer to get my music on CD, but iTunes got most of my music
dollars this past year. Getting a single track off an album is the distinct advantage of downloading. Then there's: "I can get it now for $10, or wait for Amazon to deliver a package..." Instant gratification is a powerful incentive to buy at iTunes.

Then there's the hassle of the strange things the labels are doing to CD's. Sony's Rootkit is the worst example. The various formats that give computer CD players fits are also annoying.

I've been happy with the audio quality of iTunes, my ears were never golden. Heck, I'm listening to the internal speakers on my PowerBook now.

It's interesting that the AG is looking to rein in the music labels, but payola isn't terribly interesting -- it's stupid. Does Broadcast Radio still influence what we buy at the record store? I can't remember the last time I tuned in an FM station to listen to music, it's been awhile (actually in Denver - the Neo-Radio movement offered promise, but the format hasn't been tried in Houston). Some years ago, it seemed to me that the marketing suits took over radio programming and I stopped listening.

NPR is still cool, though. See www.npr.org and click on the music button on the left side of the page. You'll have to listen online to get the good stuff in Houston, since our NPR affiliate only does classical.

As for price fixing, I think Apple set the market price and has control, for the moment. I won't be spending more than 99 cents for a track any time soon.


Posted by: Rick Roberts at December 27, 2005 11:54 AM

In the US WalMart has 88 cent pricing but you have to pay sales tax and put up with limited selection. Best deals are the Russian sites where they are 8 - 20 cents per song and you can get 192K lame or higher quality MP3s - thank a cheap ruble and a different rights system. The British eMusic also has a more limited selection but better pricing than American sites and offers 50 free downloads to try'em.

This Christmas NPR had a great selection of free concerts and music.

Posted by: Gary Denton at December 27, 2005 09:28 PM

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Cheers,

Linda

;) :rolleyes: :cool:

Well that didn't take long, though $7.50 doesn't seem like much payment given the amount of effort involved in removing the rootkit :rolleyes:

Preliminary Settlement filed in Sony suit

I agree.

It's a terrible settlement for those who went thru all the pc problems.
Sony would love that settlement, if it goes thru as the article states, that would set a precedent for all the future lawsuits to come their way. They shouldn't get off that easy.
I hope it doesn't happen.

$7.50? that's before legal fees are paid, of course. if the rootkit victim will "... return the XCP laden CD to Sony, or provide the company with a receipt ...", the cost of postage will probably reduce the payout into the realm of negative numbers.

as i said previously, my niece is a victim of this rootkit obtained from a *legally* purchased cd. she is one of those who lost her burning capabilities in iTunes and whose system has slowed down because the rootkit continually tries to phone home. the only way for her to proceed now is to reformat and reinstall. however, iTunes will not let her re-download her legally purchased music. so she sits in a quandry - get rid of the rootkit and lose all her music or keep the music but have a crippled pc.

too bad that settlement will not reimburse her for the hundreds (she's a big music buff) of dollars spent at iTunes *legally* downloading music.

if there weren't enough illegal downloads going on now, sony seems to be trying very hard to convert their loyal and legally-purchasing customers into crimilals via the illegal dl realm.

Maybe they're trying to be realistic and stop outrageous lawsuits where people sue for millions of dollars when their kid trips over in your front yard when many years ago you'd slap a bandage on it and send the kid back out to play.

Maybe no comparison, but you get the idea.

Becuase it's Sony everyone is thinking of the big $$$ they can try to claim and now Sony is giving them a slap in the face.

Afterall who is suing all the other companies that send spam / malware etc.

Btw I have no idea how itunes works but it seems doubtful you can't re-donwload legally purchased tunes. Maybe time to visit the itunes forums.