New CD copy-lock technology nears market

Found on CNet News on Wednesday, 15 December 2004
Browse Technology

A new kind of copy-protected music CD will likely hit U.S. shelves early next year, as record label SonyBMG experiments with a technology created by British developer First 4 Internet, according to sources familiar with the companies.

Gilliat-Smith said his company has been waiting to improve its technology. Better-known companies Macrovision and Sunncomm have seen sporadic--and sometimes controversial--use of their products on CDs released around the world.

For several years, the major record labels have sought a way to protect CDs against unrestricted copying and "ripping," or transforming songs into files such as MP3s that can be swapped widely online. Early experiments proved unpopular, prompting reports that the discs could not play in certain kind of stereos, or might even damage computers.

At first, those ideas were interesting. Now, they aren't anymore. Every few months someone comes up with a new "unbreakable and ultimatively secure" copy protection; only to be defeated by shift keys and black markers. Furthermore, they don't sell "CDs". Their silver discs violate the official standard so they aren't allowed to use the CD logo. And that's also the reason for all those problems their "copy protection" create. They should call it "mess it up until it's not a CD anymore and let's see who can play them".