vandenberg
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Question for our PC wizzards
Purchased a MP3 player at Circuit City last month. Came with a month trial subscription to Napster. Lots of great music on that site, especially for
an old fart like me. Downloaded tons of songs into the gadget, which automaticaly also went into my Windows Media Player. Upon cancelling the trial
subscription, I got the notice that the downloaded music will not play after the trial period runs out. Does this mean that the MP3 player's
downloaded music will not play? And also the stuff that's in media player?
Can anyone enlighten me to how this is possible and maybe explain how this is done.
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MrBillM
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DRM
I haven't purchased any MP3 files from Napster and, therefore, haven't any experience with their version of DRM. I can see how it would work on any
files still resident on the computer since it has control over updating (enabling/freezing) those files through any subscription period, but the only
way that I could see the transferred files controlled is to make them go unplayable unless updated periodically. It sounds like you'll have to wait
and see what effect it has on those MP3s.
For an explanation of Napster's DRM, I looked at Wikipedia, but it doesn't really offer a technical explanation:
"Napster, which offers a subscription-based approach to DRM alongside permanent purchases. Users of the subscription service can download and stream
an unlimited amount of music transcoded to Windows Media Audio (WMA) while subscribed to the service. But when the subscription period lapses, all of
the downloaded music is unplayable until the user renews his or her subscription. Napster also charges users who wish to use the music on their
portable device an additional $5 per month. In addition, Napster gives users the option of paying an additional $0.99 per track to burn it to CD or
for the song to never expire. Music bought through Napster can be played on players carrying the Microsoft PlaysForSure logo (which, notably, do not
include iPods or even Microsoft's own Zune)."
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The easy way around DRM is the so-called "Analog Hole" where you playback the MP3 while, at the same time, feed it back into a program that records in
an analog format. Time and loss of Digital quality are the downsides.
I looked at a couple of website hits on "Bypassing DRM" and they must have been good because they had been removed by the provider. There are
probably others if you look hard.
[Edited on 7-11-2008 by MrBillM]
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CaboRon
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It sounds as if there is a CODEX on each file and it can self destruct or go inoperative just like on Mission Impossible.
Unless you renew .... they are unplayable ... this is fairly common in movie downloads ....
Maybe you would prefer a service where you buy the rights outright and thus get to keep the copy on your hard drive for as long as you like.
CaboRon
[Edited on 7-11-2008 by CaboRon]
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woody with a view
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napster sucks.....go to limewire.com and download the free version (or pay, i don't care). then download all the free music you can think of, if not
more. then you can delete the songs from your mp3 player and add all the songs you got from limewire.
thank me later.....
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bajadock
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Ditto to OB Woody's Limewire plug. That is also my favorite music sight and I discovered it after moving to Baja. That clearly qualifies this as a
Baja thread, correct?
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Don Alley
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I like Limewire. But some of the files are bad, and sometimes a file can quit downloading mid-stream. It is free, though, and the files work on anay
MP3 device. Limewire is of questionable legality; Limewire users are the ones that the record companies sick their lawyers on. I hope we're safe in
Mexico.
Apple's iTunes is pretty good at 99 cents a song or $9.99 an album, but most are protected and can only be played on a total of 4 or 5 devices that
you designate. Amazon.com is selling MP3 music for the same price without copy protection so you can play them as long as you want on any MP3 device.
Pandora looks interesting, it uses a "music DNA" where you can specify music you like and it can recommend other music you'd like. But...it's not
available in Mexico. When you get to their site they won't let you on if you connect from here.
And finally, Real Network's Rhapsody has just started selling MP3s, I believe without DRM. I haven't tried them though.
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woody with a view
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| Quote: |
I like Limewire. But some of the files are bad, and sometimes a file can quit downloading mid-stream. It is free, though, and the files work on anay
MP3 device. Limewire is of questionable legality; Limewire users are the ones that the record companies sick their lawyers on. I hope we're safe in
Mexico.
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files drop when the host computer closes their connection, but will reconnect next time you both are logged on. as to the legality, the scum (i mean
lawyers) now go after those who make available for download their collection of music for others to download from (for now). there's
ton's of college servers loaded with music that's available to you. just go into the tools/options and tell limewire you don't want to share. when the
hoar$ (lawyers) get done with all of the sites offering free downloads and come after those of us receiving free music, we'll all be
dead by then.
edit: new version 4.18.3 is out....BTW, if you have a pair of speakers plugged into your pc you can use the limewire player or windows media player or
any other player to blast your music, too, it's not just for your ipod/mp3 player (if that wasn't obvious to everyone already).
[Edited on 7-11-2008 by woody in ob]
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CaboRon
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I tried Limewire and thought it was pretty cool until a couple of experiences with infected files...
I have now purged Limewire from my system ...
CaboRon
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vandenberg
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Googled a few of them.
Wasn't impressed with Limewire. Not enough selection for my taste.
Easy music download for $ 29.95 for 2 years seems thusfar the best alternative to Napster, with better selections and easy downloading. And downloads
are yours.
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woody with a view
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| Quote: | Originally posted by grover
Woopsie.
Nice job using company assets. |
i guess i've just been lucky for the past 6 years. that, and an inordinant amounts of anti-spyware and anti-virus software on my machine.
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Don Alley
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
| Quote: | Originally posted by grover
Woopsie.
Nice job using company assets. |
i guess i've just been lucky for the past 6 years. that, and an inordinant amounts of anti-spyware and anti-virus software on my machine.
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You can configure Limewire to download only, but, hey, that's not sharing. And there are some who configure their systems to block downloads to those
who don't share.
Regardless, one should not use Limewire until one has figured how to configure it to specify which, if any files, will be visible and available to
peers. In the cases Grover linked to, maybe a virus or spyware was involved, but more likely Limewire's default upload configuration included a broad
range of files, including confidential ones.
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woody with a view
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i'm a baaad man. i don't share. nuthin, ever......   
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capt. mike
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why bother with all the free internet radio out there if you have a good broadband connection?
and if you know how you can dub any of it for free. i do.
i haven't paid for music in my library for eons.
buy a CD? who needs it?
pay a download royalty fee?? why?
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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MrBillM
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Hacking It.
In this case, it is unlikely to be worthwhile, but the L.A. Times ran an article either Thursday or Friday (I'd have to look for it) regarding an
"Ethical" hacker in (I believe) Albania who will hack ANY commercial software or access codes sent to him for a modest price. He claims to have an
excellent track record. Probably true, since there are so many of his kind working from Albania. His claim to ethics is that he will only do hacks
on commercial software. Anti-Corporation sort of ethic. He won't hack into your estranged girl friend's e-mail account or something like that.
Worth keeping in mind should you ever have something worth the investment.
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Ken Cooke
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
Purchased a MP3 player at Circuit City last month. Came with a month trial subscription to Napster. Lots of great music on that site, especially for
an old fart like me. Downloaded tons of songs into the gadget, which automaticaly also went into my Windows Media Player. Upon cancelling the trial
subscription, I got the notice that the downloaded music will not play after the trial period runs out. Does this mean that the MP3 player's
downloaded music will not play? And also the stuff that's in media player?
Can anyone enlighten me to how this is possible and maybe explain how this is done. |
Media is my expertise. Did you save the files to your hard disk? Go to your ´My Music´folder, and look at the dates where the files appear. They
should correspond with your Napster membership period. Select one of the song files, and see if it plays. If it does, you still have the files on
your computer and they will not be removed. Select each song to be burned in your Windows Media Player, so that they are preserved in a permanent
medium. Let me know if you don´t quite understand, and I´ll be glad to walk you through. I´m in Colombia right now, but I am checking the email
daily, so no telephone contact for another week...
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Ken Cooke
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Don Alley
| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
| Quote: | Originally posted by grover
Woopsie.
Nice job using company assets. |
i guess i've just been lucky for the past 6 years. that, and an inordinant amounts of anti-spyware and anti-virus software on my machine.
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You can configure Limewire to download only, but, hey, that's not sharing. And there are some who configure their systems to block downloads to those
who don't share.
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Limewire is rife with spyware and trojan horses. Be very careful with that software - you might be sorry.
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