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So I understand that the X5 does not currently support any DRM'd file formats but that this might be in a future release. Are there any current online music stores that are compatible w/ the X5 in its present state?
korinengell
05-25-2005, 01:51
yeah, the ones that don't use DRM to screw up their files.
check out the table on this page for a quick summary:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1784306,00.asp
emusic is the only listed here that does not use DRM but there are others around...
So lets see, you pay money (maybe more money than you would pay for the CD) and what do you get?
Bad bitrates throughout, only eMusic has acceptable levels, although if you are paying you should get 320kbps all the time, not just some of the time.
Lossy file formats.
Forced player usage.
The inability to burn tracks however many time you want.
Forced IE useage, or download manager usage.
Limited player support.
and yes, of course DRM.
Great deal huh?
The players (and customers of course) shouldn't have to conform to stupid music services, they should conform to us.
ericeliza
05-25-2005, 04:17
Spoken like a true prodigy
Tanthalas
05-25-2005, 04:38
Hallelujah!
Me? I'm just going to keep buying CDs and burning them. Illegal, perhaps, but it's a right the US have enjoyed for years, NZ now has the same laws, and I think if anyone challenged the unwritten right over here, it would be made law too. Why should I have to buy the same piece of music 2 or 3 times?
Heh, I remember the American music industry going up in arms when NZ granted that law. "You're making piracy legal!" (Also read as "boo hoo, our profits won't be as fat!") But the Americans have been able to do this for decades, so....it's legal so long as you're American?
Don't be rediculous. Instead of paying $16 for one CD I'd much rather pay 2-3$ for the 2-3 songs off an album I actually want -- then the same $16 gets me the music I want to listen to from 5-8 albums. And when the rare album comes along where most of the songs are worthwhile then I'll buy the whole disc and rip it myself.
Wake me when Cowon supports DRM.
Tanthalas
05-25-2005, 06:53
Goodnight, good luck finding a brain, good riddance.
It wouldn't be so bad if DRM actually allowed you to get at your music. I've nothing against paying for downloading tracks. My point, and the other feller's point, was that once I've got a track I can't burn it or do anything with it other than play it on a player THEY specify, at a bitrate that's rubbish, in a format that's lossy. If you would like to answer the point instead of acting like a berk, please do so.
fx3000se
05-25-2005, 06:55
Wake me when Cowon supports DRM.see FR0013 -> http://www.iaudiophile.net/wiki/index.php/X5WishList
;)
basicdim
05-25-2005, 10:10
have you guys ever use a russian music service called allofmp3? (www.allofmp3.com)
it's by far the best online music service. there are some issues whether or not if it is legal. look it up for yourself and then decide to use it or not.
here's the scoop. you have your choice of file format and bitrate. mp3, wma, ogg, mpc, FLAC (lossless), APE (lossless), and even wav. you pay per megabyte of download and not per song. i normally will download songs using MP3 format at alt-preset standard setting. which means each song is roughly 10-15 cents and a whole album usually costs me under $1.50. yes, $1.50 for the whole album. i can't believe no one here seems to be using this service. also, there is no DRM on the music files. you can freely move the music file to your mp3 player or just burn them to cds or whatever.
check it out, you'll be surprised how much better the service is than itunes, napster, etc...
It wouldn't be so bad if DRM actually allowed you to get at your music. I've nothing against paying for downloading tracks. My point, and the other feller's point, was that once I've got a track I can't burn it or do anything with it other than play it on a player THEY specify, at a bitrate that's rubbish, in a format that's lossy. If you would like to answer the point instead of acting like a berk, please do so.
Every service in the world has different price-point levels for different levels of service. You have several levels of basic cable or you can go w/ competing technologies (digital, satellite, etc) each w/ their own set of different packages at different prices; different plans for phone companies; different service levels at JiffyLube...
The problem with your options to buy music today is NOT DRM. The problem is the fact that music companies are making ONLY two levels available -- $18/album for a plastic disc in a shrink-wrapped package which is very good quality and not too dificult to convert to other mediums, or $1/song via instantaneous transfer over the internet but in lossy formats and limited transferability. The latter option is not inherently bad - its simply the popular bargain format, the wal-mart level of music - but its not for serious audiophiles.
The reason for the lack of intermediate options is that they're trying to convince you to buy the album the old way, trying to prolong the inevitible. Pretty soon they will not be able to do this as someone will start offering more levels of service, various ratios of price to quality and portability. And once they do it'll work just like cell-phones where in just a few years everyone has one and can afford one b/c of the competition -- don't like your options for price/service ratio you switch to another provider. This will all work itself out. Just remember DRM is not the problem, its simply a technology to protect intellectual property which rightfully SHOULD be done. The failure of the music companies to offer you a level of service you want for a price your willing to pay is the problem, not the fact that they protect the rights of copyright holders.
Not wanting every song file on a CD doesn't mean that the online music stores have to rip use off with crappy files, with crappy bitrates ect. ect.
Don't defend these people, maybe you need to use their service because you have no alternative but that doesn't make ripping off your customers right.
The failure of the music companies to offer you a level of service you want for a price your willing to pay is the problem, not the fact that they protect the rights of copyright holders.
Exactly, and once they offer a quality service for a reasonable price I'll buy from them.
ericeliza
05-26-2005, 00:13
I don't think people should have to pay to be able to download mp3, there are many numerous alternatives which provide with better bitrates and quality for your music. The idea of this is just capitalism at its worst, music should be free and if you want to buy the record because you admire the band or singer, and feel like he/they really deserve your sponsorship you should be free to do so. Even so, you aren't really hurting the artist by downloading the music and not buying the CD, since only a very small part of the money from CD sales, merchandising, etc. goes to the artist's pocket.
But your only saying that because you don't want to pay for music. Be honest. But it is true that the royalties system is definately messed up. With distribution costs basically null with internet downloading the artists should be able to sell their music directly and see %99 of the profits.
But your only saying that because you don't want to pay for music. Be honest. But it is true that the royalties system is definately messed up. With distribution costs basically null with internet downloading the artists should be able to sell their music directly and see %99 of the profits.
And some do.
Tanthalas
05-26-2005, 17:45
The failure of the music companies to offer you a level of service you want for a price your willing to pay is the problem, not the fact that they protect the rights of copyright holders.
That's not my point. If I wanted to infringe copyright I wouldn't buy the albums in the first place. What I mean is that when I have bought an album I want to be able to convert that album to whatever medium I want and listen to it without having to buy another copy, which in my opinion would be totally ripping me off. DRM prevents me from converting between mediums, even though I have already paid for the music. So if I've spent your nirvana-like "$1 a track" on an album, I then have to pay £10 again for the album if I want to listen to it in my car. That's a right load of crap if you ask me, so for now I will continue to source CDs cheap (and I mean cheap - £3 a CD is good going) and convert them to high quality MP3/FLARC files to carry around on the go.
£1 a track + £15 from the high street for an album, or £3-£8 for the same album in as many formats as I want?
Finetunes.net
Absolutely my favourite digital music store; only sells music without DRM (as MP3 or OGG) at reasonable prices, has only indie labels though. But the catalogue still includes artists like Calexico, Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party, The Cribs or Arctic Monkeys.
http://shopbase.finetunes.net/shopserver/ActionServlet
Tonspion.de
German site that offers free MP3s legally... only promo tracks but many of them, so still worth checking out.
http://www.tonspion.de/
markus
there are no legal issues over all of mp3. A kansas radio station was ok'd to use it for their song downloads. They have to pay royalty fees to their russian federation music service like our RIAA here in the US. Its also been noted that since it's over seas the have their own set of rules. The only thing is whether overseas digital law clash with laws here but otherwise it's legal. I use it all the time.
jerryparid
04-20-2006, 19:09
According to Rolling Stone Magazine
5-15% of CD sales into their pockets.
80-95% of tour ticket sale.
As you can see, CD makes up a very small fraction of an artist's income.
Zeus's Uncle
04-20-2006, 22:25
there are no legal issues over all of mp3. A kansas radio station was ok'd to use it for their song downloads. They have to pay royalty fees to their russian federation music service like our RIAA here in the US. Its also been noted that since it's over seas the have their own set of rules. The only thing is whether overseas digital law clash with laws here but otherwise it's legal. I use it all the time.
Allofmp3.com has not stood the test of the courts. It is not just copyright laws that are in question, but also customs laws. The RIAA has NO AUTHORITY to wave ANY laws.
I buy cd's off of half.com and rip them myself. Since I'm not a fan of mostly everything thats come out in the last few years I can get just about anything I want for a couple of bucks, or less. Works great AND you even get to read the liner notes. :D
Your right. The RIAA should have NO authority to wave ANY laws. It has no right nor any say in custom laws since their rules and regulations are different than other countires. If you want to restrict my music here that's fine, but don't allow me to have the free will to buy from services from other countries.
Anyways RIAA makes me sick and all their there for is the money. They don't care about anyone or anything.
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