I bought Stellastarr's Harmony for the Haunted CD today, only to discover that it's so copyright-overprotected that it's not compatible with iPod products and iTunes software, only with Windows Media Player. So I can't play it on my iPod Mini, or on my computer (unless with Windows Media Player).
I am so pissed off right now. I will take that piece of shit back to HMV tomorrow and I will get them to take it back - I have no plans of being forced to buy my music in duplicate (BMG/Sony plus iTunes Music Store) to be able to listen to it. I don't even own a CD player, just a computer and an iPod mini.
Who's the genius at BMG/Sony who came up with that? I want his head. Until that happens, read the small print on the back on your Sony products. It won't say that it's not iPod compatible, but it should say that it's only compatible with WIndows Media Player.
Sony might not be doing as well as Apple with respect to portable mp3 player sales, but alienating its CD buyers is NOT the solution.
josh [email] said at 6:33 PM 10-13-2005: Did you somehow miss 2002-2004? This is pretty old news. Just download it off bittorrent like everyone else does.
gen [email] said at 6:38 PM 10-13-2005: Guess I missed the "news". I had stopped buying CDs (i.e. paying for music) until recently, when I stopped downloading and started buying CDs again (guilt trip), and THIS is what I find. This over-protection bullshit only encourages illegal downloading. It's so stupid!
gen [email] said at 6:49 PM 10-13-2005: Sometimes I do. I rarely buy whole albums from iTunes though because I like to have the CD booklet (lyrics, photos, etc), and my printer is laser B&W only, so I prefer the glossy hard-copy that comes with the CD. I've also accidentally deleted bought music that I hadn't backed up...
josh [email] said at 6:54 PM 10-13-2005: they should have a feature that lets you redownload anything you've ever bought. that would be a killer feature.
kara [email] said at 3:54 PM 10-18-2005: yeah they probably will eventually add that because they already have it like this:
"What is authorization?
Songs purchased on the iTunes Music Store can be copied to an unlimited number of computers. However, only five computers at a time can play your purchased music.
You can enable a computer to play your purchased music by "authorizing" it. You can remove a computer from the authorization list by "deauthorizing" it. Deauthorizing your computer does not erase your music files; it simply prevents your purchased music from playing until you authorize that computer again."
gen [email] said at 6:44 PM 10-13-2005: And if you're going to insist on being that stupid, put a big fucking neon sticker on the front of the CD that reads: "Compatible ONLY with Window Media Player". DON'T say it in tiny print at the bottom on the back.
myriam [email] said at 10:52 PM 10-13-2005: I agree with this. And I hadn't even heard of proprietary CD's yet, despite being up on all these other issues Josh is bringing up. This is pretty insane. I would demand my money back, too.
gen [email] said at 11:19 PM 10-14-2005: The boys at HMV agreed with this too. I think the store should take measure to prevent massive returns and refund requests.
gen [email] said at 11:18 PM 10-14-2005: After Josh's response yesterday, I felt like I had been living under a rock for a few years... Until I went back to HMV today - the clerks and the manager (clearly all male music nerds) were as unaware of this issue with Sony CDs as I had been. And they were extremely nice to me, and 100% on my side, and they took back the CD without any hassles. Though it probably helped that I had a day to calm down and change my planned strategy from screaming injustice and demanding a refund, to acting like a poor unsuspecting female victim (the puppy eye strategy). Hehe.
abby [email] said at 12:57 PM 10-15-2005: it's not just sony CD's most major label CDs have some form of copy protection. last year there were like 8 high profile releases that wouldn't play in any computer whatsoever.. theoretically.
