tw Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 I'm as excited as everybody else about the next generation of Hi-MD gear, but get a nasty feeling that while the hardware will be excellent, they'll still require some version of sonicstage to transfer mp3s (presumably so thay can wrap them in some kind of DRM). This of course would leave linux and mac users out in the cold again. If the main purpose of the restrictive Sony DRM is to prevent songs from being uploaded off the MD to another computer to be listened to by someone else, why does this have to be mediated at a software level (esp. by software as unloved as sonicstage)? Why can't it be done in firmware? Is it technically possible mp3 files are recognized as such and when loaded into the player the firmware does something to them to ensure that they can't be uploaded out of the player again? No need for SS to work its "magic" on them.Nearly all the posts I've read are longing for a future in which files (esp. mp3 and to a lesser extent ogg) can be drag and dropped from any OS onto a Hi-MD masquerading as a USB drive, and then played natively. If these files were not able to be uploaded again then DRM would have been achieved.I hope it happens. Personally, I won't buy another MD until they support true drag/drop/play functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Stamp Posted February 20, 2005 Report Share Posted February 20, 2005 this should be in that "hi-md plays mp3s thread". not a new thread. nevertheless... i hope as well too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobgoblin Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 (edited) oggs most likely will not happen as its a mostly unknown format and its much heavyer on the floating point maths then mp3 is.funny thing is that media and similar mostly refer to any unit, that can play back music stored as files, as mp3 players...ie, mp3 have become a synonym for music files just as ipod have become a synonym for hardisk based music players... Edited February 21, 2005 by hobgoblin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianobrien Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 i can really never see sony bypassing their own software to offer drag and drop functionality. For one it does not encourage users to 'buy in'to sony's connect music store and it also would elimate sony from the users desktop environment which would in sony's eyes not be a forward looking strategy.It sucks...but it is business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Otaku Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Sony's DRM -is- implemented in the hardware.This includes how the HiMD itself talks to your computer via USB [using a different driver layer for audio than for plain data], and encryption performed by the HiMD hardware. It -has- to be running pretty much seamlessly on both the hardware and software side for things to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw Posted February 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 Thanks for the replies everyone! I guess I'll just have to honour my promise to myself and not buy another MD. I've got three anyway!On a related note - just how many people on this forum (ie hardcore MD users) actually buy mp3s from Sony? It's a shame that Sony would hamper their great hardware with such pathetic (and windows only) software just to ensure that people buy online music from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 If the main purpose of the restrictive Sony DRM is to prevent songs from being uploaded off the MD to another computer to be listened to by someone else, why does this have to be mediated at a software level (esp. by software as unloved as sonicstage)? Why can't it be done in firmware? Is it technically possible mp3 files are recognized as such and when loaded into the player the firmware does something to them to ensure that they can't be uploaded out of the player again? No need for SS to work its "magic" on them.Unfortunately, the DRM needs to identify the computer, and I don't think that you can do that by using UMASS. What would be possible would be a program which runs which simply identifies the computer to the MD, then MD can then restrict your rights by preventing you from copying stuff from one computer to another. In any case, it would be either too restrictive (use as a backup device, your computer explodes, can't restore anything from backup even stuff that isn't music) or too easy to crack (zip your music files, put them on the device, copy to anywhere) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 (edited) Unfortunately, the DRM needs to identify the computer, and I don't think that you can do that by using UMASS. I was thinking that a system whereby mp3s could be downloaded into the MD but not uploaded to any computer would not require identification of a computer by software. Simply that a firmware layer on the player which interacted with the UMS layer could prevent uploading of mp3s. My DRM sheme allows unlimited drag and drop "checkouts" of unencumbered mp3s to MD or any other players you might have, but no ability to transfer those songs back to someone elses computer. It's a bit different to DRM shemes which try to tie songs to a single computer/player.Then again, I'm not a programmer or engineer so it's all just arm waving really. Personally I think all DRM is a pain in the #$% and Sony's heavy handed implementation is just wrecking the ability of Hi-MD to make any kind of real splash in the portable music market. Edited February 24, 2005 by tw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 Still, it doesn't prevent you from transferring stuff - just rename the file (changing the extension) or zip it up. On the other hand, it isn't like the current DRM does anything to prevent this (you could put MP3s on a Hi-MD disc in MP3 format and transfer them to another device.Just thinking about it makes me wonder what the actual point of the DRM is.Assuming that your idea is technically and executively feasible (I think it is a good idea) - it is quite likely that the chip which handles the UMASS stuff is just a mass produced thing which might not even be made by Sony, as a result, they can't easily modify it to go crappy.I think my stance on the whole issue is that we should be pushing for DRM free players, and not accepting any comprimises - there is no way to do DRM so that it doesn't limit some of the rights you already have ("why can't I upload this public domain recording?"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I think my stance on the whole issue is that we should be pushing for DRM free players, and not accepting any comprimises - there is no way to do DRM so that it doesn't limit some of the rights you already have ("why can't I upload this public domain recording?").←Amen to that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.