Copy-Protected CDs ->> Hi-MD?

[genghisbunny]

I have (sadly) acquired a couple of CDs with copy protection on them, such as Moby's Hotel double-album.

I want to upload this music to my new Hi-MD (second-gen, mz-rh10) in about two weeks when it gets delivered.

Is this possible? I know that computers tend to butcher the rendering job when converting the discs to MP3, and was wondering if they're just as cruddy when going to MD.

I hate to think the only way to listen to music I paid for is to get illegal (and possibly lower quality) versions...

I hate the thought that the industry is pushing users TOWARDS piracy with its restrictive practices (e.g., the illegal copy could be "better" because it's not restricted by arcane design that makes an audio disc not actually a genuinne red-book audio CD!)

Please tell me it isn't so! I do not promote piracy, and am the proud owner of nearly a thousand CDs. I don't want to break the law just to use my music.

Edited August 3, 2005 by genghisbunny

[Syrius]

Google for Exact Audio Copy. IIRC, it can rip those tracks to WAV, even from copy protected CDs. Since you own the CD, your backing up of your music is perfectly legal. You can compress the WAVs to FLAC, or WMA-Lossless. This one and WAV are perfectly compatible with SonicStage and you shouldn't have a problem importing them.

Try not to rip to Mp3, so you only go through one process of transcoding, and therefore avoid degradation of your music's quality.

[zerodB]

Exact Audio Copy may work, if you ask it to manually detect the CD's TOC but it also depends on your hardware - some CD readers/writers will be able to recognise the scrambled audio portion of your disc, others will only be able to read the data section. If you have access to a whole bunch of CD/DVD drives, try out your disc in various drives until you find one that works. Also, a CD burning program such as Nero may also help you distinguish between the audio and data sectors on the disc.

[genghisbunny]

Google for Exact Audio Copy. IIRC, it can rip those tracks to WAV, even from copy protected CDs.

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Thanks so much Syrius. I really appreciate your help. I'm really annoyed that companies that own music make this so hard for those of us who want to FAIRly USE our bought media.

I have a friend who deliberately burns copies of all copy-protected CDs (without buying them) and distributes them to everyone he knows, because he's so ticked off about the thing. I'm not that cheesed personally, but it does annoy me.

Anyhow, thanks so much for your input.

And ZeroDB, Thanks for the extra info. I'll check this all out tonight.

Edited August 3, 2005 by genghisbunny

[tommypeters]

Actually, if you ask them, several music publishers will exchange your copy protected CD for an unprotected one.

[Richard]

I have (sadly) acquired a couple of CDs with copy protection on them, such as Moby's Hotel double-album.

I want to upload this music to my new Hi-MD (second-gen, mz-rh10) in about two weeks when it gets delivered.

Is this possible? 

←

I also purchased recently some cd's like this eg. Kraftwerk's "Minimum-Maximum". Sonic Stage if I remember had some issues importing from the cd's. However they went through with MD Simple Burner absolutely no problem. (I was using SS3.2 / Simple Burner 2.0 - sending to NH-900 Hi-MD and also to Mz-DH10P). So before anything else try using Simple Burner.

[Haybrd]

However they went through with MD Simple Burner absolutely no problem. (I was using SS3.2 / Simple Burner 2.0 - sending to NH-900 Hi-MD and also to Mz-DH10P). So before anything else try using Simple Burner.

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Simple burner is the way forward. I have used it on several of these CDs and it works a treat!

[bogon07]

iTunes can copy tracks from "CopyControl CDs". Check the options to see where it stores the files.

After which you can import them into SonicStage.

[genghisbunny]

iTunes can copy tracks from "CopyControl CDs".  Check the options to see where it stores the files.

After which you can import them into SonicStage.

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Thanks for that. Hopefully I won't have to use (shudder) itunes, but I'm willing to try anything. I might call the maker to see if it's possible to get an actual CD of it, rather than this copy-protected trash, but I doubt this is possible in Australia.

[genghisbunny]

Thanks to everyone's advice. Thankfully, I haven't had to suffer through ichoons, as MD Simple Burner is doing the trick so far.

I still haven't done Hotel (double album - much better than the single disc, by the way), but a Copy-Disabled (and therefore non-CD technically) James Brown disc seems to have gone through just fine.

[bug80]

Thanks to everyone's advice.  Thankfully, I haven't had to suffer through ichoons, as MD Simple Burner is doing the trick so far.

I still haven't done Hotel (double album - much better than the single disc, by the way), but a Copy-Disabled (and therefore non-CD technically) James Brown disc seems to have gone through just fine.

←

With EAC and a "forgiving" CD-ROM/DVD drive you can rip almost every copy protected CD. So, if Simpleburner ever fails try EAC.

I have only one CD in my collection that I can't rip, out of the early days of copy protection (the infamous Sony protection that may actually hang your PC).

[genghisbunny]

Hotel worked - both discs went on fine. Looks like I don't have to screw around much, just use simpleburner. I'm 10 tracks in and so far none of the "crackling" it creates when ripping to MP3 from this CD.

Thanks again everybody. And I'll definitely remember EAC for future reference.