[linux-audio-user] Reading/playing a "copy protected" CD : cdparanoia seems not to help

[Jan Depner]

On Mon, 2004-06-28 at 17:28, Chris Pickett wrote:
> Jan Depner wrote:
> > On Mon, 2004-06-28 at 08:48, Chris Pickett wrote:
> > 
> >>Jan Depner wrote:
> >>
> >>>On Mon, 2004-06-28 at 02:46, Anahata wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>On Mon, Jun 28, 2004 at 12:35:03AM +0300, Sampo Savolainen wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>>you could try to find a CD player
> >>>>>with spdif output and, presuming you have spdif input on your computer,
> >>>>>record the data digitally from a normal player.
> >>>>
> >>>>The possibility of doing this (I assume copy protected CDs can't prevent
> >>>>it, if they can be played at all) is one more thing that makes a
> >>>>mockery of the whole business of copy protection.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>	What really makes a mockery of the copy protection racket is what the
> >>>RIAA calls the "analog hole".  If I can hear it, I can copy it.  Find a
> >>>CD player that can handle the chewed up CD, run the analog outs to your
> >>>computer, record it.  I seriously doubt that there is anyone around who
> >>>can tell the difference between a digitally ripped copy and a digitally
> >>>encoded analog copy.  
> >>
> >>I can tell the difference, if it's not done properly, and it isn't 
> >>entirely trivial to do it properly.  For starters, you need a decent 
> >>soundcard ... I've tried the stereo mini-in jack on this laptop and also 
> >>on a couple of other older motherboards / soundblasters and the quality 
> >>is _nowhere_ near the quality I get out of the VXpocket v2 with balanced 
> >>inputs, and even that's probably at the lower end of the "prosumer" 
> >>range.  Non-sound people I know can immediately tell the difference too. 
> >>  I've heard enough badly ripped vinyl recordings that I don't really 
> >>trust the general populace to make analog-to-digital encodings of any 
> >>work.  Admittedly there are more complex factors involved with vinyl 
> >>than with CD's, but if it's any indication ...
> >>
> > 
> > 
> > 	You're missing the point; I have no problem doing it correctly, I have
> > a pro soundcard, and it only takes one person ;-)  After that it's all
> > digital.
> 
> I think I understand what you're saying: if there's enough people with 
> good hardware and knowledge of how to do a2d correctly, then it's 
> possible to get around all copy protection schemes.
> 
> The problems I see are:
> 
> 1) this requires p2p networks to work, which have dubious legal status, 
> depending on your country, whereas it's not illegal to rip CD's at home 
> (barring DMCA nonsense)
> 2) it takes a lot longer to rip a2d than d2d
> 3) you can't pick files from networks just based on bit-rate; you either 
> need to go by the ripper's reputation, or by listening to them yourself, 
> to check that the person did it correctly.
> 

	All good points.

> Basically, at this point, in my opinion, the RIAA doesn't have much to 
> worry about w.r.t. the "analog hole".
> 
	Actually, a lot of what's available on P2P is analog ripped.

> Anyway, for me it's a moot point ... I just buy vinyl!
> 

	I can't find anything old (like me) in good shape or I'd do the same.

Jan