Music CD Tech Support

[sundown]

I was excited to get a new cd in the mail today (Brian Shupe & the Rubber Band) and merrily popped it into my $1,000 cd player, aka my cool PC and got a quick lesson on how much the music industry stinks. I didn't download the cd illegally, I didn't make a copy from a friend, I bought it brand new, fair and square. Somehow the manufacturer, studios, I really don't care who, figured out how to screw up this positive experience. The cd popup provides for a way to copy it to your computer (even the cd case touts this feature) but it failed half way in with an error "authentication failed". Ooooookaaay. No options, nothing. I tried to play directly from Windows Media Player (WMP from here on) which tried to acquire the license and ultimately gave me a "page not found" error (I'm connected all the time to the internet via high speed). Four tries later, I've spent a half hour trying to get a simple freaking cd to play to no avail.

So where do I call for tech support? BMG? Capitol Records Nashville? EMI Music? The Brian Shupe & the Rubber Band fan site?

Answer? Nowhere. In mouse print on the cd cover I'm served with the following stern legalise:

This product is provided AS IS, without any warranties. You bear the entire risk as to the quality and performance of this product; if this product is defective or results in damage to your property, you assume the entire cost of repair.

WOW, how cool must it be to produce a product and then assume ZERO responsibility for it, even if it's defective! Ford, Chevy and Dodge could save a bundle adding that disclaimer!

98% of my cd listening is on my PC, where I spend most of my time. I'm not going out to buy a cd player, I already have a $1000 cd player connected to my monitor. Where oh where are the good old days when playing a cd was as simple as popping it in and hitting play?

I can't believe all I have to go through just to listen to some music.

Windows XP Pro
Tons of cpu, ram and hd space
Lots of music already in WMP
Windows Media Player 10.00.00.346

So congrats music industry for making buying music such a tedious and negative experience! I'll send more money soon!

[Jason Dunn]

Agreed, it's totally lame - the music industry is waging war on their own customers. I'd LOVE to know, statistically, how many of the songs being swapped online come from someone buying the CD, ripping it, then uploading the whole thing...versus someone getting a bootleg/pre-release copy and uploading that. 90% of the people I know who pirate music don't BUY music.

[ctmagnus]

For me, it's come to the point that I will no longer purchase a CD unless I can see it in person at the time of purchase. If it is not a proper (preferably redbook) (http://www.jhepple.com/AudioCD/redbook.htm) CD, I simply will not purchase it, no matter how much I enjoy that artist's work. I've been burnt by that once; never again. I realize that this severely limits my selection, but that's the risk I'm willing to take.

[David Horn]

Thankfully this has only happened once to me, but after trying and trying to play the CD on my computer (surely not *that* unreasonable), I took it back to the shop and asked for my money back.

"But you've opened it".
"And."
"But you could have copied it"
"I couldn't even play it."
etc.

Ended up getting my money back, but was also asked to leave the shopping centre, as I stood by the rack and advised people not to buy the CD.

[sundown]

Wow. Well thanks for featuring my thread on the front page and thanks to all who shared their experiences.

I am honestly planning on cutting back my cd spending because of this. I have yet to listen to the cd I mentioned, althlough my wife was able to get it working on her pc. I could play it on my $15 cd player and connect the earphone jack to the line-in jack on my sound card. I could even rip it that way. But geez, I just don't feel like spending the time, nor should I have to.

So in the end the manufacturer, studio, music store and the artist loses here because my dollars are likely going elsewhere. I wish they would all understand that.

[bluemax]

I give up. I buy my CDs and rip them myself. I don't share them. I don't download files unless the artist specifically gives permission on their site. I don't even have a regular CD player except in my car. What do I do now?

Maybe I should just cave in; Accept that I'm a criminal and start acting like one. I'll download all the music I can. If I like it I'll send 30 cents to the artist for each track worth keeping. That's how much they would get from the recording company if the recording company was not ripping the artists off at the same time they're sticking it to me. The artist should be happy, I'll be happy, the recording company can go suck eggs.

Maybe this should be a campaign. Everyone should just download the free mp3s and send a check directly to the artist along with a polite note thanking them for their work.

Bill B.

[ctmagnus]

That's definately something I'd like to see - a database somewhere, or a website, or something, that lists the mailing addresses of musicians/actors. Just so the honest people can get their music in a format that appeals to them, and the artists can get paid as well. With no f**king middleman sucking every last penny out of the situation.

[Damion Chaplin]

I have purchased a number of CDs that say they have some sort of copy-protection on them. So far, I haven't actually seen any evidence of it. They play and rip just fine. I shudder to think of the day when one of my favorite artists releases a CD that I can't rip. I might just go download it 'illegally'. I did just buy it, didn't I? I can still listen to it in the car. :roll: