Log in

View Full Version : WMP9 DRM desaster


teq
04-06-2004, 09:50 AM
I had my share of bad MS DRM experience yesterday: I had downloaded quite a few wma-files (about 150 MB) and installed them on my 2210 (on my new 4GB CF Microdrive :D ) - all legally obtained from German music download sites, all DRM protected. (BTW: It was a pain in the a** to transfer some of these files via WMP9...)

Well, so I was on a plain trip yesterday evening, happily listening to my music, until - WHAM! - something happened. What exactly, I am not sure, but suddenly I could no longer play a single one of my songs on my 2210 anymore: WMP9 told me for each and every wma-file that it had no valid license to play the song :cry: . Strange thing is, I didn't change a thing on my system (apart from accidently ejecting the SD memory card that's normally permanently inserted in my 2210). Resetting the device didn't help either.

So, I considered that I would need to transfer the wma files from my PC to the 2210 once more this weekend (as I don't carry a serial cable on my business travels - why doesn't WMP9 support transfering files via Bluetooth?! :| ). Well, guess what happened next. After I synched my 2210 this morning I discovered that WMP9 was willing to play my files again! No idea why... :roll:

Anybody experienced something similar? Any possible explanations?

Cheers,
teq

Darius Wey
04-06-2004, 02:50 PM
The whole DRM concept is suffering from a number of problems. If you read the help files, MS tells you to transfer WMA files via WMP on the PC, to ensure that DRM content is properly transferred. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't.

If you ask me, MS needs to do some serious work on the entire DRM concept before it's embraced worldwide in legally downloaded music.

KenClunk
04-07-2004, 11:12 PM
I would defintially not transfer files through WMP9 it converts the files and takes way too long.

teq
04-08-2004, 07:27 AM
I would defintially not transfer files through WMP9 it converts the files and takes way too long.
Hm, do I have a choice if I want to transfer DRM-protected WMA-files to my 2210? Ok, I could use something else than WMA in the first place, but all the (legally) obtainable music-downloads in Germany are WMA-based. :?

Interesting thing about my original post - I had the same problem again yesterday evening when I tried to listen to song while syncing the 2210 with my notebook. And the problem disappeared again this morning... I am absolutly clueless concerning the reasons. :roll: