Protected Audio

[JackAction]

Hi!
I've found one more application to cut audio DRM!
Now it's really easy to take music everywhere with you!
http://www.soundtaxi.info/
What prog do u use (if u do)? :ihih:

[Feanor]

Hi!
I've found one more application to cut audio DRM!
Now it's really easy to take music everywhere with you!
http://www.soundtaxi.info/
What prog do u use (if u do)? :ihih:

I don't have any DRM protected files myself, but I could see it being a problem for many.

The music industry has been able to wrangle some pretty restrictive legislation. Does legistration forbid removal of DRM?

[noddin0ff]

I don't have any DRM protected files myself, but I could see it being a problem for many.

The music industry has been able to wrangle some pretty restrictive legislation. Does legistration forbid removal of DRM?

In the US and the EU, yes.


Digital Millennium Copyright Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Rights_Management)

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a United States copyright law passed unanimously on May 14, 1998, that criminalizes the production and dissemination of technology that allows users to circumvent copyright protection methods, rendering all forms of DRM-stripping and circumvention software illegal. On 22 May 2001, the European Union passed the EU Copyright Directive, an implementation of the 1996 WIPO Copyright Treaty that addressed many of the same issues as the DMCA.

The legislation is entirely about DRM; it doesn't criminalize 'fair use'. As far as I know there are no laws which require copyrighted works to be produced in a format that permits fair use duplication. And, it should be noted that you can indeed duplicate a DRM protected file as long as defeating the DRM is not part of the process (not that it helps free up you DRM music any).

Also when you purchase DRM files, say from iTunes, you agree to terms that essentially state that you will not defeat the DRM.



Terms (http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/service.html)
b. Security. You understand that the Service, and products purchased through the Service, such as sound recordings, videos and related artwork ("Products"), include a security framework using technology that protects digital information and limits your usage of Products to certain usage rules established by Apple and its licensors ("Usage Rules"). You agree to comply with such Usage Rules, as further outlined below, and you agree not to violate or attempt to violate any security components. You agree not to attempt to, or assist another person to, circumvent, reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise tamper with any of the security components related to such Usage Rules for any reason whatsoever. Usage Rules may be controlled and monitored by Apple for compliance purposes, and Apple reserves the right to enforce the Usage Rules with or without notice to you. You will not access the Service by any means other than through software that is provided by Apple for accessing the Service. You shall not access or attempt to access an Account that you are not authorized to access. You agree not to modify the software in any manner or form, or to use modified versions of the software, for any purposes including obtaining unauthorized access to the Service. Violations of system or network security may result

You 'signed' an agreement. It's your word, whatever that's worth. I agree it's a 'problem'. You bought a lot of files that you can only use in a limited way. But guess what? IT'S BUYER BEWARE! You bought it that way, live with it!

Better yet, buy direct downloads from the artists when you can many offer lossless versions. Buy original CD's and rip them as many times in as many formats as you like.

Finally, nothing prevents you from recording the analog output from your computer. Just like the old days of taping off the air.

[JackAction]

Is it legal? - I think yes! These progs are for registered users only and they re-record audio signal.

[noddin0ff]

Well, IF it is just re-recording the analog out then DRM would not be circumvented and it would be legal. But you generally don't need to buy software to do that. Why pay for something you could do for free?

I would bet that soundtaxi actually does defeat DRM...Which begs the question, "If it defeats DRM, why do they claim it's legal?"

Well, any claims of 'legality' made by soundtaxi should be regarded in the context that this program is sold by a company in Kiev, Ukraine (Ramka LTD) (http://www.soundtaxi.info/english/company.php?vid=139129). It is likely that, in the Ukraine, it is not against the law to defeat DRM. However, you are bound by the laws of your own country, not the one you shop in. If you live in the US or the EU you can see my previous post.

I'm still suspicious of soundtaxi. There's a notable lack of information about how it works and there's some very obvious incorrect information on their site as well. For example...

Q: Which files can SoundTaxi convert to MP3?
A: SoundTaxi can convert any file that can be played in MediaPlayer 9 or 10. Like DRM protected WMA, WMA, DRM protected M4P iTunes, M4P, AAC, WAV, MP3 files etc.
Just about anyone who paid attention would know that MediaPlayer does not handle "DRM protected M4P iTunes, M4P, AAC". But don't believe me, read Microsoft's faq (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/mediaadvice/0071.mspx#EW). Where further down it says

iTunes. The Player can't play iTunes music files with .aac or .m4p (protected AAC) file name extensions. The iTunes Jukebox from Apple Computer is required to play these files.

But that said, I've seen many forum posts that claim success with Apple's DRM. I've also seen a lot of forums with short non-informative posts alerting people to the existence of soundtaxi. Posts that, to me, look very much like subtle spam to get the word out and make some money. I'm not sending my Visa card info to the Ukraine...

[nightflier]

So if Soundtaxi is illegal, would it be illegal to download a bootlegged version of soundtaxi? It's floating around the internet on many hacker sites, already.

[Dusty Chalk]

Two wrongs don't make a right.

...but three lefts do.

I have no idea what that has to do with SoundTaxi, though.

[noddin0ff]

Hah! If some one hacks a program in a forest but noone is there to download it, is it really a hack?

I suppose, if you're in the U.S. it depends on whether they've patented/copyrighted to restrict US distribution. It seems unlikely that they could, given that it would not be legal to use it in the US. So {and remember, I'm not a real lawyer, I only play one on forums} it seems there should be nothing illegal about downloading this hacked program.

Except, I'm pretty sure the DMCA has a clause about distributing the means to circumvent DRM as being illegal. I think the people who were selling the T-shirts that had the DVD decryption code printed on them were threatened with a law suit based on this clause, but it didn't fly because is was a picture of the code, not readily implementable. Ceci n'est pas une CSS descrambling algorithm. But distibuting something that actually worked would be in violation of the DCMA.