Microsoft unveils CD pirate-proofing
 

By Nick Farrell [20-01-2003]
New software can control unauthorised copying, claims Redmond
Microsoft claims it has invented a system of preventing CDs from being illegally copied.
The software giant is the latest to come up with a solution to what has been a major problem to the music industry.

Last year, software enthusiasts cracked Sony Music's proprietary technology simply by scribbling around the edges of protected discs with a marker pen to allow playback.

According to Reuters, Microsoft believes it may have come up with a better system with its new software, called Windows Media Data Session Toolkit.

The system enables music labels to lay songs onto a copy-controlled CD (one that allows playback on a stereo and a PC) in multiple layers.

According to David Fester, general manager of digital media entertainment for Microsoft, the PC layer, laid digitally on the same disc, can be modified by the content provider so that burning songs onto another CD, for example, can be prevented.

Microsoft claims that Universal Music and EMI "are very excited about this because it enables the industry to build a CD with their own protections built in."

Microsoft has spent more than $500m (£311m) on digital rights management for music, Fester said.

The Toolkit was co-developed with technology partners SunnComm Technologies and France's MPO International Group, he added.

Read this article several days ago. Doesn't matter, every copy protection ends up being cracked.:D

But what about the last one...............pmsl

I have no idea how they will crack it...but they will.:)

If it can be read by a computer it can be cracked. Its just a matter of time.

So long as you can connect ur stereo to ur pc to stream it, why do they bother?

opinion
 

The best way to think of this is that all media, and electronics, software...ect. is made by man there fore it can also be altered, and changed by man.:D

The only problem with connecting and streaming is that you don't get as good of quality. Do you think this protection works on stand alone copiers as well? I sure hope not otherwise theres some money down the toliet. If standalone copiers still worked I suppose you could copy it to a cd-r, then rip from that. That would give you fairly close to cd quality.

it wont last long
 

lol its like a car u dont have to have a key to start it. it will give all them pc nerds a new challange. no disrespect to them

Why spend 500 million dollars on something that will be craked, when all you need to do is LOWER THE GOD DAMNED PRICES OF MUSIC CD'S !!!!

If music didn't cost $15, we wouldn't need to copy it illegaly ! The music industry is tripping over dollars to pick up pennies.