Ive got a Panasonic 50x cd-rom and its got a little hole in it where you stick a paper clip or something to manually eject a cd. Other folks might not be so lucky. Well, one guy figured out you can use a marker to cancel the copy protection. Someone else will figure out how to rip it. Theres always a way around this sort of thing.

Here's the link. 'Copy-Proof' CDs Cracked with 99-Cent Marker Pen

It will cause them more headaches than it's worth in the end I'm sure. That bit of data may even be considered "Malicious code". That will make them sweat. They're taking advantage of the media recognition software in the CD player itself. I'm sure SOny CD's will be boycotted by computer users everywhere.

Share the link!!!

Would be nice....
:D </font>[/QUOTE]I thought I had :( My bad...ok Ill probably email it to ya from home. I don't think I have it here at work.

[quote]Originally posted by RudeDawg:

Quote:

Here's what's happening, and why... First of all, Sony is saying they can do this, because they are not calling them CDs. (It is NOT a standard CD format) The CD logo, on the disc and cover is replaced with the phrase "Not playable on PC or Mac". The first track on the disc is a data track that forces the player into an infinite loop. Since it won't stop spinning, it won't let you eject. If you reboot to stop it, it won't let the operating system come up. Most can bypass this by holding-in the eject button during start-up. For many new PCs, and ALL Macs, there is no eject button on the drive itself. Mine is controlled by keyboard or software. So for those without a way to manual interrupt the spin, it locks up the computer, and in my case (a DVD burner) will completely disable the drive.

Lets hear it for front panel controlls on peripherals! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Umm anyone is free to market any product they want to..it is up to the consumers to determine what they will and will not put up with.....do your talking with your cash. Look what happened to Beta version of Video tape...Sony lost that one big time. Also look at DIVx no one has a DIVx player..everyone has a DVD player...the consumers $$$ decides it all folks.

Oh yeah, theyll regret doing this. Designing discs to damage users equipment even when there not violation copyright laws is gonna come back to haunt them.

One thing - most CD-ROMs have a manual eject hole, which should enable you to remove the disc.

[quote]Originally posted by RudeDawg:

Quote:

Yes, I've seen that, and read tech reports on it. It works, but I refuse to pay for those CORPORATE SONY B@$TARDS to deny me the right to play my legally purchased CD on the appliance of MY CHOICE! I don't pirate music, but I burn my CDs to my harddrive for the convienience and filing ability of iTunes. I own over 400 CDs of various genres. iTunes indexes my music library by Genre, Artist, or Album. I gave away my JVC system, and my Mac is the only music system i WILL own. I will NEVER buy another product from SONY, or any company that supports this... F*CK SONY !!! [img]graemlins/finger2.gif[/img]

I agree Rudedude [img]smile.gif[/img] Thats why no one should buy their lame ass protected CD's but if you just accross the board boycot all Sony products you may hurt yourself in the end, that doesnt focus their attention on what you want..Sony is a BIIIIIG corp. with many divisions ..some of them which are quite useful, so while I like their TV's I dont buy their walkmans...or their lame CD's..I like to target my retaliations against the proper targets [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 05-24-2002, 01:01 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

How long do you think it will take a Sony competitor to come up with a CD drive for computers that can skip the "unskippable" track?

Right now all the hardware companies want to do this, but Sony and their cohorts are trying to get legislature passed that will not allow them to do so. They argue that under the DMCC, hardware companies are now allowed to circumvent anti-piracy technology. Who knows where this will go.

I'm not advocating piracy, but I'm sure that "some" people might be more inclined to download illegal copies of the songs on these protected CD's just so they don't have to screw with Sony's bullshit copy protection. This will bite sony in the a$$ sooner or later. Most likely sooner.