Z - Importing into iTunes / Playing on your PC

[Easy Morning Rebel]

ATO Information regarding Copy-Protected CDs and your iPod:
http://www.atorecords.com/?title=news+and+press&mdid=532

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One method by which you can bypass the "Mediamax" program in Windows is to hold the Shift key down when putting the CD into the CD Drive on your computer.  Once the CD has stopped spinning, take your finger off the Shift key, open up Itunes, and Z should appear, with a complete track listing.  At this point, there should be no problem importing the songs to iTunes.

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Please use this topic only to help out people having problems playing Z on their Computer/iPod. There are other threads to discuss the rights and wrongs of the copy-protection. Thanks.

So, if i understood this right.
It is only in the computer I can't play the CD, or it's just an iTunes thing? I don't think I'm really get this... ???

[hoorock]

try this:
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~jhalderm/cd3/

there's a lot of info but just scroll down to item 3
I know this worked for other people.

This worked for me.  Now I can FINALLY listen to Z in my iPod. Thanks guys.  
 ;D

[acelasreach]

As a token of the band's good will, I think they should post the mp3 files in this forum so the music listeners who have been searching for a way to listen to these files without their privacy being trampled on can have an easier way to get their fix.

What would be more productive, turning potential fans away from your music by discouraging listeners with this anti-piracy format, or taking a small hit on cd sales with widespread 'free music' but gaining many more fans (and future ticket sales) in the long run?

This is the problem with it all today. The corporations see money that can be controlled being lost, and they'll do anything they can to stop it. "Who cares if they can't play it on their Ipod" Right? If they had any clue about consumerism they wouldn't be focused on minimalizing listening. They should try to maximize usage. It's a win-win.

P.S. You wanna fix it? vote dem in '08 (or at least anything but republican)

[corey]

As a token of the band's good will, I think they should post the mp3 files in this forum so the music listeners who have been searching for a way to listen to these files without their privacy being trampled on can have an easier way to get their fix.  

That is quite possibly the dumbest fucking thing that I have ever read.

Let's say that someone heard some good things about the band and decides to check out their website before buying the CD. If they DID put the files on the website for just anyone to download, that would defeat the purpose of having a record.
You're saying put them on the forum or somewhere easily accessible because YOU can't get it to work in your PC?!?!?! What about the people that I mentioned above? They just happen to stumble across the whole album for free? Wow, Sounds like a great plan! (Not!)

I don't think their label would appreciate that too much. I'm sure the band doesn't make much off the sales (that's why they tour and sell merch like most bands do to make money). The band have stated that they don't like the situation with the CDs, but doing something like you suggested just to spite the company would be a breach of contract, I'm sure.
Yeah, Sony fucked up. Big time. That can't be denied, but they're not just gonna let the band post all of the mp3s on their website because you got your panties in a wad.

I know it didn't just affect you, but bitching about it here doesn't really do you any good.

That's the most I've said about this subject. I don't even know why I read this fucking thread in the first place.

God damn it.

[corey]

Shit, I need to get in on that. Where do I sign up?

 ;D

[bilbo]

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=154811

Here is a link for removing the SunnComm copy protection software from your computer.
In yesterdays USA Today there was an article that claimed SunnComm had posted an uninstall program themselves, but I couldn't find it on their website.

[ycartrob]

[glb]Bilbo [/glb], thank you so much for the link you provided and the very simple instructions. I was not able to listen to Z on my I-tunes b/c of the MediMax that I downloaded when I first played Z.

However, after following the instructions on the link you provided, I was able to put Z on my I-Tunes, thus enabling me to put Z on my I-Pod, thus making me just a tad bit happier.

Thanks again Bilbo, you're my new hero!  ;D

Oh yeah, FUCK sony music and corporated greed.

[perrata2000]

This is the way to do it. Works all the time:
First download the CD through Windows media Player.
Then, Using Windows Media Player only, you can then burn the songs to a CD.  Please note that in order to burn the files, you need to upgrade to or already have Windows Media Player 9 or greater.
Once the CD has been burned, place the copied CD back into your computer and open iTunes. iTunes can now rip the songs as you would a normal CD.  
Believe me. I've tried everything, and this comes from the bozos at SunComm technologies.

[Brian Marino]

Ok,
I was trying to follow the instructions to remove the suncomm stuff, i went to program files and there was no suncomm folder, i went to my device manager and could not find the driver they had me look for (unfortuantely, i had already accidnetly loaded the enhanced cd so i was allowing them to have their crap on my comp)
since i could not find that stuff, i tried the windows media cure, windows media burned it and burned it onto the cd messed up, copy-protected as well
nothing seems to be working for me andi require some help, how do i get the suncomm stuff off my computer

[Brian Marino]

Ok, nevermind, I managed tog et the windows media technique tow ork and got it onto my ipod, but i still want to make sure i have gotten all the suncomm trash and drivers off my comp, any advice? i cant find the folders to delete (hopefully this means they just arent on my computer somehow)

[rubadub]

why cant MMJ do a free download of the album in MP3 after entering the albums serial code on their website.  Wilco did this on Yankee Hotel with great success.  1 Z serial code= 10 high quality MP3s.  just a thought.

[corey]

First of all, it's not up to the band. It's up to their label. So there's that.

Second, it would need to be some sort of code that would be inside the CD package and not readily available on the outside of the artwork. It would also have to be something that would only work once. 'Cause if it wasn't, the first person to buy one of those discs would go home and post the code somewhere on the net for everyone else to find.

[gozilla]

I realize that this is Sony's doing and not the band but I wanted to add my two cents.  Some background - I'm a computer geek with ties to the music industry at the indie level.  I've personally helped to finance an artist's first album.  I've built web pages for several other artists.  I provide tech support for a small record label and a small artist publicity company  I love music and I want to support the artists and the other folks who support the artists.  I own somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 CDs.

That said the music industry as a whole is broken.  How many of you were exposed to MMJ through the traditional outlets like a radio station?  Maybe if you're lucky enough to have a KCRW type station in your town you heard them on the radio, but chances are your stuck with a slew of Clear Channel stations playing an endless rotation of the same 40 Pop song that every other station is playing.  Maybe someone played you a song, maybe they made you an (illegal) mix cd or tape.  Maybe you downloaded an MP3 legally or illegally.  Me?  I illegally downloaded an album and I listened to it again and again.  MMJ was added to my list of bands that warrant a purchase.  Bands that I would prefer to support by attending a show as I know from working in the industry that very little of the $12-$18 you spend on a CD gets back to the band.

I read about the new album online - it's getting great reviews.  I went to Amazon to purchase it and was stopped cold by the copy protection warning.  The band lost a sale as a result of the label.  They will still get my business in the form of a ticket sale the next time they come to town but I will not buy an album with DRM software on it.  I expect to be able to play a song on my Linux computer, my Windows computer, my old DVD player and my car CD player and yes my IPod.  I want to be able to share music with like minded folk so that bands like MMJ get the exposure they deserve via mix CD's or a single MP3.

I won't download the new album.  I probably won't even hear it at this point.  I encourage the band and the fans to continue to go after Sony and any other label that employs DRM (especially in the dangerous manner in which Sony has recently on other albums).  

[travis]

I've tried several options from this site on how to get Z to play on my computer and none of them have worked.

i tried control panel>system>device manager>

but from that point there is no "show hidden devices" or "devices by connection"

when i insert Z, I see no driver called sbcphid.

What should I do?

I also tried holding shift down and opening itunes.  itunes allows the cd to open but plays with crackling in the music

[LaurieBlue]

http://www.eff.org/IP/DRM/Sony-BMG/mediamaxfaq.php

SunnComm MediaMax Security Vulnerability FAQ

[jtsla]

I was able to get the music on my computer as an MP3 by using system restore to get to the point before I ever inserted a SunComm disc into my computer.

Then I inserted Z, holding the shift key down. . . no autoplay.

I opened Windows Media Player 10 and ripped the CD into WMA format at 160k. I then burned this to a CD-R.

Then took disc out, closed Windows Media and opened Musicmatch. I put in the new CD-R, told CDDB to look for Z and tagged the cuts and then ripped to  128k MP3.

Both the CD-R and the MP3 play without distortion.

I think the key is to get the computer to a point before you ever had Suncomm load its dirty little files

JT

[Tooth]

The 'ol SHIFT key trick worked for me!  RAWK!

[Dan Cox]

Sunncomm and Sony are not going to rectify the situation because they are scumbags.  I cannot get any of the methods in this forum to work.  Once I get it on my Ipod it's all skippy.  

I feel that the band should offer an exchange program of some sort where unhappy customers can send in the disc and get a replacement without the Sunncomm bullshit on it.  It may cost some money, but it would get all of us to quit complaining and wasting our time trying to make the thing work.

[ratsprayer]

i think the band should create clones of themselves.  these clones would be extra intelligent and never would choose sony or any other bullshit corporation as their record label, hence this copy write protection would never end up on their cds.

of course these clones would be invincible in every way as well immortal, if you will.  this also solves the problems of the cancelled european tour.  the perfect replica clones come over because they can never get sick.

this is the perfect solution to everything.

just imagine, these clones could tour non stop, year round.  every city would be hit, every continent too.  thered be no complaining about the band never coming to your neck of the woods, and wed be sure to get those 3 and 4 hour sets like we dream about.

[EC]

Hey, now...  ATO is a subsidiary of SONY.  It's a little different.
SONY is responsible for this huge fuck up.  They didn't ask, they just did, and nobody's happy about it.  We already know that.

If anybody needs to do a recall and exchange for non-detrimental products, plus give fantastic gift certificates and possibly free iPods, it's SONY.  

Plus, ratsprayer, that's brings up strange moral issues.  Like, let's say you're a clone.  A perfect clone.  You've got to be considered a human being, right?  So you can't work yourself harder than a real human because you'll get sick.  Just like we've seen in recent days.   :-/

Is it really right to make the clones tour nonstop?  

I think you know the answer to that.  

;)