Z - Importing into iTunes / Playing on your PC

[Uncle_Jerry]

It's really a shame that the CD has all these problems.  Luckily i bought this on itunes.  One of the best decisions i've made in a long time.   I recently bought the new Stellastarr on CD and can't get it into my ipod.  I have hardly listened to it.  

I don't think i'll ever buy another CD again.   It's all digital for me, yo!

[Adam]

These guys are worth the extra $10 bucks to get their music onto my ipod.  When I found out that they were as pissed as me at Sony, I immediately downloaded the album.

[thephosphorbox]

Hi guys,  I had success last night getting Z converted to MP3 for my car stereo / Creative Zen player.

Here's what I did :

1.  Used the "hold shift" trick when I inserted the CD.
2. Opened Windows Media Player (version 10).
3. Set WMP to rip to unprotected MP3s by going to Tools->Options->Rip.
4. Ripped the CD.

Worked flawlessly.  I'm now listening to the album on my Zen player.

You can safely skip the WMA->AudioCD->MP3 conversion and go straight to MP3 using WMP with no DRM or machine  or playback device restrictions.

[tr][/tr]

[Will]

If you've still can't get it to work try this it worked for me and all I had to do was piece together what different people on this board said:

First if you have already put the cd in your computer and it loaded all that crap go here http://www.sunncomm.com/support/tools/uninstall3.asp and uninstall it through their instructions (all you have to do is accept activex controls and all the other things that pop up click ok) reboot.

Second put the disc in the drive and hold shift until you are sure that when you let go it won't start spinning.

Then bring up you itunes program and import the cd.

That's how it worked for me good luck to you.

[doctorpeligro]

Hi guys,  I had success last night getting Z converted to MP3 for my car stereo / Creative Zen player.

Here's what I did :

1.  Used the "hold shift" trick when I inserted the CD.
2. Opened Windows Media Player (version 10).
3. Set WMP to rip to unprotected MP3s by going to Tools->Options->Rip.
4. Ripped the CD.

Worked flawlessly.  I'm now listening to the album on my Zen player.

You can safely skip the WMA->AudioCD->MP3 conversion and go straight to MP3 using WMP with no DRM or machine  or playback device restrictions.

I did the same thing, although I only played the CD on my laptop and didn't rip it.  Does that mean our computers are free of the SunnComm program?

[PK]

I just bought the album and then remembered reading that problems occured with play on Ipods. I also remember that some "infected" albums were being replaced. Is there anyway to tell if I've got a bad copy???

My copy has a "compatible with" note on the back of the album. It says "MAC ok" and compatible with secure windows media.  Is that good or bad?

I'd like to avoid the problems you've all had. Any help is appreciated!

[loomer]

Here's how to receive the "settlement"

http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/home.html

[theTAO]

I don't own "Z" yet, but was at a record store last night and found a copy on the shelf. I know all about DRM, the Sony/SunnComm security issues, and the resulting lawsuit.  What I don't understand is why I couldn't find any mention of DRM on the package.  I assume by now that every DRM-laced CD is labelled as such, and I know what these tend to look like from the latest Dave Matthews and Idlewild CD's (which I didn't buy) and a US Coldplay single (which I received as a gift and returned to the store).  Maybe I have to look harder, but can somebody tell me where DRM is mentioned on the packaging for this specific disk?

I've also read the majority of this thread and would like to add my two cents.  I am a new (well...a potential) fan, and I greatly appreciate the steps the band and ATO Records have taken to diffuse the matter.  Unfortunately, even with the Sony lawsuit, it has not settled the issue of whether the band or record label can trump the distributor's decision to add DRM.  Thee lawsuit was a successful battle, but it didn't win the war.  I don't own an IPod or use a Windows-based computer, but believe that even tacitly supporting such technologies will just lead to more of it in the future, so I practice a zero-tolerance policy.  DRM offends my eyes.  The only solution I see is a successful lawsuit by a band or record label...but if Dave Matthews or Foo Fighters won't take up this challenge, I can't honestly expect more from MMJ.

I hope the CD I found in the store was sans-DRM, although I am probably wrong.  The moment somebody releases a repressing without it, I'll be the first in line to buy a copy.

Thanks,

Todd

[tomEisenbraun]

all of the drm cd's should have been removed from stores. thing is, Z wasn't DRM, it was a different type of software, but it was recognized to also carry that rootkit. the way to tell if it's copy-protected is the look at the back of the cd. it should have a small rectangular white box that saysd something about copy protection and how many copies you can make and what the terms are. check that out. i haven't checked, but it'd be interesting to know if we can get these cd's without the software.

and on that note, don't be too much of a jerk about it. there's only so many people who are actually boycotting the albums, and it really isn't enough to make much of a dent to sony. you're one man in a sea of millions who are buying, and you're not hurting them very much. not buying the cd just shows as mmj's record sales being down some, and a few extra copies on the shelves.

what you can do that would make more of a difference (seeing as you're hurting yourself just as much by not having an amazing album to listen to :))  is possibly write to sony. keep an eye out for any kind of thing you can sign your name to protesting that and asking them to change. stand behind any lawsuits that  come your way about it. or even buy the album and send it to them to get it exchanged for a non-rootkit copy. this shows them that you want the wares enough to actually get the correct version. and it  shows them that it does matter to the people that they would rather not have this stuff on their computer.

i was able to ask Bo about it briefly back in October, and he put it very well. he said that all of the bands that get this crap slapped onto their cd's are just pawns in the war between Sony and Apple. Sony is trying to make it as hard as frickin possible for Apple's iTunes and iPod to be successful (though failing miserably) and to help keep their stuff from being put into iTunes and transported to an iPod, they make it so that the cd's are only compatible with windows media player, (unless you run it on a mac, to which the software doesn't even show up as usable when you insert the cd) giving iTunes the total boot on this one. strange thing is, though, that you can just as easily buy the album on iTunes and have iton your iPod that way. They are quite weakly fighting an uphill battle.

[allenbc]

copy of my e-mail sent to ATO Records (4/19/06):

I can't begin to tell you haw frustrated I am with ATO Records.  I recently spent my hard earned money to buy a CD (specifically My Morning Jacket, Z), and I find that I can't even play it on my computer, rip it to my hard drive, or download it to my ipod.  I am tempted to stop buying from ATO entirely, although many of my favorite bands are on your label.  Just so you know, despite your efforts to copy-protect the albums, I can easily bypass your company and copy/download the songs for free from other sources.  I actually enjoy supporting the artists by purchasing 1st copies of the cd's and adding them to my collection.  However I also rely on my computer to organize and listen to my music.  By putting up such copy-protect barriers you are just turning people like me away from your label and actually pushing us to bypass purchase entirely.  This is something I rarely do.  Sometimes I will have music shared with me by friends, but I usually go buy the cd if it is a group I enjoy listening to and want to start following (just out of principle).  I always enjoy the artwork, lyrics, and insight into the bands by purchasing the cd.  Please remove your copy-protect barriers that prevent me to easily listening to the music I purchase.  I do not want to have to look up 'work arounds' to listen to music I have already purchased.  That is like buying a ticket to a concert and upon entering the venue finding out that you actually have to walk ten blocks (and through a few dark alleyways) to get to the 'real' stage.  And when you get there, the band doesn't come on for another two hours, and when they do come on stage two members of the band stay in the bus because they are sick.

Come-on...and you call me a customer.  

allenbc@vcu.edu

[theTAO]

allenbc, did the CD you bought mention copy protection or Sunncomm explicitly anywhere on the outside?  I posted a couple days ago that I was looking at a copy at a record store and couldn't find any mention of copy protection.  I found another copy tonight, and this is still the case.  There's just an FBI logo and the "FBI Anti-Piracy Warning" message, which appears on most big-label releases nowadays.  I'd like to think the CD is clean, but then there's no law to force mandatory labelling.  I also looked at some import Coldplay CD singles, which I know are protected, but are also not labelled.

BTW, un-doing the Sunncomm software isn't very hard.  Skim the rest of this thread for links to instructions for uninstalling the driver.

Todd

[wellfleet]

just a suggestion about copy-protected CDs, if you splurge on the japanese imports, they are often not protected, and you get to enjoy the extra song.
also note that copy-protected compact discs aren't actual *compact discs*. you will notice the CD logo to be conspicuously absent from the surface of the disc. that is because copy protection and imbedded software have pushed these discs so far away from original company specs that they are not allowed to use the CD logo. just a thought...

[allenbc]

Todd,  The cd I purchased has a box in the lower left hand corner of the back cover that says 'compatible with' and then lists the playback, ripping, portable divices options.  It also mentions the website: www.sunncomm.com/support/sonybmg

I bought this cd around March 8th at Virgin.  Maybe the non-labeled cds do not include the sofware?  I don't know.

I was able to uninstall the software by following the above links, and rip a clean copy to windows media player, however I still haven't been able to import those tracks into itunes. My little white music machine is still without mmj's latest.  

Good luck... and the album is amazing.  Right now I am listening to a downloaded mmj show at the 9:30club on 10/10/05  from musicarchive.org.  I wish I could've been there; It just hit on the wrong day.  Thanks mmj for allowing your shows to be heard on this and other sources.  Please, please keep the downloads available!  It makes me a more loyal fan.  I am looking forward to catching up w/ mmj in Boston in June w/pj.

[theTAO]

FYI, I finally bought a copy of Z last night.  The version with only the FBI warning listed on the back lower-left does not contain any copy protection.  I would have realized this sooner if I'd paid more attention to the Sony settlement notes at http://www.eff.org/IP/DRM/Sony-BMG/settlement_faq.php .  BTW, anybody owning the copy-protected version is entitled to a free download of a Sony album (plus a free download of straight mp3 versions of the Z songs) if you follow the instructions on the EFF site!  Claim forms are due by the end of the year.

So anybody who recently bought the copy-protected version either didn't read this first, or didn't search hard enough.

With all that unplesantless aside, what do I think of the album?  It's my first MMJ purchase, although I did have "The Way That He Sings" on a radio sessions CD.  Z has been playing irregularly since yesterday, and I have yet to give it a really thorough listen, but...I LIKE IT.  It seems like a combination of old-fashioned rock with some britpop irreverance, which I assume is courtesy of producer John Leckie.  And all with an indie mentality.  Unlike a couple other CD's I bought recently, it also has some "life" to it, which makes it easy to get pulled-in.  It will take a couple weeks for a final verdict, but so far I'm very happy with my purchase...even if it took over 6 months due to this DRM business.

Todd

[take2]

Something very odd just happened to my copy of Z.    I've had it since about October.  I've listened to it continuosly on my PC at home with "Z"ero problems.  Today I try to give it a listen and the Sony icon (with whatever sofware popped up).  Funny thing is, this normally wouldn't bother me, except NOW i finally want to import to Itunes....  what gives?  It honestly worked before, and now I have to agree to a license agreement??

[theseannery]

I read recently that the band are not at all happy with the situation. I'd imagine they wouldn't be. Anyway;

http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2005/10/drm_crippled_cd.html

This link gives a bit more info on how to circumnavigate the problem and some of the background on it.