How do I copy the copy-controlled Beta Band CD?

June 17, 2004 6:35 PM

Does anybody know how to make a backup copy of the latest copy controlled Beta Band cd? When I put it in the computer, I was asked to install a player that I assume would play the cd "safely".
posted by ashbury to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

I know this isn't the answer you're asking for, but there it is, all the same.
posted by littlegreenlights at 6:54 PM on June 17, 2004

I'm assuming you're running some flavor of Windows, but try holding down the shift key when you put it in the computer. That should keep the computer from trying to "autorun" it.
posted by bshort at 7:07 PM on June 17, 2004

What happened when you didn't install the player?

EAC should be able to rip it even if it has a data track.
posted by smackfu at 7:10 PM on June 17, 2004

Yeah, stop the little evil program running by holding down shift, and then you should be able to rip it as normal.

Google vomited forth this which says -

"I also finally got the Beta Band's newest CD, Heroes To Zeros. Annoyingly, it's copy controlled (read: deliberately broken for your lack of listening pleasure). Why, then, did I pay the Canadian levy on my MP3 player to exercise my right to make a personal copy for my MP3 player? Thankfully, the "copy control" is extremely poor, resulting in a slightly slower rip. EMI Canada sucks, but you knew that."
posted by Blue Stone at 8:06 PM on June 17, 2004

Response by poster: lgl, I'm aware of the torrent, but it's mind-numbingly slow, and besides, I already have the cd, I just want to make a copy of it. It's the principle of the thing.

bshort and blue stone, the shift key trick works, but the files themselves aren't in wav form. The audio files seem to be in something called yucca.cds. When I use Nero to save the tracks, the files have an .nrg extension. Nero thought it was some sort of image file, but the files themselves were the right size for wav files.

I dl'ed EAC (nice program, btw) and it didn't seem to want to do anything with any of the tracks either.

I can probably simply copy the entire cd using Nero, but that wouldn't solve the problem of getting the tracks on to my computer. Of course I can always do a line in from my stereo to my computer, but that is the biggest pain in my ass.

I found this about the Norah Jones cd that may apply in this situation, but I hesitate to install anything from EMI - paranoid that I am.
posted by ashbury at 8:53 PM on June 17, 2004

Here's something about yucca.cds files. It seems to be related to a copy protection scheme called Cactus Data Shield 200, and google gives up a lot of info on it . . . surely something in there is the answer?
posted by littlegreenlights at 9:13 PM on June 17, 2004

Oh, and this article on cdrinfo.com goes into some detail about CDC (assuming that's the culprit) and has some instructions for ways to get around it, including possible uses of IsoBuster, Feurio, EAC, and CloneCD to get around it.
posted by littlegreenlights at 9:22 PM on June 17, 2004

Can't you just rip it to MP3?
posted by bshort at 7:51 AM on June 18, 2004

What I tend to do with copy protected CD's to get them on to my MP3 player is use Total Recorder. Start up TR, press record, click play on the shitty program that comes on the disc, bob's your uncle. It's a far from perfect solution but the quality's acceptable and it's easy to do.
posted by dodgygeezer at 1:41 PM on June 18, 2004