How can I be sure I buy DRM free? [more inside]
posted on Jun 3, 2008 - 19 answers

iPod / iTunes help (Windows)... After Mrs. KokuRyu dumped her iPod nano in the toilet, I bought her a new one. I had an iPod nano myself, but I lost it. Prior to that, I had an iPod shuffle, which I still own and would like to continue to use. ***Before I hook up the new iPod for Mrs. KokuRyu, do I have to deauthorize the old iPods? Is there anything I should do?*** As well, we have music libraries bought on iTunes spread across three computers, and the music is all encoded using Apple's AAC.
posted on May 10, 2008 - 6 answers

Looking for the best portable players for DRM audiobooks and other large MP3 files [more inside]
posted on Apr 22, 2008 - 9 answers

Now that the HD format war is apparently over, should I renew my search for a 60GB PS3, get a standalone player or wait a while longer? [more inside]
posted on Feb 20, 2008 - 11 answers

You guys gave me some brilliant music suggestions in a previous question. So here's the next part of the problem. I need to manage my music. There are issues and I'm feeling very stupid. [more inside]
posted on Feb 2, 2008 - 12 answers

Does emusic.com watermark mp3s and if so, what is in the watermark and can you provide technical details on this watermarking ?
posted on Dec 19, 2007 - 18 answers

What is the best (or any) Mac software to put protected WMA audiobooks, from my local library via NetLibrary, on my iPod? [more inside]
posted on Dec 11, 2007 - 4 answers

Part 2 in a 2 part series of questions regarding DRM and public speaking... [more inside]
posted on Nov 8, 2007 - 8 answers

A couple of iTunes/iPod questions ~or~ How do I make my 2 computers and 2 iPods love each other? [more inside]
posted on Oct 15, 2007 - 16 answers

I want a computer that can play Blu-ray and HD-DVD at full resolution out an HDMI port. And can play World of Warcraft. Can this be done yet? (Bonus points for an ultra-quiet solution.)
posted on Oct 9, 2007 - 6 answers

I have reason to be concerned that source code I am turning in for programming projects at school might be being burgled for the professor's own purposes. I would like to protect my code some way. I am thinking this is a great place for DRM to actually be useful. Anyone have experience with this? What are my options?
posted on Sep 30, 2007 - 18 answers

Is there some way to get DRM-protected .wmv files to play on a Mac? Flip4Mac says they aren't supported--is there some 3rd party application that would do the trick? [more inside]
posted on Aug 15, 2007 - 9 answers

Business idea feedback. Scanning copyright books into PDF format and lending those books out for a weekly rental fee, similar to what is being done with DVD movie download rentals. A DRM enabled self-destruct system, such as Adobe Digital Editions, would provide the technical framework. Since libraries lend books, why not lend a digital copy of the book. One digital copy out on loan for every paper copy kept in stock. Legal, or publishers nightmare?
posted on Mar 30, 2007 - 24 answers

Why won't these DVDs play on my computer? For some reason, a few new DVDs I've tried to watch on my computer recently won't play properly. They won't play at all on my usual DVD program, and when I use VLC (my usual last resort) they play without any dialogue. Because older DVDs still work fine, I figure it's some fancy pants new copy protection scheme. Why aren't these DVDs playing properly, and how can I force them to? [more inside]
posted on Mar 3, 2007 - 21 answers

Can you recommend an itunes type site that lets me download DRM-free mp3s? Must be either UK based or (preferably) US based allowing downloads from the UK. [more inside]
posted on Jan 8, 2007 - 15 answers

So, I've got my lady an iPod for christmas, and I'd like to preload it with some vids - help me understand Apple's way of doing things... [more inside]
posted on Dec 16, 2006 - 10 answers

So I bought the new Decemberists' record The Crane Wife and iTunes (7.0.2) on OS 10.4.8 won't recognize it; just spits the CD tray back out. This is making me really angry(!!) as I'm thinking it's some DRM issue. Anyone else have this experience?
posted on Nov 7, 2006 - 9 answers

So the new Itunes 7 was just released but I am a little wary. Is there anyplace I can go (or keep my eye on) to see what, if any, restrictions have been introduced by the new Itunes. I am thinking things like Network-sharing (incompatibility with Ourtunes?), Limits on how many times you can burn, etc.? Or will I just have to watch and wait?
posted on Sep 12, 2006 - 31 answers

Adding DRM to a ringtone [more inside]
posted on Jul 23, 2006 - 5 answers

Help me defeat Thai internet television cooking show WMV DRM! [more inside]
posted on Jul 13, 2006 - 11 answers

Can I use an iPod without the iTunes software? [more inside]
posted on Jun 16, 2006 - 25 answers

What are the possible DRM consequences of upgrading to Windows Media Player 10 and/or Windows Media Center Edition? [more inside]
posted on Jun 12, 2006 - 7 answers

How can I get an audiobook bought from Audible to play on my iriver H10? [more inside]
posted on May 15, 2006 - 8 answers

Surprise! Paul Simon's newest album works on an external CD player but not on either of my Macs. I assume this is a DRM issue (my experience, backed up by one Amazon review). The iBook says it can't recognize the CD and spits it out; the PowerBook says nothing and spits it out. Any ideas here, beyond bittorrent, returning the disc or initiating the class-action lawsuit? The label is Warner. There is no mention of DRM/compatibility on the disc.
posted on May 11, 2006 - 15 answers

I wish to purchase a book and need it immediately, there is a PDF option but it appears that it uses some strict DRM -- such as only being able to use it on one computer. [more inside]
posted on Apr 17, 2006 - 16 answers

Starforce copy protection: Threat or menace? [more inside]
posted on Apr 6, 2006 - 12 answers

What are the most frank, telling criticisms of issues like RIAA/DRM/Music Industry that you've read before? [more inside]
posted on Apr 3, 2006 - 13 answers

I have a relatively bold, and quite possibly extremely idiotic, idea for a website. [more inside]
posted on Mar 31, 2006 - 29 answers

I'm starting to buy a lot of books on Audible. Problem is: they're pretty expensive. Legally, can I sell the books I've listened to and no longer want to read on eBay? [more inside]
posted on Mar 24, 2006 - 17 answers

How do I convert an iTunes Music Store purchased track (MPEG-4 with DRM) into a plain old MP3? I own two tracks of the same song — both purchased at iTMS... and I want to give one of them to a friend... but iTMS music has DRM in it, and isn't letting me. Any suggestions? I'm on Mac OSX 10.4.5.
posted on Mar 2, 2006 - 28 answers

I have a friend who has a Sony / BMG DualDisc of Nina Simone. Not only will the CD side of it not play in her Mac, the Mac spits it out immediately without even allowing you to access it from the desktop. What gives? Any way around this? She wants to get the songs onto her iPod. [more inside]
posted on Feb 6, 2006 - 12 answers

I have a client who has written a book that has been moderately successful in her field and she wants to create an eBook to sell online as well. Like any small volume author, she is concerned about sharing of her book in electronic format and is looking for a DRM solution. In my mind, Adobe eBooks are the most compatible and easy to distribute, but while they can be password protected, they have no inherent DRM to prevent copying to multiple machines. Microsoft's eReader (.LIT) would be next. It's pretty widely distributed and does have DRM available in the paid version. However, it seems that protection may have been cracked. I'm not super keen on tying something to MS security if I can avoid it but not completely against it, either. The 3rd option I can see are the millions of various 3rd party eBook creators. Most make executables which tend to be pretty bad to use and only available for Windows. None of these solutions seem like an obvious winner. Any thoughts or experience would be greatly appreciated. [more inside]
posted on Jan 2, 2006 - 13 answers

Who owns my mp3s when I die?
posted on Dec 9, 2005 - 26 answers

I want to buy an iPod Nano. This makes sense given that I already have 70+ gigs of MP3s all organized with iTunes. However, I also love Rhapsody which uses DRM protected WMA files that won't play on an iPod. [more inside]
posted on Nov 16, 2005 - 9 answers

What is your preferred methodology for syncing your ipod between an imac and an ibook so that you don't get duplicate songs/podcasts on your ipod? [more inside]
posted on Oct 25, 2005 - 11 answers

I have about a hundred MusicMatch downloads and now want to switch to an iPod. Is there any way I can play these with iTunes? My initial forays leave me pessimistic. [more inside]
posted on Oct 21, 2005 - 8 answers

I'd pay through the nose for a music subscription service that offered unlimited DRM-free mp3-format downloads. How close can I get?
posted on Aug 14, 2005 - 14 answers

I had a list of 10 songs I wanted...I got 9 from iTunes and one from Napster. For burning purposes, the DRM doesn't seem to get along. Short of ripping off the DRM, is there any way to burn them onto the same audio cd?
posted on Apr 9, 2005 - 7 answers

Are CDs and SACDs physically the same - just with different audio encoding? [more inside]
posted on Apr 9, 2005 - 6 answers

I recently bought the new Kings of Leon CD. It won't let me play it without downloading some b.s. DRM software and it won't let me burn to iPod. How do I get around this? [more inside]
posted on Mar 11, 2005 - 37 answers

DRM Filter: I've got some material I'd like to distribute online in a print-friendly format... but I'm considering limiting electronic pass along. PDF or Post Script would probably be the ideal format, but can they be machine-locked or something else that would prevent someone from forwarding to all their friends?
posted on Feb 9, 2005 - 11 answers

Waugh! (Pronounced the Snoopy way or the Evelyn way.) My iTunes will no longer burn AAC files onto CD. I've followed Fearless Leader's lead and de-DMRed all my Apple Music Store purchases with hymn, but I can't burn protected songs that have been hymned, protected songs that haven't been hymned or unprotected songs that used to be hymned. (I guess I didn't try an AAC rip since I mostly rip to mp3, so there's a missing data point.) When I go to burn a playlist, it deselects all the AAC tracks, although it will burn mp3s made from unprotected AAC files. Does anyone know what's up? Is there another Mac app for making audio CDs from AAC files? I'm not much of an audiofile, but don't want to go through the quality loss of converting 128 kbps AAC to 128 kbps mp3 for all these songs.
posted on Dec 8, 2004 - 3 answers

Your help please in playing DRM protected video clips without DRM software... (further details are contained within)
posted on Mar 10, 2004 - 5 answers

I remember reading either on MeFi or Slashdot about a label that is selling unencumbered mp3s directly to consumers via the intarweb. Does anyone remember reading about this? I've tried searching for it but my google-fu is failing me.
posted on Feb 21, 2004 - 6 answers

If I rip my CDs with iTunes, and select the "AAC Encoder," will the files be any less portable than MP3s? Can most MP3 player apps/devices handle them? Are they all intrinsically copy-protected? Are there real quality benefits? (I'm asking on behalf of someone who has already invested serious time in ripping, using iTunes' - you guessed it - default settings).
posted on Feb 3, 2004 - 15 answers