Forkers Central

So I bought My Morning Jacket's "Z" this weekend... I've never heard it but I've heard good things and I love the cover art (I know, I know, book by it's cover...), plus I was picking up some other stuff and it was only $10.
Problem is, I can't put the damn thing on my iPod. It's got protection on it that only allows you to save it to your PC in secure WMA format, which iTunes can't convert. I was able to pull it down in MP3 format using iTunes, but the encryption caused the songs to be garbled.

I should have know when I noticed the back of the CD had the seal of the US Dept of Justice on it.

I was wondering if anyone knows a way around it, though I don't feel I should have to find a work around just to listen to music that I paid for. I'm fully irritated and ready to return the CD to the store.

I've never had this problem before, am I just behind the times? Is this just a BMG thing or is it becoming standard practice? Anybody?

And Rootkit rears its ugly head again. This is probably the most reviled DRM on the market today. Here's a link to how My Morning Jacket suggests you proceed.

http://www.mymorningjacket.com/cgi-loca ... 1128754242

You might try this...

Start with a Windows 2000/XP system with empty CD drives.

1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel from the Start Menu.
2. Double-click on the System control panel icon.
3. Select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button.
4. Configure Device Manager by clicking "Show hidden devices" and "Devices by connection," both from the View menu.
5. Insert the My Morning Jacket CD into the computer and allow the SunnComm software to start. If MediaMax has never been started before on the same computer, the SbcpHid driver should appear on the list for the first time. However, on some systems Windows needs to be rebooted before the driver becomes visible.

At this point you can attempt to copy tracks from the CD with applications like MusicMatch Jukebox or Windows Media Player. Copies made while the driver is active will sound badly garbled.

Next, follow these additional steps to disable MediaMax:

1. Select the SbcpHid driver from the Device Manager list and click "Properties" from the Action Menu.
2. Click the Driver tab and click the Stop button to disable the driver.
3. Set the Startup Type to "Disabled" using the dropdown list.


With the driver stopped, you can verify that the same applications copy every track successfully. Setting the Startup Type to disabled prevents MediaMax from restarting when the computer is rebooted. It will remain deactivated until LaunchCD.exe is allowed to run again.



Give that a shot... if nothing else, I can always send you an mp3 version over AIM when I get home.

EDIT: I guess they 'shift key' method might be slightly easier

EDIT: I guess they 'shift key' method might be slightly easier

I'll try that when I get home, but I thought I *had* managed to bypass the disk's software, and I got it onto the iPod but it was all screwy. There are other tips on that message board though, something's bound to work.

I still say I shouldn't have to put out extra effort to use a work around to listen to something I paid for.

This kind of copy protection is NOTHING compared to the Starforce protection used on several modern games. You essentially have to physically unplug your optical drives to get the thing to work since it can see through even a BIOS disable of IDE channels. It's nassssty.

This kind of copy protection is NOTHING compared to the Starforce protection used on several modern games. You essentially have to physically unplug your optical drives to get the thing to work since it can see through even a BIOS disable of IDE channels. It's nassssty.

Indeed. Starforce is of the devil. Here is a timely discussion/blog entry from Cory Doctorow about Starforce and the trouble he's been having with them directly

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/01/31/st ... tens_.html

it saddened me to learn that MMJ was made victim to such things. i could not bring myself to buying their record, nor could i recommend their record, because of all of the damn protection and spyware that's on it...it breaks my heart, because i really love MMJ, but as long as that sort of thing is going on, i'm not going to buy their record.

supposedly the labels have 'removed' such things, but i don't believe 'em.

Thanks guys. I did have to disable the driver but it finally worked. Now that the "important" stuff's done I can start working on the piddly stuff like my taxes and Spanish test.

Speaking of My Morning Jacket, they will follow Death Cab for Cutie on the February 11, 2006 Austin City Limits. Not sure if that is new information, except to me.

http://www.austincitylimits.com/acl_on_pbs_tv.asp