Dumb question: Can I prevent my CD from being copied?

[el biciclista]

I have finally recorded, edited, mixed, and mastered my 1st CD in my home studio with PTLE.

My question: Can I prevent reproduction of the CD if I burn the CDs myself?

The CD will only be used locally as a demo for now. I can easily burn the limited number of CDs I need (Plextor 12x4x32) and I don't want to pay a mastering/duplication house to do this for me (at least not at this point).

I had planned to use "Mitsui Silver, Thermal Silver" CD-R (MTC-R74TSS-JC), until this question came to mind. Am I correct that this media can be copied? The Mitsui "Digital Audio" (DA) CD-R is for use in home audio recorders rather than for use in CD-R burners.....correct? My impression is that I somehow have to use media which will result in the SCMS copy bit being continuously on after burning the CD. Can I do this, or can this only be done by the pros?

I recognize that the risk of someone copying an unknown's CD is small, and if someone does this I would probably be very very flattered. However, I still just don't like the idea of not being able to prevent copying, just on general principle.

If this is a dumb question, sorry. Still much to learn.

Thanks!
Mike

[Zeus]

You can put SCMS copy protection bit on with Masterlist CD but that won't prevent someone putting your disc into a computer and ripping the audio with Toast Audio Extractor, for example. And that's how everybody copies CD's these days, right? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Z

[KamaSutra77]

I saw something on the net, (maybe cnet? sorry i cant be more specific) about a new encoding process being developed by a number of joint companies. ( big ones). Seems that this process introduces digital distrotion into the signal while it is being ripped (off) with an audio extractor. Another technology that I have read about, but also have not expereinced frist hand uses some sort of careier frequency to "fingerprint" your sound recordings.

it would be good to know more about these new technoligies, are there plugins available? Beta testing?

I wish DVD/DTS where avialable on the mac for consumers, since DVD is much more secure than CD-R, but quit expensive to utilize ( to my knowledge)

[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: KamaSutra77 ]

[Mr T]

I think you shouldn't get anxious about that (unless you wish to sell your demo). The important thing is that you protect your songs in a "legal way "(all right reserved...). I don't know what country you live in, but in here (France), we have several organizations where we can send our songs and be protected from copy ("copy" in the sense of someone stealing your ideas).
As far as avoiding physical copy of your CD, you can always try this encoding thing. But don't be too optimistic, if someone wants to copy your CD, he will.
There's still the analog way, and there's nothing you can do about this.
Good luck with your demo anyway. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Jorge442]

There´s at least one company doing digital watermarking, but I believe it´s pricey. Send your stuff to the library of congress (are you in the US?) to get it copyrighted so that no one can steal you music. The physical copying of it it´s out of anyone´s hands, I think.

People sharing your music can help you in the long run anyways, right?

Best,

Jorge

[el biciclista]

I am going to register both the underlying music and the sound recording using US Copyright Office Form SR ($30 for entire CD). As I understand it (http://www.music-law.com/registercopyright.html), that provides the legal record for copyright protection against unauthorized use or mass production (I should be so lucky).

It sounds like I should be content with that, and just not worry myself about limited physical copying. OK, there are enough things to worry about without creating another one!
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Thanks!
Mike

[Ara]

Anyone interested in finding out more on "watermarking" (and almost anything else audio) might want to check out this forum

webbd.nls.net/webboard/wbpx.dll/~mastering

[Juergen]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by KamaSutra77:
...being developed by a number of joint companies. ( big ones).
[ July 30, 2001: Message edited by: KamaSutra77 ]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry, it just sounded funny...

J

[Peter at Ransom Recording]

I have heard that a new sysem uses the fact that ordinary PC CD readers first look at the FAT (or its equivalent) on a CD before playing it back. The anti -piracy software exploits that by creatingf an entry in the FAT that points to a non existent position after the start of the audio. Ordinary Audio players ignore this and just play from the beinnning, so a SCMS copy bit will stop that method. A PC will always attempt to read the CDs at the non existent point and so fail, assuming that the disc is corrupt.

I suspect this might be fairly secure if the FAT read is done by a BIOS call on the CD player but if its all in software on the PC then its hackable. Don't expect that we will see it as a plug in yet though.
Regadrs
Peter