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Copy-protected music voids computer warranty?

May 10, 2002 › Sandy McMurray | comment

Copy-protected music voids computer warranty?
At least one major music label (Sony) is experimenting with a copy-protection scheme that make discs "incompatible with computers." The European release of Celine Dion's latest release is one of the affected discs.

The music on these discs can't be "ripped" on a computer. In fact, you can't even listen to them on a computer. In a technical note on its Web site, Apple Computer says, "You may be unable to eject certain copy-protected audio discs, which resemble Compact Discs (CD) but technically are not." (Philips, which owns the trademark on the phrase "Compact Disc" -- refuses to allow these discs to be called CDs.)

Both Windows and Macintosh computers are affected by this problem, but these discs have been known to lock up Mac machines, making a service call necessary. And it's not under warranty --- the fault lies with the music disc, not the computer.

Apple gives its side of the story in this article.

May 10, 2002 › Sandy McMurray | comment on this item