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  • #16
    Re: On-line music stores

    Originally posted by mel View Post
    Getting back to DRM, the record as well as the movie/TV companies would love to have us buy the same content over and over.

    And to a degree I have.... Many albums and singles that I originally had on vinyl I upgraded to CD. When video was around I bought Beta, and did a slight upgrade to VHS and a major upgrade to DVD when I moved many of my tape collection to the DVD format.
    Actually, I have no problem with the labels/studios trying to make money on their back catalog by transferring them to an upgraded format. I understand that if you bought something initially released on LP/VHS, it does cost $$$$ to remaster the material onto the newer format, as well as to pay for royalties that are owed.

    Originally posted by mel View Post
    And now the movie companies probably want to have you buy your entire DVD collection all over again by pushing Blue Ray DVD or some other downloadable digital format in the future. Will we bite.... again?
    But isn't that a choice we as consumers make? Just because Paramount decided to issue The Godfather on Blu-Ray doesn't mean that we have to suddenly dump our DVD copies. As long as the DVDs work and we're statisfied with what they have to offer, there's nothing that compells us to have to buy an upgraded release. But if you want the additional features that the Blu-Ray version offers, it's not unreasonable for the studios to expect consumers to pay for all the bells-and-whistles.

    My problem is with the labels/studios instituting forms of DRM that do not allow us to make a backup of, say, a DVD of The Shining,.... and then expecting us to pay for the same DVD again should our first DVD become unplayable due to scratches or disc rot. I think that there's definitely a difference between these two scenarios.
    This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

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    • #17
      Re: On-line music stores

      Originally posted by mel View Post

      However be aware of the file formats the music stores offer. Most offer non-DRM MP3 which is pretty much universal to all platforms.

      Be aware that iTunes offer most of their songs in non-DRM AAC, with some still in Protected AAC.

      MP3 song files play on most players, AAC limited mostly to iPods and Apple products though some other players such as the Sony PSP, and the upcoming Nintendo DSi will take AAC files (but more than likely not the "protected" DRM ones).
      AAC is the successor to MP3. AAC is MP4 and is a standard it's not proprietary or limited, maybe yrs ago companies were reluctant to embrace the latest audio codec, but all the major digital music players will play AAC files including Sandisk Sansa, MS Zune, Creative Zen, Sony Walkman, etc...

      So there's really no limits anymore, and you don't need to downgrade AAC's to MP3's.

      BTW, AAC is the standard audio codec used in the MPEG-4 video h.264 that DirectTV, Dish Network, and IP based television is using.
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      • #18
        Re: On-line music stores

        ALL lossy compression schemes make me shudder - but they are a necessary evil.

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        • #19
          Re: On-line music stores

          Originally posted by Leo Lakio View Post
          ALL lossy compression schemes make me shudder - but they are a necessary evil.
          Music Giants is one of the few websites that sell decent albums as lossless files, and I prefer lossless myself. Fortunately many artists are selling it directly from their own websites, so I hope more people will choose that option if they care about audio quality.

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          • #20
            Re: On-line music stores

            Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
            Actually, I have no problem with the labels/studios trying to make money on their back catalog by transferring them to an upgraded format. I understand that if you bought something initially released on LP/VHS, it does cost $$$$ to remaster the material onto the newer format, as well as to pay for royalties that are owed.
            I understand that and agree.


            Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
            But isn't that a choice we as consumers make? Just because Paramount decided to issue The Godfather on Blu-Ray doesn't mean that we have to suddenly dump our DVD copies. As long as the DVDs work and we're statisfied with what they have to offer, there's nothing that compells us to have to buy an upgraded release. But if you want the additional features that the Blu-Ray version offers, it's not unreasonable for the studios to expect consumers to pay for all the bells-and-whistles.
            True. I've chosen to upgrade. No one forced me to. I still keep for example my original LPs to most of the stuff I upgraded to CD. I've pretty much got rid of the tapes that I upgraded to DVD. I'll stop at DVD for most of the movies I own as long as the hardware that plays Blu-Ray remain backward compatible to standard DVD.

            I feel forced to upgrade when hardware firms no longer make the players to play your software... for example - you can't buy brand new Betmax VCRs or even standard, stand-alone VHS player recorders. So when the hardware stops being manufactured then you are in a bind, especially if your old unit dies and is not repairable.

            So far it is a good thing that standard DVD is the same size as Blu-Ray DVD, which hope springs eternal that all future Blu-Ray players will continue to be manufactured with backward compatibility to standard DVD as well as music CDs too.


            Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
            My problem is with the labels/studios instituting forms of DRM that do not allow us to make a backup of, say, a DVD of The Shining,.... and then expecting us to pay for the same DVD again should our first DVD become unplayable due to scratches or disc rot. I think that there's definitely a difference between these two scenarios.
            I hear you on that one!
            I'm still here. Are you?

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            • #21
              Re: On-line music stores

              Originally posted by Leo Lakio View Post
              ALL lossy compression schemes make me shudder - but they are a necessary evil.
              Another reason why I still prefer standard CDs or even vinyl!

              For digital mobile devices and even on your computer, the smaller AAC or MP3 is much more convenient and allows people to store more content on the limited amount of space that the content takes up.
              I'm still here. Are you?

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              • #22
                Re: On-line music stores

                Originally posted by mel View Post
                I feel forced to upgrade when hardware firms no longer make the players to play your software... for example - you can't buy brand new Betmax VCRs or even standard, stand-alone VHS player recorders. So when the hardware stops being manufactured then you are in a bind, especially if your old unit dies and is not repairable.
                Standalone VHS decks are becoming increasingly rare on the marketplace. But combination DVD/VHS players are readily available. And they will be for some time to come, as a lot of folks out there still have a lot of pre-recorded VHS tapes as well as VHS camcorders that they still want to use.

                Actually, the VHS folks are better off than those who invested in laserdisc software, now that Pioneer (the company that championed the LD format for over 20 years) will no longer be manufacturing LD players.

                Originally posted by mel View Post
                So far it is a good thing that standard DVD is the same size as Blu-Ray DVD, which hope springs eternal that all future Blu-Ray players will continue to be manufactured with backward compatibility to standard DVD as well as music CDs too.
                Originally posted by mel View Post
                For digital mobile devices and even on your computer, the smaller AAC or MP3 is much more convenient and allows people to store more content on the limited amount of space that the content takes up.
                There's definitely a place for compression technology when it comes to A/V entertainment. While I do share the concern about the idea of lossy compression becoming the "standard" of how new music is distributed in the future, I am certain that by the time that all pre-recorded physical media is deemed obsolete, the combination of newer, more advanced compression algorithms and the increased storage capacity of devices will render those concerns moot.

                The biggest loser in all these technological advances are the bricks-and-mortar music stores, which is kind of sad. They'll end up being a nostalgic memory that grandparents share with their young 'uns, just like the milkman and the Saturday morning matinee.
                This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

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                • #23
                  Re: On-line music stores

                  Originally posted by mel View Post
                  I understand that and agree.

                  True. I've chosen to upgrade. No one forced me to. I still keep for example my original LPs to most of the stuff I upgraded to CD. I've pretty much got rid of the tapes that I upgraded to DVD. I'll stop at DVD for most of the movies I own as long as the hardware that plays Blu-Ray remain backward compatible to standard DVD.

                  I feel forced to upgrade when hardware firms no longer make the players to play your software... for example - you can't buy brand new Betmax VCRs or even standard, stand-alone VHS player recorders. So when the hardware stops being manufactured then you are in a bind, especially if your old unit dies and is not repairable.
                  Sometimes it's best to find decent VHS decks on Craigslist, but at times that can be unreliable. Or wait until another box store closes down.

                  The thing about some movies is that it may have been released one way on VHS or laserdisc, and were re-edited in some fashion when released on DVD. Sometimes those early editions can be of value, but there are communities online who will edit them together and create a better version.

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                  • #24
                    Re: On-line music stores

                    Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post

                    There's definitely a place for compression technology when it comes to A/V entertainment. While I do share the concern about the idea of lossy compression becoming the "standard" of how new music is distributed in the future, I am certain that by the time that all pre-recorded physical media is deemed obsolete, the combination of newer, more advanced compression algorithms and the increased storage capacity of devices will render those concerns moot.
                    I hope lossy music files simply become a standard for low-grade audio, although MP3's at 320kbps are decent enough. Again, I prefer to archive my CD's as lossless files and archive them on DVD-R and eventully an external hard drive, so if I feel like burning a CD for myself or to make a custom MP3 disc for my car, I can.

                    The same people who claim lossless files for music requires too much time are probably the same people downloading 700mb movie files, and the average CD is anywhere from 250mb to 500mb in lossless form.

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                    • #25
                      Re: On-line music stores

                      Originally posted by Frankie's Market View Post
                      The biggest loser in all these technological advances are the bricks-and-mortar music stores, which is kind of sad. They'll end up being a nostalgic memory that grandparents share with their young 'uns, just like the milkman and the Saturday morning matinee.
                      Well, Borders isn't doing themselves any favors. They changed the listening booths awhile back and now IF your lucky, you can find a working booth ("working" in that the headphone works on one side) and hear a 30 second sample with a horrid amount of digital artifacts.

                      I really miss the older system that used a 6(?) disk CD changer. You could listen to the whole thing if you wanted.

                      My disappointment with Spiral Frog dieing is that I'm trying to find a place where I can hear the whole song before I put my money down.

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                      • #26
                        Re: On-line music stores

                        So, no opinion on Rhapsody (or Best Buy Digital Music Store)?
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                        • #27
                          Re: On-line music stores

                          Originally posted by Random View Post
                          So, no opinion on Rhapsody
                          Unless I'm getting my services confused, that's more like a custom radio station.

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                          • #28
                            Re: On-line music stores

                            Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
                            Unless I'm getting my services confused, that's more like a custom radio station.
                            It has continuous music channels. However, you can purchase MP3s there, which would definitely make Rhapsody a store, right?

                            Or am I missing something????

                            Ironically, the earlier concern you expressed about finding a store where one can hear the whole song before purchasing is addressed by Rhapsody. Y'see, with a Rhapsody membership, you have unlimited access to Rhapsody's catalog to listen to on your PC, or even on a portable MP3 player if you upgrade to the "Rhapsody To Go" membership. That way, you can listen to an entire song/album before making the decision to purchase.

                            There's a couple of catches, tho. First off, the memberships aren't free as there's a fee. But starting at $13 a month, it is far from being outrageous when you consider the sheer amount of music you have access to. And even if that is too rich for your blood, you can still listen up to 25 songs of your choice per month as a non-member for free.

                            The other catch only applies if you have an iPod. Basically, the Rhapsody To Go service is not compatible with any iPod. (There might be hacks out there that address this. But officially, Apple does not support the Rhapsody service on their devices.) Of course, if you purchase any song from Rhapsody as an MP3, it can be loaded and played on your iPod.
                            Last edited by Frankie's Market; March 23, 2009, 12:21 PM.
                            This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

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                            • #29
                              Re: On-line music stores

                              The cost of some digital music tracks at both Amazon.com and Apple's iTunes store have gone up today to $1.29 each!!
                              I'm still here. Are you?

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                              • #30
                                Re: On-line music stores

                                I haven't been on Oahu for three years but when I was there I bought a few DVD's from Tunes. I paid with my debit Visa Card and what a mistake to make ! Not a day goes by that I don't get and email advert from Tunes. How can they do that ? I never gave them my email addy. Do they track it down throught the long number on the card ? Who knows ! No biggy but a bit of a nuisance,,,,,, like big brother is watching you from 11,000 miles away.

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