Free CD to anyone that wants it.

[akujunkan]

No, really. Because this shit has gone too far.

I've been purchasing a bunch of CDs recently. For instance, I went to the store and handed over actual money for Hajime Chitose's double CD live album. It was a very good album. I put disc one into my computer, wishing to burn it onto my mp3 player.

A message came up - in Japanese - informing me that the album is a two CD set and that I would need to put the second CD into my drive to continue. I killed the window and opened my mp3 player software. The disc automatically ejected itself from my drive.

I put the second one in and tried it. It crashed my computer. My brand new computer. Then this little gem of a window came up. I'd cut and paste it below for your edification, but I can't, because they've set it up so that isn't possible.

So let's review:
I paid actual money for this CD.
It is currently in my possession.
Despite the above, I am UNABLE to listen to MY CD on my OWN COMPUTER until I install invasive software which I do not want onto my hard drive.
I will also not be able to listen to MY CD on my OWN COMPUTER unless I am connected to the internet.
Furthermore, I am unable to listen to MY CD on any player other than my computer.

All of this is moot anyway, because the fucking CD doesn't seem to think that I live in Japan. (PS: WTHF?)

I don't share mp3s with other people. But this is just obnoxious. So, once I figure out how to get the audio off of this CD and into other formats, I will be more than happy to give the album away to anyone who wants it. Really, it would make my day.


That will be all.

Comments

[nokiirat.livejournal.com]

yes, that happened to me when i first got l'arc en ciel's smile cd when it first came out years ago. (so annoyed back then) >_<

..but i was able to find the ripped mp3s online soon after the release...so there must be a way to get the music you paid for..especially if you have a japanese ip address.

here (http://www.applelinks.com/p5/index.php/more/the_basics_of_bypassing_copy_protected_music/) an article. here's (http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=46159) a help thread (though..it's kinda complicated) glad sony gave up the stupid format.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

What irks me most is that I did pay for it, and single CDs in Japan average about $25-$30, so I'm paying more than I would in the US, even. I listen to most of my music while I commute, which is why it'd be really nice to have these discs on my mp3 player.

Thanks so much for the articles! I'll check them out once I'm off of work.

[metal-dog5.livejournal.com]

Pete says:

Check your regional settings for the PC - I know it's a Japanese machine, but make sure the windows location setting is set to Japan also - It's usually this that software checks to ensure you're in the "correct" region.

Other than that try to rip the cd's into mp3 format, and then reburn as an audio disc.


He also said that he'll do a little more research on it, and let you know if anything turns up.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Tried that - I am indeed set to Japan, and using a bona fide built-in-Japan box on a Japanese IPA as well.

As of 1am this morning I'd managed to burn copies of the CDs onto CDRs - next step is to see if I can't scare some mp3s out of them. Have to do it that way because the CD automatically ejects from my drive when I try to rip mp3s from the actual commercial discs.

Thanks again for the tech help, shining like a light from heaven;)