Bach Launches Updated MP3 Format 279
An anonymous reader writes to tell us that Bach Technology has rolled out an updated MP3 file format in a bid to combat music piracy. Dubbed "MusicDNA," the new format offers embedded "updatable premium content" like lyrics, videos, news updates, and album artwork. "Using the new technology, music labels and bands will be able to send updates to the music files – with tour dates, interviews or updates to social networking pages – while illegally-downloaded files remain static. ... No major labels have signed up to use MusicDNA so far, but British record company Beggars Group and US label Tommy Boy are both on board. However, the files are likely to be more expensive than MP3 files – according to the BBC – and will have to compete with Apple's iTunes LP, which already provides additional content such as bonus tracks, lyrics and video interviews."
Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:5, Insightful)
with tour dates, interviews or updates to social networking pages – while illegally-downloaded files remain static.
So if I want to buy music legitly, in addition to paying for the track I will now also get spammed with ads?
Extra content (Score:5, Insightful)
Given that one of the main reasons for buying music over simply downloading it is art work, lyrics, and extra content, this might not be a bad idea. IF you can truly restrict access. Otherwise you're just giving more reason to pirate the format.
What? Why? (Score:5, Insightful)
No thanks, Bach (Score:5, Insightful)
Just when the patent on MP3 is set to expire they "update" it with DRM? WTF? This will ensure that the old, soon-to-be free file format will stay around.
I hope Ogg doesn't think since MP3 has this cruft they have to too. Of course, MP3 may be playing catch up with Microsoft; WMA files have had DRM for a long time. The DRM was in fact (and still is) a security risk.
I'll stick with OGG and even better, SHN and FLAC.
Wrong Audience? (Score:3, Insightful)
Just what I want embedded in my mp3s... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:5, Insightful)
In other words, if I download a file illegally, I'm guaranteed to be left alone and my files won't be changed around without my consent or prior knowledge?
Hm.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:4, Insightful)
Sounds like a misguided effort. What I really want, is high-quality audio in smaller file sizes. It seems like they're creating a solution without a problem, or for the wrong problem.
I understand the point of incentivizing legitimate downloads, but the incentive here is something I (or just about anyone) can get with a quick google search.
If they really want to incentivize legit downloads, give me exclusive content or, life-like audio... Heck, I'd take the music equivalent of "Director's Commentary" over their proposal.
Comical (Score:5, Insightful)
...a "successor to MP3", which removes the most popular feature of MP3, the ability to control your own purchased copy of the property. Yeah, that'll bring back the customers you chased away with the last 3 attempts at controlled digital content.
It can be "updated"...who wants to bet that one kind of "update" is like the Amazon "update" of their sale of Orwell's '1984'...total deletion.
Do not pass "Go", do not collect millions of customers...go directly to the ash-heap of computer history.
Oh.. okay, no problem. (Score:4, Insightful)
Just another avenue to spread viruses (Score:5, Insightful)
Using the new technology, music labels and bands will be able to send updates to the music files – with tour dates, interviews or updates to social networking pages
They forgot to mention that this would also provide an exploit for malware writers to use to get into people's machines.
Oh Great! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Wrong Audience? (Score:5, Insightful)
Now, if anybody actually thinks that this magic new format will be able to distinguish between the evil and the good when it comes to updating with exciting new stuff, I have some very exciting prospects in the field of bridge-related real estate to share with them.
Re:Wrong Audience? (Score:2, Insightful)
No, you are correct.
This is a perfect example of a techies invention looking for a solution.
Sometimes things like this takes off and other times it doesn't. I think this is a dead end as far as an into-piracy technology. OTOH, I see this being used by the recording industry to increase profits - in the meantime, the RIAA continuing with its anti-piracy legal system shenanigans.
Will this (Score:3, Insightful)
be compatible with my existing MP3 player(s)
Thought not..
Re:Wrong Audience? (Score:5, Insightful)
What CDs? (Score:4, Insightful)
I'll just keep ripping cds to .flac and distributing them so others can convert them to whatever audio format they prefer. Seems like a reasonable compromise.
Do the record labels even make Compact Discs anymore? I thought they all switched to non-conforming discs compatible with some CD players.
You are not the customer (Score:2, Insightful)
Both you, and the grandparent post miss the point. You are not the customer.
File sizes do not matter. Spam does not matter. You are not the customer.
You only have one choice, to realize that you are not the customer, or ignore the problem.
Why would you buy something when you're not the customer? Would you buy a McDonalds Hamburger, if what you got was a Spamburger instead? On the other hand, you might prefer spam to McDonalds Hamburger. I know I would!
Except I'm Kosher. ;)
And I figure this is cracked in 3 ... 2 .. 1.
Re:Combatting Piracy (Score:5, Insightful)
You left out drop the price.
Really folks when a song is less than 99 cents it isn't worth my time to pirate it. If I like it I will buy it.
Re:Useless (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe a cappella, no lyrics or remix versions of the songs, but those would most likely just be pirated just as as the main music files too.
Maybe versions of the song before the vocal track was processed with AutoTune. When people get to hear the real "talent", the record companies won't have to worry about music piracy ever again (or sales for that matter).
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:5, Insightful)
Doesn't matter what we, the end users, want. The customer is big record labels. They want a format to "combat piracy while adding value and opportunities for marketing synergy in strategic channels."
The folks who designed the format know perfectly well it will never go anywhere. So what! They're getting paid.
Re:Just another avenue to spread viruses (Score:3, Insightful)
Umm, are you serious?
They can update the file with new information at their whim if you opt-in.
That's a HUGE potential exploit. Outside access to modify files? How long until someone figures out a way to use this to gain write access to root?
Re:Combatting Piracy (Score:4, Insightful)
One example. $250 for the best tickets for U2. Those prices are not unusual any more. Celine Dion did about two dozen shows in Montreal where the best tickets were similarly priced. $100+ for "average" artists is entirely normal. When was the last time you went to a concert? They've become _EXTREMELY_ expensive in the last couple years as bands have realized you can pirate a song but you cannot pirate the experience of going to a live show. That is where the money is to be made.
Re:Combatting Piracy (Score:3, Insightful)
instead spend money on good song writers and good performers and make good music.
But that's difficult to find. It is easier to spend money on crappy engineers.
Re:You are not the customer (Score:4, Insightful)
Welcome to the Corporate World Order.
We are no longer consumers. We are consumables. Corporations don't exist to sell us things to fill our needs. We exist to feed their machine.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:5, Insightful)
The shrinking size has nothing to do with the size of media files and everything to do with flash memory having larger profit margins than hard drives.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:5, Insightful)
Not likely.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:3, Insightful)
I hate to think what the record companies are going to include with this new format, lets face it they cannot even manage to tag mp3's properly most of the time.
Re:No thanks, Bach (Score:3, Insightful)
That's true, but they'll do their damndest to make the new format the new default.
Bach Technlologies? Who are they? (Score:3, Insightful)
(emphasis mine) Ok well I am sorry but I do not understand. According to ematch.eu:
So, how is the company responcible for mp3 format, because Karlheinz Brandenburg was responsible for one of the mp3 algorithms? And, he is just a shareholder. By far, he was not the only one who brought it about, and his implementation was one of several that made it into market. But as you can see -- the major shareholders are the music industry, specifically 247 Inc, the arm of Sony who are interested in it. In short Bach Technologies are overstating their credentials. They did not create MP3 and this was done for no other reason then an attempt to bring more DRM into the fold of the market.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:4, Insightful)
so?
the "extra information" they're offering is of absolutely NO value.
we can get tour dates, album artwork, interviews and other goodies anywhere else free of charge.
this changes nothing. You're actually going to end up getting a normal music file that takes up a bit more space on your hard drive.
Re:No thanks, Bach (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah. I'm sure they'd like that. And I'd like Scarlet Johansen to slob my knob tonight. The probability of the two happening are about the same.
Re:What CDs? (Score:3, Insightful)
The backlash against those copy-protected discs was strong enough that I haven't seen one in a while. The CD these days is still the best way to get a non-EULA encumbered, lossless version of the vast majority of music. The loss of "first sale" rights may be one unfortunate consequence of moving to online distribution. I prefer my music to come without a license.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:4, Insightful)
Saying it has "no value" is like saying that Wikipedia has no value because there already exist print encyclopedias. I think, done correctly, this could be fairly unobtrusive and beneficial. Imagine, you download a single you like and it already contains Amazon links to buy the full album. Or it lets you know when the band's next release comes out.
I for one welcome this idea. Instead of penalizing the legitimate buyers of a product with DRM, they are attempting to reward the buyers with additional content. Our relationship with the content industries is always going to be one of a carrot or a stick, and I much prefer the carrot.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:4, Insightful)
Sounds like advertisement to me, personally I hate advertisements.
Re:Sounds like features I need from an audio file (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Combatting Piracy (Score:1, Insightful)
Love how you dismiss the costs of bandwidth.
Oh yes, let's consider the bandwith costs per 99c track.
1 Track on CD approx 30MB
1 Download track, hi-quality, approx 10MB.
Now let's suppose I was distributing this on a really crappy retail cost home connection.
I could probably upload 5Gb/month for $20 - 4c.
Allow for commercial bandwidth rates? Less than 1/2c at worst.
That's why you ignore bandwidth. It's barely worth mentioning on a per-track basis and most importantly irrelevant compared to the 99c cost.