In Music, DRM Is Back While Ownership Is Going Away

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I wish I had an Oppo, since I would really prefer not to use my computer at all to listen to high-res (or even regular FLAC) if given a choice.

If Oppo, is not available in Peru, many bluray players will play flac from USB drives, or even attached usb hard drives. The down side is that you need to cut on your screen to navigate on most of them, even my 95. I also have an Oppo 203 which has a media app for my iPad where I can navigate the contents of the usb port without having to turn on the monitor.

I'd really like to have the Sony hap-z1es:

http://www.sony.com/electronics/audi...nents/hap-z1es

[cromag]

I don't like streaming music, but it isn't because of DRM. Even for "free" sources the data charges add up very quickly. In fact, I recently had a sit-down with my son and explained how much his streaming music was costing. He already has a pretty extensive collection on Itunes and he can search for new music he might be interested in on Youtube, etc.

I made him an offer he couldn't refuse: I bought him a Clip Jam, but if he streams he'll have to pay the data charges.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by cromag

I don't like streaming music, but it isn't because of DRM. Even for "free" sources the data charges add up very quickly. In fact, I recently had a sit-down with my son and explained how much his streaming music was costing.

Yes, it goes without saying that streaming is only really sensible if you have an "unlimited data" Internet contract.

[John F]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, it goes without saying that streaming is only really sensible if you have an "unlimited data" Internet contract.

Probably best not to say that either. My previous home data plan had a cap, and I could stream music 24/7 and I wouldn't hit the cap. Even on my phone which is a very limited plan, for my music usage, I could stream and not hit the cap.

Probably best to do the math if your concerned.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by John F

Probably best not to say that either. My previous home data plan had a cap, and I could stream music 24/7 and I wouldn't hit the cap. Even on my phone which is a very limited plan, for my music usage, I could stream and not hit the cap.

Probably best to do the math if your concerned.

Streamed music needs around 50MB/h. So if, let's take an extreme example, you listened to music for 10h a day, that would be 500MB a day, or 15GB a month. Probably well within the limits of most people's home broadband deals, but not most people's mobile phone deals. (I have the cheapest available "SIM only" 1GB/month contract on my iPhone, and never use as much as half of that. Web browsing and email uses relatively little data.)

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by cromag

I don't like streaming music, but it isn't because of DRM. Even for "free" sources the data charges add up very quickly. In fact, I recently had a sit-down with my son and explained how much his streaming music was costing. He already has a pretty extensive collection on Itunes and he can search for new music he might be interested in on Youtube, etc.

I made him an offer he couldn't refuse: I bought him a Clip Jam, but if he streams he'll have to pay the data charges.

Tell me about it. I just switched to an unlimited mobile plan last month. My nephew went through 13 GB this billing cycle, even after I told him he was using too much. I'm making him an offer he can't refuse. I'm putting him back on a 6 GB limit until he can show that he can control himself.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Sorry I think you didn''t get what I meant. With internet speeds increasing and more devices getting connected in the future they will stop selling you physical media. Just like Amazon and publishers don't sell you ebooks. Just the rights to read them same will be with all other media. And all such media will be DRM protected.

You mean just like the music I buy on iTunes? Oh wait, it's not protected by DRM.

No, I get what you meant, I just think you are wrong. Even if we switch from physical media to digital (they still make cd's and DVD's btw), that doesn't imply that content providers will sudden start refusing to sell. Many people still prefer to buy over stream. As long as content providers can make some extra bucks selling, they will.

Also, we are a long, long way from always being connected and there are many parts of the world, heck many parts of the US and Canada that have issues getting reliable, fast internet. Once you get outside the built up urban areas, it's pretty expensive to provide fast internet in the US.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

If Oppo, is not available in Peru, many bluray players will play flac from USB drives, or even attached usb hard drives. The down side is that you need to cut on your screen to navigate on most of them, even my 95. I also have an opportunity 203 which has a media app for my iPad where I can navigate the contents of the usb port without having to turn on the monitor.

I'd really like to have the Sony hap-z1es:

http://www.sony.com/electronics/audi...nents/hap-z1es

We have one (8-year old) Blue-ray player, but it has a permanent place in the 'TV Room'; whereas, my stereo system is in the living room (the 'Listening Room').

If a current Blue-ray can be connected to an external hard-drive and a monitor, then that would be one way to go.

Thank you for the suggestion.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Tell me about it. I just switched to an unlimited mobile plan last month. My nephew went through 13 GB this billing cycle, even after I told him he was using too much. I'm making him an offer he can't refuse. I'm putting him back on a 6 GB limit until he can show that he can control himself.

My son got a prepaid phone but forgot to read the big print. He called me complaining that he thought it was unlimited. I asked if he had read the box the phone came in or the huge sign right beside the phone. At that time it was unlimited talk and text and I think 3GB of data. I think it is now 5GB but he later found a better plan that fits him.

Now my second ex husband won't let our daughter get a smart phone for the very reason you mentioned. She is grown (I think) but he pays for the phone so his choice.

[Shane R]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Many people still prefer to buy over stream. As long as content providers can make some extra bucks selling, they will.

This will remain the truth for the current generation of users (and payers! ).

But the one behind us is becoming accommodated to streaming, and by the time they are in our place buying will slowly have become an anachronism.

The less they ship, the more they save in materials and human costs. That day is coming; consumers can't hold it off forever.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Shane R

This will remain the truth for the current generation of users (and payers! ).

But the one behind us is becoming accommodated to streaming, and by the time they are in our place buying will slowly have become an anachronism.

The less they ship, the more they save in materials and human costs. That day is coming; consumers can't hold it off forever.

From a provider point of view, there isn't much of a difference between streaming and selling if both are in digital format.

I think to a great extent, you will always have a percentage who like their own copies. People who are really into a particular movie, artist or whatever. The streamers are basically the same type of people who got all their movies at Blockbusters before.

You might be surprised how many people in their 20's buy a particular movie rather than stream. I think it's going to be a very long time before the old promise of everything being available at any time online becomes reality.

[Shane R]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I think it's going to be a very long time before the old promise of everything being available at any time online becomes reality.

We don't substantially disagree.

It's just a matter of when, not if.

[sun surfer]

Originally Posted by John F

Probably best not to say that either. My previous home data plan had a cap, and I could stream music 24/7 and I wouldn't hit the cap. Even on my phone which is a very limited plan, for my music usage, I could stream and not hit the cap.

Probably best to do the math if your concerned.

Originally Posted by HarryT

Streamed music needs around 50MB/h. So if, let's take an extreme example, you listened to music for 10h a day, that would be 500MB a day, or 15GB a month. Probably well within the limits of most people's home broadband deals, but not most people's mobile phone deals. (I have the cheapest available "SIM only" 1GB/month contract on my iPhone, and never use as much as half of that. Web browsing and email uses relatively little data.)

Just over the last six months or so, I've mostly switched over to streamed music with Amazon Music Unlimited and I really like it. I will try out the other streaming options when I have time to mess with all that but Amazon gave me a good joining offer on top of the deal Prime members already get so I bit and stuck around.

I usually stream from my phone, and my data has a cap of 5GB/mo plus rollover. The saving grace though is that I can use wifi depending on where I am and with that my data isn't charged for the streaming. I listen to a good bit of music and even though a good part is not through wifi I still don't have problems going over the limit (except for the rare occasions I turned off wifi on my phone and forgot to turn it back on for days or weeks, and even then it wasn't really the music that did me in).

Anyway, I don't mind this type of DRM at all and honestly now seeing how good a streaming music service can be, I think it's without a doubt the future of music.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by willus

Getting off topic, but 192 ksps?? I can't hear anything over 10 kHz (I am admittedly not a spring chicken anymore). I'd be willing to wager that less than 1% of the population can reliably hear the difference between a 320 kbps MP3 and those HD formats in a proper double blind study.

The point of buying a lossless format such as FLAC is not only the possibly increased listening experience, but for me, even more so, the option to convert to any other future lossless format without quality loss. With an MP3, this is impossible because the MP3 has already lost information.

With regard to DRM: If I can't own the media I pay for (be they physical or digital), then I'll not buy them. I'll buy games from GOG, but not from Steam. I'll buy music on CD (or as a FLAC file), but won't ever pay for a streaming subscription... and so on.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

The point of buying a lossless format such as FLAC is not only the possibly increased listening experience, but for me, even more so, the option to convert to any other future lossless format without quality loss. With an MP3, this is impossible because the MP3 has already lost information.

With regard to DRM: If I can't own the media I pay for (be they physical or digital), then I'll not buy them. I'll buy games from GOG, but not from Steam. I'll buy music on CD (or as a FLAC file), but won't ever pay for a streaming subscription... and so on.

This!!! We buy CDs or we get FLAC from places like CD Baby.