Can't play won't play
Bought this on spec, not having heard White Lies before, but suspecting it might be my cup of tea. It plays in my CD player and it plays in the car and it plays in my nephew's laptop, but it does not play in my laptop. Is it copy-protected? Does anybody know? Is it a Mac thing? (I bought it from the competitively-priced HMV website, which is becoming my default online music-purchasing destination, but the fault does not seem to lie with the object itself, rather with the vagaries of music-delivery systems.)
posted by Andrew Collins @ 12:56 PM
41 Comments
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41 Comments:
Do other cds play ok in your laptop? It might be that the drive needs cleaning.
if it doesn't have the 'compact disc' logo on it anywhere it might be protected, as protected CDs are not compliant with the standard for CD audio and are not entitled to carry the logo.
Andrew, it will say if it is copy protected on the CD itself.
I cannot remember the exact wording. However, that said, it could simply be something to do with your own CD player and this CD.
Also I own many copy protected CDs (so they say on the cover) but I am able to play them on my own Apple just fine. From what you say you have listening to the podcasts and reading the blogs, my own Mac is from the same generation as yours too.
You don't say what your nephew's laptop is but if it is the same as yours or newer, then if it were copy protected then I would expect it not to play in his either.
I can only suggest that perhaps your laser is dirty?
Yes, I bought four CDs from HMV.com to kick-start my listening year: Franz Ferdinand, School of Seven Bells, Secret Machines and White Lies - and all the rest were fine and dandy. The White Lies one wasn't even recognised once put into the laptop. It ejected itself. I've cleaned the disc, but still no joy. Hmmm. (Really enjoying Secret Machines and Seven Bells, by the way.)
Sounds like copy protection. I've got round this before using a hifi cd burner and burning new copy but it's a huge faff even if you've got the kit.
If you can't get it to work at all there's not an easy software work round I imagine, does Tunebite work for macs anyone?
Lastly aren't the Secret Machines and Seven Bells the same band?
Yes, it is copy protected and works on neither Pcs nor Macs. The only way I could get it onto my Ipod was to download it illegally (as well as buying the CD!)
If you have no joy getting it to work, just go to thepiratebay.org and download it - it's probably there. Since you've paid for it, I don't see that it's (...100%) wrong to do that...
Can you tell who the White Lies are, exactly. I've seen endless posters and ads for them, but I've not read a thing about them or heard a note of their music. I thought it was some kind of scam, but clearly not.
Baffling. Even if it were copy protected, your Mac shouldn't really be spitting it out like that. It's not likely to be a fault with your drive since it's playing the others ok, so I can only suggest that either the disc is faulty (which wouldn't really explain why it plays on other systems - but then, CD's can be mysterious like that) or it has some PC-only autorun content that the Mac doesn't like.
You could always try getting your nephew to burn a copy of the original, and try using that - at least it'll establish whether there's any copy-protection going on. Although like the other comments say, if it IS protected, it ought to say so somewhere on the case...
How's the Franz album by the way? I've read so much hyperbole about it, I'm anticipating a bland rehash with added keyboards - but maybe I'm just too cynical!
Hmmm, I don't think you're really missing much by not being able to play it!
Really I only made this comment so I could mention that my word verification for this post is 'muser'.
Have you tried holding down the SHIFT key while loading the CD?
That should stop any software running via the AutoRun feature.
My Mac does that sometimes. I've never been able to find a reason for it; last time it was with a Heroes DVD so I presumed it had taken exception to the relative rubbishness of season two.
It did mount eventually. It wasn't worth it.
Bish: I like the Franz album thus far. Alex Kapranos's voice is exactly the same as it's always been, but the music is more interesting, more dancefloor-tinged. It sounds like a bunch of white boys playing funk, but as a fan of much white funk of the 80s, I can't really complain. Will give it a few more spins. I was a little underwhelmed by their second album, but I do think the world is a more interesting place with them in it.
BLTP: Secret Machines and Seven Bells couldn't sound more different. Secret Machines still sound like Secret Machines; Seven Bells sound like a kind of Middle Eastern Kate Bush, or something.
Cheaper from Amazon MP3 and you don't need to rip it ;-)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/To-Lose-My-Life/dp/B001OB26RY/ref=sr_f3_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1233076452&sr=103-1
And I'm still none the wiser as to what the White Lies sound like. Someone?
SO7B and Secret Machines are sort of the same band though in so far as they share a member though?
Simon in Sunny Sevenoaks
I think the Franz Ferdinand album is absolutely fantastic, I was very impressed.
I'd be interested as to what you think of the White Lies album as well (if you get it playing!) because I also think that album's fantastic.
Empire Of The Sun's album is good too... 2009 is shaping up to be a good year for music already!
I think BLPT was hinting at School of Seven Bells and Secret Machines both having Ben Curtis in them. Alpinisms I enjoyed a lot as well.
Like the Franz a lot, the lukewarm reaction seems to me more like reviewers punishing them for being gone so long and punishing themselves for rating their second album too high.
The White Lies is better than I thought it would be but I still found it rather unfocused in places and despite the fact that their recorded output is dreadful, the Crystal Castles remix of "Death" which actually structures the song properly, is the most enjoyable White Lies song for me.
Andrew I guess it's a dirty mac drive that's the problem,. I have to admit that the CD could have the dreaded copy protection on it but hopefully the major labels are supposidly moving away from this wholey unpopular system. Though having said that buying CD's is very 90's. The hip and trendy types like me download from sites like 7digital.com and amazon. OK you don't get a nice little booklet but you get the music completely free from DRM protection. Plus you don't have to endure the embarrasment of handing over a copy of a Yes or Genesis CD to a spotty herbert behind the counter.
Hey, you folks, the only reason I bought School For Seven Bells is that it's the ex-Secret Machine! However, they two bands couldn't sound more different.
No spotty herberts, Neil, as I ordered them through the HMV website. I have been downloading albums for a while, and I've missed the physical CDs, which is why I've switched back to buying them again. I really like having a pile of four new CDs on my desk. Even if one of them doesn't work. (I have never been "hip" or "trendy", although I detect a tongue in your cheek when you say that.)
I hope this doesn't mean I am in the "dirty Mac" brigade.
While I'm here School Of Seven Bells are supporting the lovely Bat For Lashes on tour this spring ftr.
I didn't think anyone did copy protection anymore (except maybe on pre-release promos), thought the industry gave that up. If it is copy-protected, it should say so somewhere on the packaging.
As for White Lies, there's a little too much Killers in it for me.
I bought this album last week and reading this reminded me that it was in my bag and that I hadn't put it on my Macbook yet - so I thought I would give it a go to put it on my Ipod, and the same thing happened to me. I put it in, the laptop makes a whiny moaning noise and then spits the CD out. So either Andrew is not the only one or I have a filthy dirty laser as well. Hmmmm....
I've checked. It's still not playing, but it doesn't say anything about copy protection on the sleeve or CD itself - although there's no COMPACT DISC logo either.
I have taken it to the top at HMV and asked someone I know at the highest level. He's looking into it. How about that? Will report back. If it is copy protected, it should say so.
the Franz album is faultless in my opinion. About 7 potential singles, and the same number of dancefloor stormers.
White Lies on the other hand do nothing for me. A dull mix of the worst parts of the Killers, Editors, and any number of second raters. I suspect that two more singles down the line and no-one will be interested. The #1 baffles me...
Album of the year (4wks in) is Merriweather Post Pavillion by Animal Collective. Mindblowing.
I quite like the White Lies, even though a friend of mine described them to me last night as 'the sub-Editors'. Ho ho ho.
The Franz Ferdinand album received middling reviews in most British newspapers last week I thought. Strange given the reaction to it in Europe and America where it is receiving pretty much widespread acclaim.
I've not heard of any of these bands. Pah!
Apart from Animal Collective who Ians mentions. That new album is bizarre and brilliant.
I enjoyed Animal Collective's last album, 'Strawberry Jam', but I just can't seem to get into this one. I think it's the production, which seems to really grate on me at times. I really want to like it, because everyone is talking about how great it is, and I feel like I'm missing out! There are some wonderful parts, but I'm afraid I find bits of it difficult to listen to.
I think I prefer Panda Bears last solo effort to both now I think of it, Darren...
She's a fickle mistress to be sure. If I may be so bold,
http://forthewaywelivetoday.blogspot.com/2009/01/animal-collective.html
> Though having said that buying CD's is very 90's. The hip and trendy types like me download from sites like 7digital.com and amazon. OK you don't get a nice little booklet but you get the music completely free from DRM protection
er..you get it free from DRM if you buy the CD too, plus you have something to sell on eBay if the album turns out to be slightly underwhelming (euphemism for 'crap').
Not too much of a market on eBay for second hand downloads is there?
Pete
This is a bit off-topic but were you on the Richard Bacon show a few days ago Andrew? I caught only a few minutes of it and heard someone who sounded like you on the podcasts only with a deeper, more manly voice (not that you sound particularly fey and winsome as Andrew Collings). I was just wondering if you have a 'professional voice' for radio?
David, I was on Richard Bacon's show on Monday night, way past my usual bedtime! I'm not aware of a "radio voice" - I guess I might subconsciously enunciate more clearly once live on the BBC - and put the swearing filter on - but I don't deliberately deepen. I do genuinely worry after almost 50 hours of podcasting that I might not be suitable for live radio anymore, having sullied my own professionalism. In a way, I'm glad I sounded slightly different on Richard Bacon's show. Thanks.
Oh, and Pete makes a very good point. I sold a whole load of CDs last year and it put food on my table for weeks.
How about this for an old-fashioned anti-copy protection fix: take a look on the shiny, 'business' side of the CD. Catch the light and you should be able to spot very subtle rings, like on vinyl (and felled tree trunks). Each line marks a new track. Look at a CD which you know has a ghost track, and there should be a large-ish space before you see that final track. This is also what the data section of a CD will look like; the bit which holds the copy protection stuff the Mac recognises as it reads the disc. Now - don't laugh - carefully stick a strip of sticky tape over this (completely flat - don't have a little corner poking up!) and colour it in with a black permanent marker. The Mac will try to read the data, get fed up, then mount the disc to the desktop (as it well should do - you've paid for the music). Hooray! Go and hi-five someone.
My Mac will play copy protected cds with no problem, but it will occasionally meet a cd and will reject it for no reason. The same cd will work fine on another Mac so I rip it on another computer and then put the tracks on a memory stick and into my iTunes. For some reason my old Mac hated QOTSA and my new one doesn't like Alphabetical by Phoenix.
I love the SVIIB album. Didn't really click with the first single, but then saw them do a live session on a podcast (KCRW, I think) which made me do an about-face.
I heard Juliette Comagere the same way - her album from last year has some similar influences. It's probably worth a star less than Alpinism.
Good old emusic made taking the plunge on these easier.
I'm having the same problem. Playback just won't work on my brand new, quite pricey Blu-Ray player. (Denon DVD-3800BD)
I've just tried to run an firmware update, but it still doesnt play. Or, it does play for a while but stops after a while. Usually in the same places every time.
This sounds like a dirty laser og disc problem, but the funny side is this:
Yesterday, I inserted the disc for the first time and let it play three of four times. Worked great.
However, today, it will not play as it did. I didnt even remove the disc from the player. It just... dies on me while playing. And when it does, the player jams completely, and after about a minute of making all sort of weird noises, reboots and lets me eject the disc.
My old DVD player does not have any issues with this disc. Neither have my computers CD-ROM drive or the DVD-drive.
To check if the disc itself was the problem (my purchased copy is NOT the regular shiny disc, but an all-black disk, just like those used on the PS1 game console), I burned a copy using my windows-based computer, and now my BD-player reads the copied disc effortlessly, but the original still jams.
HI Andrew
I just bought the White Lies record in a record store in Copenhagen today. And I have the exact same problem. My Macbok keeps ejecting the disc.
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