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Gadgets Apple's FairPlay Circumvented, Yet Again
Chris Peredun - August 30, 2006 4:28 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 44 comment(s) - last by Enoch2001.. on Sep 16 at 8:41 PM
QTFairUse6 able to create DRM-free files from iTunes 6.0.4 and 6.0.5

Looks like Microsoft isn't the only one having trouble with broken DRM these days. Engadget reports that a new application "QTFairUse6" has surfaced. While it's not as pretty, user-friendly, or cross-platform compatible as Hymn (a 2004 application) QTFairUse6 does indeed strip the FairPlay content protection from music files purchased from the iTunes Music Store, when they are played back in iTunes 6.0.4 or 6.0.5.

The program is written in Python, and currently runs under Windows only. According to the developers, QTFairUse6 intercepts the AAC frames after they are decrypted but before they are decoded, providing a copy that is no more "lossy" than the original purchased from the iTMS. Note that the FairPlay algorithm itself has not been defeated - the program simply copies the decrypted music from the memory addressed by iTunes, and writes the data to a new file.

The major downfall to this program is the nature of the circumvention means the "ripping speed" is limited to playback speed. However, if you're absolutely insistent on playing your iTMS-purchased music on a portable player other than an iPod, it may be time well spent.

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Break DRM because...?
By sceptus on 8/30/2006 5:38:36 PM , Rating: 2
I never really understand this huge obsession with breaking copyright protection and illegal distribution. Do people do this because...

a) They see something fundamentally wrong with ownership of music and media. They truly believe that all forms of entertainment should be distributed for free, and that the makers of that entertainment earn no pay.

b) They don't care that stealing is breaking the law. They would just as readily take DVDs from their local store if there weren't those detectors that beep if you pass through them.




RE: Break DRM because...?
By Staples on 8/30/2006 5:54:33 PM , Rating: 1
I never understood them either. If you don't want the DRM music, then don't buy it. Quite simple. All the anti DRM crowd is proving is that they have a logic though process that is elementary level at best.

And I love the people complaining about DRM on hd disk formats. The only people who it will effect is those trying to copy it. If you play by the rules, the DRM will never effect you. I don't care, I actually know what I am buying before I buy something and in the case of a DVD, you are NOT buying the rights to copy it.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By CitizenKain on 8/30/2006 5:59:50 PM , Rating: 5
But I am buying the rights to play it where I choose to. If I want to buy a DVD and re-encode it to playing a portable media player, I should have the ability. I should also be able to make copies of any DVD I buy, there is nothing that says that is against the law. Fairuse laws show that I am allowed to do those things, but companies try to prevent in the guise of fighting piracy.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By michal1980 on 8/30/06, Rating: -1
RE: Break DRM because...?
By vanka on 8/30/2006 6:52:21 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
Fair use has been clipped, by other Laws. Like for example The DMCA.
So while one law says you can copy, another says you cannot.
Since both exist, You cannot ignore the law that says you cannot copy.

The DMCA does not explictly say that you cannot copy something, it states that you cannot disable or circumvent copy-protection measures. So depending on your definition of circumvent (I hear most judges take this to mean circumventing with software) you can copy a DVD or other digital media if you can find a legal way around the DRM. I recently saw a review on an external recorder that you allows you to copy a DVD by connecting your DVD player to your PC. Basically it catches the copy-protection free video stream that is usually sent from the DVD player to the TV and encodes and copies it to your computer.


quote:
you buy a dvd, you bought the right to play it in a dvd player.

True, but DVD is a platform. I for one consider digital music to be all one platform. Why am I forced to use one brand, Apple, if I buy a song from iTunes? If I buy a song from iTunes I want to play it on a portable player of my choice, burn it to a compilation CD of 100+ songs to play in my car mp3 player, burn a CD with it to play in the living room stero, stream it to the MCE extender in the family room, and play the song on any of the other 6 computer scattered throughout the house. Why should I have to buy several versions of one song just to be able to use it in the above perfectly legal manner? All this while I can buy one DVD and play it in on the DVD player in the family, the DVD player in the car, the portable DVD player, on my laptop and desktop, and on my console. Note that this one DVD will work on various different plays that are not all the same brand such as Sony, Toshiba, etc; while iTunes forces you use only Apple products.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By michael2k on 8/30/2006 7:03:14 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I for one consider digital music to be all one platform. Why am I forced to use one brand, Apple, if I buy a song from iTunes?


Actually, you aren't.

quote:
If I buy a song from iTunes I want to play it on a portable player of my choice, burn it to a compilation CD of 100+ songs to play in my car mp3 player, burn a CD with it to play in the living room stero, stream it to the MCE extender in the family room, and play the song on any of the other 6 computer scattered throughout the house.


Out of the box iTunes and the iTMS already gives you the capability to mostly do all of the above:
1) Play on a portable player of your choice: Burn to CD, rip back to MP3
2) Burn a compilation CD of 100+ songs: Burn to CD, rip back to MP3, burn back to CD
3) Burn to CD to play in the living room stereo: Burn to CD
4) Stream to MCE extender: Burn to CD, rip back to MP3, play through MCE extender
5) Play the song to six other computers: You can currently play the song on 5 computers (and any number of iPods). If you want the songs on the last two computers, you will have to burn to CD and rip to MP3

Note you have already decided, by buying AAC and using MP3, that lossy encoding is okay. Now the issue is how much loss is too much?

quote:
Why should I have to buy several versions of one song just to be able to use it in the above perfectly legal manner?


You don't. That is exactly why Apple's iTMS is so successful. Out of the box they included all these terms so people could use their music flexibly, quite unlike the competition at the time.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By vanka on 8/30/2006 8:49:25 PM , Rating: 3
Point taken. Buring AAC to CD and then back to mp3 gets rid of of the copy protection. This "solution" has a few problems though: a) Do I really want to do this for several hundred songs (yes, I know I can do this in batches but this is still not a valid solution). b) What happens when Apple changes its DRM policy? Remeber that Apple has complete control of the music that you buy from them and can change the contract and DRM restrictions at will; what will I do when Apple decides I shouldn't have the "privilege" of making music CDs with the music I bought or they decide to incorporate DRM into the music even when I burn it to CDs?

Also, you seem to miss my main points that: not all who dislike current DRM schemes are pirates and that current DRM policies are too restrictive and handicap consumers. While I critiqued Apple specifically, I was also critiquing current DRM policies in general. Granted some DRM is more flexible than others, but there are some that are even more restrictive and your "solution" won't work with them.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By sceptus on 8/30/2006 6:10:22 PM , Rating: 2
Okay, I agree that DRM can be annoying and inconvenient. But say, they found a technology such that you could play DRM-protected media only on media players that you owned. Thus, you can make as many copies as you like, but distribution is prohibited. Is that acceptable? I would sure think so.

But I think that most people are merely complaining because media protection, of any sort, is prohibiting them from illegally distributing media.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By Fenixgoon on 8/30/2006 8:51:33 PM , Rating: 2
how do you classify a specific piece of hardware as "yours"? say you have an ipod or zen: the hardware is labeled as yours, but what happens if you get a new player? will the DRM allow you to put your music on your new player? it's these types of hassles that make DRM such a PITA. it completely and utterly disrupts the legal and fair transfer of music/video from one device/medium to another.

i hate DRM and i haven't found many songs/movies worth buying.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By michal1980 on 8/30/06, Rating: -1
RE: Break DRM because...?
By Scrogneugneu on 8/30/2006 11:13:52 PM , Rating: 3
See, being free and being without DRM is 2 completely different things.

The DRM restrain your possibilities with what you paid for, because you could use them to accomplish illegal activities. You could also use them for perfectly legal activities.

Take an example : firearms. They are allowed (in USA, under some restrictions in Canada). However, with a gun, the most evident thing to do is to kill someone (which is illegal, by the way). I'm still able to get a gun. If I do something wrong with it, I'll be punished.

Why isn't it the same with music? I'm punished even thought I haven't done anything wrong yet. It's like having a gun with blank ammo only. Quite useless, but as soon as you request real ammo, people get suspicious as with what you want to do with that ammo.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By TacticalTrading on 8/30/2006 6:16:42 PM , Rating: 2
a) They see something fundamentally wrong with ownership of music and media. They truly believe that all forms of entertainment should be distributed for free, and that the makers of that entertainment earn no pay.

b) They don't care that stealing is breaking the law. They would just as readily take DVDs from their local store if there weren't those detectors that beep if you pass through them

None of the above. it is real simple, people don't like paying for things with strings attached, and DRM is like a heavy duty spiderweb.
It is not that people want to "break the law" I think people just want what they think they should reasonably be allowed to do. The rub is that "the people" think they should be allowed to do one thing while the "record lables" think they should not be allowed to do those things.

Alternate answer) Why do people climb mountains...same answer


RE: Break DRM because...?
By sceptus on 8/30/2006 6:19:38 PM , Rating: 2
But what about the more general issue; that is, copyright in general? Why do people illegal distribute media? Addressing that question, then the answer must be either a) or b).


RE: Break DRM because...?
By JeffDM on 8/31/2006 12:23:09 AM , Rating: 2
That's definitely a false dichotomy. I agree that the strings attached are an nuisance for legitimate users. Apple's "FairPlay" does offer the freest rights in the DRM world except to play on a competitors device without alteration, because they won't licence it out, which is my biggest issue with it.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By vanka on 8/30/2006 6:21:36 PM , Rating: 2
You are missing the point about DRM-free music; it is not about piracy for most people but about the freedom to play it where or however they want. Songs downloaded with iTunes can only be played by iTunes or the iPod; so good luck playing them through Winamp or steaming the files to an MCE extender or playing them on a Zen. This is the same as being able to play Sony music CDs only on Sony players, not very consumer-friendly.

I'm not against DRM in general, but at this point the DRM schemes being used take too many rights away from the consumers. iTunes' DRM is too restrictive for my use (a song can be played by only 5 "users"); but I have about 7 computers in my household with most of my music stored and shared on my main MCE desktop. With iTunes' DRM two of my computers can't play the music. So by removing the DRM I am making sure that I can use the music that I paid for. (By the way, I am well aware of iTunes' 24 hour rule but this doesn't help when several people are listening to music and I start computer hopping.)

Also, your assertion that by purchasing a DVD you do not buy the rights to copy it are flat wrong. By buy a license for a work of "art" (not all music or movies deserve this lable), the right to make backup copies is inherient. That is your right as a consumer or licensee; the fact that your rights are voided unfairly by the DMCA is a whole other matter. So copying a DVD in a manner that does not crack or disable the copy-protection would be perfectly legal.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By JeffDM on 8/30/2006 7:26:08 PM , Rating: 2
I consider it a problem of vendor lock-in than anything else.

The CD format was probably the most open and accepted multi-company audio format. Anyone can make a player and anyone can make the media. No one had to deal with having to buy a Philips brand CD player to play the music from that label, same for buying a Sony brand CD player to play the music from that label. It was probably never a concern so no one thinks of it when moving to a new format.

Now, the music you buy from Apple requires you to either degrade it to play it on another audio file player, or to use an iPod. So if I decide that I want someone else's file player, I have to burn & rip everything bought over iTunes, which can be a huge inconvenience. Sounds like a nasty vendor lock-in to me. I have an iPod and I do like it, but the brand lock-in is why I don't buy from iTunes.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By HakonPCA on 8/30/2006 7:50:41 PM , Rating: 2
The great part is that when PC games were on 5.25 or 3.5 floppy drives the instructions told you to "Make a copy first, before playing" and then use that copy to play the game "in case something happened" to the copy, you'd still have the original. They've gone from telling us to copy it to trying to not let us do so. Although CD-keys are getting harder for people to crack and still allow for play online.

Unfortunately many people do want to remove DRM to steal or distribute media of all kinds. But I have a 2 year old daughter who destroys DVD, CD, and in 14 years cars:) any my only hope is to copy the DVD's to protect the original through copies. The good thing is that I can do this and because I don't then distribute the media online or through other means I should never have a problem.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By vanka on 8/30/2006 8:20:07 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Unfortunately many people do want to remove DRM to steal or distribute media of all kinds.

True, but DRM won't really stop people like this. DRM, at its present stage of developement, makes life a bit harder for pirates, while punishing innocent users at the same time.


RE: Break DRM because...?
By isaacmacdonald on 8/31/2006 1:20:46 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
it is not about piracy for most people but about the freedom to play it where or however they want


Exactly. Philosophy aside, the big problem with DRM is that its too cumbersome. You start hitting brick walls while engaging in normal use, and you look for something to solve the problem (ie: strip DRM). I suspect that as the technologies mature and become better integrated, this will be much less of a mainstream issue.


But
By Hare on 8/30/2006 5:01:19 PM , Rating: 2