SlyckTom wrote:Yes, there is a catch. You can only transfer files within the PlayLouder's ISP network.
The technology behind the PLMSP service is provided by US-based technology company, Audible Magic.
# PLMSP employs specially configured routers and firewall technology using 'deep packet searches' to identify and re-route all file sharing traffic. This process ensures that file sharing can occur only between subscribers within the PLMSP "walled garden".
# Audio-fingerprinting technology is used within the PLMSP network to ensure that all licensed downloads within the network are tracked enabling accurate accounting back to music rights holders
Audio-fingerprinting technology is used within the PLMSP network to ensure that all licensed downloads within the network are tracked enabling accurate accounting back to music rights holders
So these files are DRM'ed.
Drake wrote:So these files are DRM'ed.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Customers of new UK ISP get to share all Sony music on P2P
PlayLouder MSP, an ISP in the UK, has secured a license from Sony that allows its customers to legally share any song in the Sony-BMG catalogue with any other PlayLouder MSP customer, and to download these tracks from any ISP customer in the entire world.
This is such stupendously good news that I frankly didn't believe it. This is what EFF has been calling for for years now, a Voluntary Collective Licensing Scheme will break the file-sharing deadlock and give the majority of Internet users who file-share today the chance to get legit while compensating rightsholders.
I spent the day going back and forth with the two principles from PlayLouder MSP, Paul Sanders and Paul Hitchman, and based on what they've told me, I'm prepared to say that this is the best thing to happen to the copyfight all year -- maybe all century.
Here's the deal. PlayLouder MSP DSL costs about the same as comparable DSL offerings in the UK (though right now, PlayLouder MSP's one-meg speeds don't compare to the high-end offerings from ISPs like Bulldog, who are offering 8-meg DSL). For their money, PlayLouder MSP customers get their regualr DSL lines, as well as:
* The right to share any song in the Sony-BMG catalog
* Even if it's out of print
* In any file-format
* Using any file-sharing software
* At any bitrate
PlayLouder MSP's customers' license includes Sony music sourced from P2P networks, ripped from CDs, or digitized from vinyl, cassettes, or radio broadcasts.
PlayLouder MSP is using audio-analysis software provided by Audible Magic to analyze the P2P traffic that it can detect on its network and count approximately how many times each track is traded, and will deliver that, along with a cut of its revenue, to Sony.
They're also filtering traffic to the Internet to prevent Sony music tracks that Audible Magic recognizes from leaving its network via recognized P2P protocols and going to ISPs whose customers have not paid a license fee. However, they will not be stopping any tracks that Audible Magic fails to recognize, nor will they be resticting traffic using unrecognized protocols.
PlayLouder MSP has deals with many indy labels as well as Sony, and those labels will also get a proportional cut of the money that PlayLouder MSP takes in based on their network monitoring. The ISP says that it is negotiating with other major labels and hopes they'll come into the fold soon.
They'd be crazy not to: this is free money, just for letting music fans go on doing what music fans have always done.
More, this is a chance for the labels to extract themselves from the unsustainable quicksand they've sunk up to their necks in: suing their customers by the thousands in the hopes that some day, with enough lawsuits, the music-buying public will finally see the light and go back to the malls.
PlayLouder MSP is live at the end of September if their schedule holds. I'm subscribing. Link (Thanks, James and Chris!)
posted by Cory Doctorow at 08:40:33 AM
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/08/22/cu ... ew_uk_.htm
BrandonC wrote:Drake wrote:So these files are DRM'ed.
Nope....I believe that Audible Magic uses some kind of "sound recognition" tech to determine which song it is. Probably something to do with hashing the files and comparing the results with a known version of the song?
The songs themselves aren't DRM'ed to my knowledge....like they said, you can transfer any version of them.
SlyckTom wrote:Maybe...Are the Sony tracks licensed? I am not sure whether that portion of the Fact Sheet is specific to the Sony deal...
In any case, you could argue that all the Sony tracks are DeFacto DRM, since you cannot trade outside the network. But it seems you can take 1,000 Sony songs you downloading using BT's ISP and then share them PlayLouder
I haven't had time to check out all the details so maybe I'm wrong. The thing is that they say you can share these on regular p2p networks like FastTrack and Gnutella. So, is the reason why you can't share these particular files with people who use another ISP strictly because the ISP is running audible magic and can detect these files? I'm assuming that's the case.
If this is the case, the DRM is being applied from the ISP itself via audible magic and this is even worse than DRM'ing the music files themselves.
Then again, maybe audible magic is only able to detect low quality 128kbps songs and this won't effect people who are sharing higher quality songs.
I'm only speculating so I may be way off but from what I've read so far, this is how it appears to work.
* The right to share any song in the Sony-BMG catalog
* Even if it's out of print
* In any file-format
* Using any file-sharing software
* At any bitrate
PlayLouder MSP's customers' license includes Sony music sourced from P2P networks, ripped from CDs, or digitized from vinyl, cassettes, or radio broadcasts.
PlayLouder MSP is using audio-analysis software provided by Audible Magic to analyze the P2P traffic that it can detect on its network and count approximately how many times each track is traded, and will deliver that, along with a cut of its revenue, to Sony.
They're also filtering traffic to the Internet to prevent Sony music tracks that Audible Magic recognizes from leaving its network via recognized P2P protocols and going to ISPs whose customers have not paid a license fee. However, they will not be stopping any tracks that Audible Magic fails to recognize, nor will they be resticting traffic using unrecognized protocols.
file sharing can occur only between subscribers within the PLMSP "walled garden".
# Will subscribers be able to share files with users who are not subscribers to the PlayLouder service?
PH: "We aim to prevent close to 100% of P2P traffic from going outside the MSP "walled garden"."
SlyckTom wrote:Wow I over looked that. The more I read this, the more it becomes evident this is actually very anti-P2P. I would argue MashBoxx and iMesh are actually more P2P oriented...at least you can share what you want with who you want.
SlyckScratch wrote:Wouldn't it be great if all ISP's started doing something similar to this?
PH: "We aim to prevent close to 100% of P2P traffic from going outside the MSP "walled garden"."
They're also filtering traffic to the Internet to prevent Sony music tracks that Audible Magic recognizes from leaving its network via recognized P2P protocols and going to ISPs whose customers have not paid a license fee. However, they will not be stopping any tracks that Audible Magic fails to recognize, nor will they be resticting traffic using unrecognized protocols.
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