I *think* that I may have experienced my first copy protected CD.

When I try copying the latest remastered cd of "Diary of a Madman" or "Blizzard of Ozz" the HSX sucks in each of the the CD's, reads it and then spits it back out. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT!? Where is the motivation for me to buy more cd's?

It is really ironic that I now am being forced to find a napster type site to get the mp3's of these two albums which I just purchased. How is this Copy Protection encouraging someone like me who owns the HSX and wants to only listen to cd's that I have purchased to buy more CD's when I have to put up with this crap? This method of copy protection actually (ironically) encourages people to seek sites like napster and get their music for FREE instead of buying a CD that they cannot use.

Also - I can copy the CD's to my computer but when I use emplode to transfer the files I get an error on every track. I'm assuming that this is more of the copy protection crap.

I guess I need to start buying the older used cd's?

Just because you have trouble ripping a CD doesn't mean it was copy protected.

If your computer can rip it OK, then it's probably not copy protected and it's just an iffy print of the disc. I've seen this happen before. The HSX is usually pretty good about being able to rip iffy CD's, but occasionally you'll get one that stumps it.

Your complaint about emplode getting an error on every track doesn't make sense. Are you sure the files you ripped from the CD on the PC are good valid MP3 files? Can you play them in WinAmp?

Well, that's a relief; I was getting concerned because the cd's didn't mention copy protection and didn't want to keep purchasing cd's if I could not use them.

Actually both of the Ozzy CD's I just purchased (Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman) did not copy to the HSX (I tried more than once). I put them in it reads and then spits out. I can copy to Real One and play but when I used emplode to copy to the HSX I did get an error on each track. Maybe I tried copying to much at the same time?

But you're right, I probably went ahead and jumped to a premature conclusion without checking into it further. BUT I did rip about ten other brand new cd's at the same time and did not have any trouble until I tried the Ozzy ones.

I will try again tonight.

I don't know anything about copy protection just an observation.

I can copy to Real One and play

And does RealOne actually rip the CD and create genuine MP3 files? Or does it do something else?

I'm embarrassed, this is what happened:

I initially recorded both cd's along with several others, when I went to look for that artist I did not see the artist listed so I stuck both cd's in again and they were immediately spit back out. The reason? They were unresolved cd's and I had to force a net connection to retrieve the info.

I guess when I tried emplode it wouldn't record on top of the existing unresolved tracks?

I hope in the next version of the software there is an option to automatically connect to the internet if there is an unresolved title. Also would be nice to have a prompt when in multi cd mode telling you the cd is already recorded (giving a reason for the immediate reject of the cd's that I stuck in there).

Thanks.

I guess when I tried emplode it wouldn't record on top of the existing unresolved tracks?

As far as I know, it should give you an on-screen option as to whether you want to record again. It says at the top of the screen "Already recorded this CD" and then gives you some choices. If not, it should at least take the CD and then you can go into the "record from CD in tray" menu and go from there.

I hope in the next version of the software there is an option to automatically connect to the internet if there is an unresolved title.

It's there right now, in the Internet Connection Settings menu. Mine is set that way already.

You can also go into that menu and tell it to resolve any existing unresolved tracks from the internet, even if the CD isn't in the drive. This allows you to "resolve later" if you choose not to do so at the time you insert the CD.

Well, why didn't I ever see that option? I've been to that screen a thousand times already and just never noticed I guess it doesn't come defaulted to automatic since it doesn't come with the ethernet card.

OK cool now if we can just get riot support...