Another Cassette Tape...BRAND NEW this time...

[Scott Baret]

I scored a deal on a cassette tape once again. This time it was $5 but worth it because it is brand new and shrinkwrapped!

The album is "Songs of Faith and Devotion" by Depeche Mode. I bought the CD of this album some time ago and wanted it for my car so I found a great deal on Amazon.

I believe this is probably DM's best album even if it was the hardest one to make (buy the video documentary for this album from iTunes and you'll see what I mean). It's got an edgier, rockier sound to it than "traditional" DM releases (Violator, Black Celebration, etc) but I think the lyrics may be some of Martin Gore's best. Dave Gahan also sounds great on this album, especially the song "Condemnation" (which I have read is his favorite DM song). The difference between DM albums is why I like them--I've got Violator and Exciter in my car as well and all three of these albums are a stark contrast against each other--Violator is the synthpop album, SoFaD the rock album, and Exciter the easy listening album. They don't sound anything alike, which is a good thing!

The tape is a "Digalog" (remember those?), meaning it is made from a digital recording. My guess is Sire Records just transferred the CD to the cassettes; the last time I got a new Digalog cassette was in 1994 before I really knew much about audio.

I haven't played it yet but probably will pop it in on the way to church tomorrow.

 

[redrouteone]

Why are you buying Tapes of CDs that you already own? Why not just get a bunch of blank tapes and dub the CDs onto tape?

 

[Scott Baret]

Why are you buying Tapes of CDs that you already own? Why not just get a bunch of blank tapes and dub the CDs onto tape?

Because that would be illegal unauthorized duplication.

I also love album artwork and this way I can look at it whenever I am pulling the cassette out of the box and putting it into the deck before I start the car. There's also the added bonus of having the lyrics whenever and wherever, although I have found I don't need those for some albums because I've played them so much! (I'll admit it, I usually sing along).

 

[tmtomh]

Why are you buying Tapes of CDs that you already own? Why not just get a bunch of blank tapes and dub the CDs onto tape?

Because that would be illegal unauthorized duplication.

No it wouldn't. The legal principle of Fair Use allows you to make copies of your music for personal use.

 

[redrouteone]

Media shifting your music is allowed under the Fiar Use doctrine.

This is also covered by Title 17 Chapter 10 Section 1008 of the United States Code. Title 17 of the USC covers copyrights.

No action may be brought under this title alleging infringement of copyright based on the manufacture, importation, or distribution of a digital audio recording device, a digital audio recording medium, an analog recording device, or an analog recording medium, or based on the noncommercial use by a consumer of such a device or medium for making digital musical recordings or analog musical recordings.

Also from the RIAA vs. Diamonds Multimedia Systems court ruling.

[32] In fact, the Rio's operation is entirely consistent with the Act's main purpose - the facilitation of personal use. As the Senate Report explains, "[t]he purpose of [the Act]* is to ensure the right of consumers to make analog or digital audio recordings of copyrighted music for their private, noncommercial use." S. Rep. 102-294, at *86 (emphasis added). The Act does so through its home taping exemption, see 17 U.S.C. § 1008, which "protects all noncommercial copying by consumers of digital and analog musical recordings," H.R. Rep. 102-873(I), at *59. The Rio merely makes copies in order to render portable, or "space-shift," those files that already reside on a user's hard drive. Cf. Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, 464 U.S. 417, 455 (1984) (holding that "time-shifting" of copyrighted television shows with VCR's constitutes fair use under the Copyright Act, and thus is not an infringement). Such copying is paradigmatic noncommercial personal use entirely consistent with the purposes of the Act.

While I do not know any court decisions regrading making a personal copy of music. My interpretation of 17 USC § 1008 along with the precedence set in the RIAA vs Diamond case and the Betamax decision lead me to believe that it is legal to make copies for personal noncommercial use. Moreover morally I believe that it only fair use to transfer from one media to the other.

*The act refers to the Audio Home recording act of 1992.

 

[Unknown_K]

Was this whole thread made just so you can talk about piracy, seems like thats all you post about anymore.

 

[Scott Baret]

Was this whole thread made just so you can talk about piracy, seems like thats all you post about anymore.

No, I intended it to be about picking up an awesome album but somehow the subject shifted.

I'll have to read up on the aforementioned court cases/legislature.

The only reason why I post about doing this the legal way so often on here is because everybody should...I don't want to see anything happen to any of you guys (lawsuits, etc), especially because the laws just got stricter (and the punishments more severe) here in the US with the Pro-IP Act. I studied copyright law last year and found it pretty interesting. I also think it's important to teach some of our younger members about the laws because they don't teach them in schools (at least none of the schools I've attended).

I'll read up on fair use a bit, it's something that I believe to be a huge grey area that seems to be interpreted on a case-by-case basis anymore.

But to get this topic back to something more interesting...anyone else remember Digalog?

 

[LCGuy]

No, but I've got a few old CDs from the 1980's and early 1990's that specify that they are either AAD, DAD or DDD, way to bring back memories.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARS_Code

 

[Scott Baret]

I've got another one for the memories...I've got an old tape from 1986 and it says "do not store in direct heat" and "remove from the player when in use".

You won't find that on later tapes...I'm willing to bet this SoFaD tape I just bought doesn't say that on it (I still haven't unwrapped it).

Also, on my Depeche Mode Speak & Spell CD, there is a warning that the CD may reveal limitations of the original source tape (because the album is older--1981--and was recorded on analog tape). (This is an original Speak & Spell CD, not the remastered one with the DVD that is also on the market today). The CD liner also tells how to clean the CD and to treat it like you would a regular record!

I'm not sure when this particular CD came out, but I'd imagine the printing would be around 1990 or so, since I know a lot of people (myself included) got their first CD players around then.

 

[LCGuy]

Yeah, my Mum has a K.D. Lang CD that she picked up at a garage sale a while ago that has that same warning, the same spiel to treat the CD as you would a record, as well as another blurb that "The Compact Disc Digital System is designed to always give perfect audio reproduction, and if treated with care, should guarantee a lifetime of quality listening", or something like that, its from about the same time, 1990. Personally, we got our first CD player, and I got my first CD in 1992, and thats just inspired me to start a new thread in the Lounge...

 

[Mike Richardson]

Your car has a tape player. Why not get a cheap $10 CD player and a cassette adapter?

My car doesn't even have a tape player - it's a CD player/radio only, so I can't pass thru my iPod or anything, and all FM transmitters (except the one in my SIRIUS receiver) suck.

 

[Scott Baret]

Your car has a tape player. Why not get a cheap $10 CD player and a cassette adapter?
My car doesn't even have a tape player - it's a CD player/radio only, so I can't pass thru my iPod or anything, and all FM transmitters (except the one in my SIRIUS receiver) suck.

I actually have one of those cassette adaptors (and an old Discman that I still use since I hate charging my iPod) but it conked out on me--I think from age/dust. I might look for another one sometime although I have found I prefer tapes in the car for these reasons:

1. If you forget to put it in the case and it falls off your seat, nothing bad will happen to it.

2. They're easier to load and unload. (I've been in some cars where you have to actually push a button to load a CD).

3. My glove box fits tapes better than it does CDs due to its dimensions.

4. Nostalgia!!! There's just something special about an analog recording.

 

[Christopher]

Actually you know what would be really cool? Record your music from your iTunes library to tape, you get crossfades then.