Hi all. I'm still in a battle with DRM regarding 2 songs from 2005. That is, I have 2 songs from 2005 that were officially made available by the record label (EMI) on an affiliate website. These 2 songs were never released ANYWHERE except on that website for about 3 months. Unbeknownst to me, the songs would become "inactive" after those 3 months. I have have the 2 songs in WMA format with DRM protection, and thus cannot be played. I cannot get these songs anywhere else, because EMI refuses to release them on the mainstream. In my battle, I found that there are about 10,000 programs that legally "can remove DRM" from any file, but the catch is that you have to have "playable" files. Since my files are not playable, I cannot utilize any of those programs. I also read something about KID/SID pairs, which I imagine has something to do with the actual mechanics behind DRM functionality. While I am completely clueless on the physics (or mathematical algorithms) behind DRM, it is my understanding that these KID/SID values have something to do with the accessibility of the media content. So, I was just wondering if anyone here can explain very SIMPLY (for someone who isn't a techy) what KID/SID is. Is there a specific file-format that thesse things come in, or are they just some kind of license keys? It would also be great if someone can explain the mechanics behind DRM. For instance, while I understand that a media file isn't PLAYABLE without a license, I'm curious to know if the actual media-content is TECHNICIALLY embedded somewhere within the un-licensed files. Or could it be that a "chunk" of the media-content is "missing" from the file UNTIL you get the license? Note that I'm not asking for cracks here. I'm just interested in the mechanics behind DRM. If what I'm asking above is hard to follow, a proper analogy would be as follows. Suppose that instead of computer files, we're talking about tangible books. A book you can just grab and open is your typical fair-use book, open to all, just like before DRM existed. A DRM book would be one with a lock on it; only those with the key could acess the content. My question regarding the DRM mechanism can be thought of as follows. In DRM, would the license simply provide a KEY to the lock on the book? Or would the license provide MISSING PAGES from within the book? I hope someone can shed some light on all of this. Thanks. -killDRM
I think you may be out of luck. The time to do this was when they were playable. I'm not an expert on DRM (I try to avoid it like the plague) but I think the file is encrypted. The valid license allows the file to be decrypted on the fly, thus be playable.
I understand that the file is crypted and can't be played. But I'm not asking for help with a crack. I'm specifically ONLY asking for information on the DRM mechanism. Thanks for the reply, but try reading the 1st post again all the way through. -killDRM
There was a utility that could remove DRMs without a license they were sued out of existence months after releasing their product. I am sure you are going about this the wrong way. I would hunt Limewire,Frostwire and Pirate Bay for your lost tunes. If you looked for them in 2005 when you 'lost them' you could have found in in a few months. Limewire was HUGE back them. It might take you a year or two to find them now. When they make P2P illegal in the US (maybe this year) it will be much harder yet. I remember you from a year or so back. That was the advice then it is the same now. If you followed that advice then you would have it by now. You missed the boat! I figure you have maybe a 50/50 chance of recovering it now. To build a mechanical DRM remover is well out of your reach. You could advertise for a C++ or C programmer and offer him or her 5,000 bucks and you might get somewhere. It is probably beyond 1 in 10 senior programmers. Not that is is so hard but you need specialized skills that are uncommon. The mix is bad as well you need both cryptology and audio skills. I doubt that you could get someone cheaper than that. They are going to have to build a decrypter than doesn't need to know how it was encrypted nor what it looks like when done. Maybe it would be easier to check Monster, Carrerbuilder and Dice for programmers that worked for the company that made your DRM. Maybe any company that makes DRMs. At least htey would have the right mix of skills. If you know the method in which it was encrypted you cut out 99% of the work. If one of them rats on you WILL go to jail. I wasted enough time on you. Your only hope is to find another copy. That is more than 100 times easier than removing a DRM unless you are a DRM programmer.
Who cares, who cares, who cares!!Next time get ONLY UN-DRM'd material.. If you had the rights to play the DRM'd files, you would've been able to remove the DRM from it... Oh yeah! you really don't want to remove/crack the DRM ;-) Sorry I couldn't provide any "DRM mechanism" info for you.. Good luck!..
Any idea what the name of this utility was? Who made it? Is there any more info you can give me? Any idea what year the lawsuit was filed? What firm filed the lawsuit? Thanks.
That might be the only place where you can find that info. As I told you everything on this site was removed years ago after the first time you asked. Common sense tells me that it has been removed from all places one the web except for maybe an org of lawyers with an attitude but I really doubt it as I think about it. You could also got to a law library. I am still sure your quest is much harder than just getting a copy. I am sure more persons have that music than have that software. As I remember, it was only on the market for a few months. It would be far easier to track down the family of one of the musicians than what you are doing but I am sure you will still be posting these queries 10 years form now. The problem is as time goes on your quest becomes more and more impossible starting about 4 years ago. As it is I bet I am the only one that has been on this board long enough to remember that there was such an item.
