Copy Protected CDs and iTunes - long but important

Question

Hey all, I didn't search all the posts but I haven't seen much mentioned about this topice so I thought I would bring it to your attention. If this is a repeat, I apologize.
The basic issue is this: some new CDs (especially from Sony) have a program on them that loads on the computer and will only allow you to load the songs as WMA files. This happened to me when I bought a copy of Switchfoot's new cd. It says right on the back that it will only work with Media Player but hey, I wasn't paying attention. Apparently this is not an issue is you are using a Mac.
Anyhow, you cannot load these CDs into iTunes and therefore cannot load them onto your iPod. This has created a huge controvery over on the Sony boards and if you follow the link I will give you, you can see it. Switchfoot is a very popular band and a lot of people got hammered over this. I was lucky enough that my Christian store took the opened cd back after I explained the problem and I had to download it from the iTunes store. You lose a song this way but what can you do. I guess the new album by Cold Play is the same way but I am not a fan so I can't be sure.
If you follow the Sony posts, when you get to the 6th page (I think), one of the members of Switchfoot posted and gave us a few ways to get around this. If you have NEVER put one of these copy protected cds into your drive, you do not have the software on your computer yet. He describes a program you can download and then use it after you put the cd in the drive. If you have inserted one of the cds, the little program is hiding somewhere on the computer and that fix will not work.
You can copy it to Media Player, burn it to a cd, and then load it to iTunes. But.........here you are making copies of copies and are going to lose sound quality. How much and will it be noticable, I have no clue.
Someone on the board said Sony is aware of the uproar and will have a version of iTunes that will be able to import these cds sometime in November (it is actually Apple that is doing I would guess). It all started because Apple refuses to give some kind of code to the large labels so they made the copy protection so iTunes will not recognize the cd (no matter how many time you put it into your drive......believe me I tried over and over on Tuesday until I found the Sony boards by doing a Google).
If this is news to you all, I am glad. If a repeat, sorry but I wanted to make sure all iPod owners (especially those of us with PCs) to be aware of this. There is a small alert near the spine of the jewel case that says "Copy Protected" or something like that and then on the back on the bottom it talks about only being able to use in Media Player.
Some who pre-ordered the disk online did not get the cd with the protection and apparantly some got some copies in retail stores that didn't have it also. I looked at all 400 copies the Christian store I bought it from had and they were all protected. Switchfoot is a Christian rock band but have had tremendous success crossing over into the rock genre.
One last thing, I guess the Dual Disk version will work in iTunes., at least that was the latest I had read.
Here is the link to the Sony Board on this topic and if you all can't find the one post about how to get around this, let me know and I will find it and post it here for you.
http://forums1.sonymusic.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/716102313/m/1331071454/p/1
Good luck. I don't know how to make the links work on this board but you can copy/paste it into your browser window.
Hope this helps some of you,
Mike

Answer 1

After using Macs for a number of years at both school and work, I finally ordered an iMac G5 of my own. When the DualDiscs came out I bought a few because I wnated all the content I could get. Attempting to play them on my iMac at work however, proved problematic. The audio side would spin for a few seconds then eject. I was slightly annoyed, but settled for playing the DVD audio versions of the albums as I worked. In my car stereo, the audio would work, but any other player it would not.
When my personal iMac came, I expected the same problem- only the DVD side would play. Imagine my surprise when every DualDisc I attempted to rip (Switchfoot, Bruce Springsteen, Rob Thomas, Ben Folds, The Wallflowers, Oasis, David Gray) in iTunes was read and successfully ripped.
So I wonder this- is it as much a problem with older Superdrives not being able to read the thicker discs as anything else?
Or am I an anomaly