[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: [ARSCLIST] Copyright and hard drives
At 02:04 PM 3/18/2003 +0000, Copeland, Peter wrote:
Dear Joel,
Thanks for your posting. I've retired now, so I cannot speak for my
successor, but I see little need for an "open source" software decoder for
CDs. Any CD player with an SP-DIF output is capable of replaying everything
(including the track flags) complete with error-correction, so the audio and
the flags may be moved to any other audio hardware capable of the necessary
sampling-frequency and bit-resolution. (The AES digital connection-standard
will copy the audio, if necessary for very long physical distances; but it
does not include track flags. Our experiences with Betamax videotapes with
digital audio also showed it was relatively simple to retro-fit the machines
with SP-DIF outputs).
I am out of my base of knowledge here, but would like to offer some
questions with implied answers.
1. Is not the need for "open source" more for documentation so that the
format can be reconstructed even after it has been abandoned by its owner?
2. As the patents on CD format expire, liberties are being taken with the
color book standards. Is there not the risk that some 'protected' discs
will deviate far enough to preclude easy movement to another medium or format?
3. The Betamax example is perhaps too weak since the hardware was well
developed and in use for an extended period. Would the result have been
similar for Sanyo's V-Cord video format or Sony's El-Cassette for audio?
Mike
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/