You my not be able to keep songs you download?

[Classicrockr]

Just visited zune.net - they are quoted as saying "Any songs you download is yours to keep as long as your subscription is current"

I understand that the zune pass is $14.99 for all you can download music, but if I decide to cancel it one month, are they saying that any songs I PAID FOR will quit playing or something?

This is very cofusing, Microsoft. If this is true, this is a stupid move... once you pay for a song, you should get to use it forever, regardless of your subscription...

Please help clarify this!!!!!!

[lpxxfaintxx]

This is what happens. If you buy songs individually, for $.99, then the song is yours forever. However, if you download 10000 songs with the subscription, then the 10000 songs is yours to keep, AS LONG AS YOU PAY FOR THE SUBSCRIPTION. If you decide to cancel, all the songs you downloaded will be invalid. Until someone hacks the subscription service thing, the song isn't really yours.

[Samurai]

Couldn't you just Bearshare or Limewire the songs? But what about the songs already on your computer?

[lpxxfaintxx]

Yes, you can use Bearshare/Limwire... All songs that you currently have will work on the Zune; a lot of people tend to get confused with that.

[Samurai]

Good. That was one of my main concerns. I had heard from someone that you might have to re-download songs from the marketplace or whatever the program Zune will use.

[waternut13134]

I think it just like napster to go,If you dont hook up the device up to your computer in a few days,a message on your computer will pop up saying to please connect your device to renew your songs.But thats how napster works.I dont know about ZM.

Yeah, on the IPOD there were restrictions. You had to actually but the songs from one of the places that were registered to sell IPOD songs.

[Zuneologist]

what about podcasts and things like that?
Also can you explain what DRM actually means?

It is a encryption protocol.

[yensed]

DRM stands for "Digital Rights Management". Basically, If you Buy a Song off iTunes for $.99, The Music will contain DRM which will try to prevent you from playing the song on more then 5(give or take) computers. And by Limiting the amount of computers the song can play on, it helps prevent the song from being pirated and distributed free of cost. I used iTunes as an example because most Pay-Per-Song Sites/Programs use the same standards and I expect the Zune Marketplace to do the same

As for the DRM scheme usually used by most Pay-By-Month Sites/Programs such as Napster-To-Go and Zune Pass, You will be asked to hook your player up to the computer once a month where it will check your account to see if you renewed your subscription. If did renew your subscription your music will continue to play just fine. If you didn't renew your subscription, you will need to do so before you can play the music again... Now those scenarios only apply to songs your have Purchase/Rented. If you got your music off Limewire (And other Peer-2-Peer programs) or ripped them from your own CD collection, your music isn't lock up with DRM. Nor will your Podcasts and Vidcasts be locked up by DRM. DRM limits what you can do with your music, but its also the only thing allowing sites/programs like iTunes, Zune Pass, Zune marketplace, Napster-To-Go and all the others to exist legally.

[lpxxfaintxx]

Well said.

[yensed]

Originally Posted by lpxxfaintxx

Well said.

Appreciated

P.S. I edited it to mention Podcasts.

Heh, you just expanded what I said. It is a simple timed encryption protocal.

[Layzie]

DAMN Im SO confused lol, so tell me this real quick, IF I buy 1 song with a prepaid card, will it be mine forever?

[Classicrockr]

yes - single songs will be yours forever.

With the 14.99 "all you can eat" subscription, you are RENTING the music versus BUYING it, that's why you must renew the subscription each month.