OK to get rid of CD collection now only using digital files?

[daveb975]

I have been listening to my collection in Apple Lossless format for sometime, but the recent addition of an AppleTV has meant that my CD collection now gets no use at all.

I don't have the space to store them at home, so I face the prospect of having to pay the best part of £10 per week to store them somewhere else (around 2000 CDs).

I understand that I cannot legally sell them as they form the basis of my digital collection, but is there any way of giving them away whilst recognising that I still own the right to play the files?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Badger0-0]

Good question

Is it actually legal to copy a track onto another player?

Certainly, as of January last year, it wasn't;

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Copying CDs could be made legal

Perhaps the law has changed and I just missed it?

[mattrixdesign2]

Originally Posted by daveb975

I have been listening to my collection in Apple Lossless format for sometime, but the recent addition of an AppleTV has meant that my CD collection now gets no use at all.

I don't have the space to store them at home, so I face the prospect of having to pay the best part of £10 per week to store them somewhere else (around 2000 CDs).

I understand that I cannot legally sell them as they form the basis of my digital collection, but is there any way of giving them away whilst recognising that I still own the right to play the files?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You are very honest but I would certainly sell them if possible!

I think the question should be, do you have yours CDs ripped to your PC in a suitable format for future use/conversion.

What if you decided Apple was no longer the way forward, are their other formats that would be better? Also do you have secure back ups?

Currently all my are ripped to iTunes in a compressed format, one day I plan to rip them to a lossless format and sell the lot.

[Peter Galbavy]

Keep the CDs. Even in the loft. I don't think there is a legal "license" as such associated with the disc or the sleeves, but if you have to one day prove where you got the ripped music from you would be stuffed.

Also, like said above, you may need to rerip them for some reason.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Blimey, that's never even occured to me. I have most of my CD collection on my HDD and I've been selling my CDs on the Interweb for the last couple of years or so. The main reason is that I live in a one bedroom flat and I generally try to get rid of everything that's not absolutely neccessary. I suppose Scotland Yard and will come busting thorough my door anytime now.

[Iccz]

As said you might need to re-rip them if somethings goes wrong.
Which hopefully won't be the case!

Chances of being investigated for that in terms of breaching copyright are VERY VERY minimal, that said, it is always best to be safe if in doubt...

[daveb975]

Thanks. All very interesting viewpoints. I has not realised that copying a CD to a computer was illegal even if you still kept the CD!

Assuming this part of the law is changed, I am just concerned that I would go from a collection that I could prove is virtually 100% 'paid for' to one that I could only prove the odd few albums. This is especially bad as I have paid many thouands of pounds for this music.

It feels a bit weird after spending the last 15+ years collecting CDs that I am now looking for a way to get rid of them, but I live in a flat with no loft and 2,000 CDs take up a lot of space. I didn't mind when they were getting occasional use, but now they are totally unused.

I'd like to get all of the music re-ripped in FLAC, but not sure I have got the energy to go through the complete collection again. Apple Lossless sounds great IMO, but I would like the option of getting non-iPod portables in the future.

[mattrixdesign2]

Originally Posted by daveb975

I'd like to get all of the music re-ripped in FLAC, but not sure I have got the energy to go through the complete collection again.

I waiting for my son to be old enough to do it then pay him 1p per disc

[coxy83]

The law really is an ASS when you come to think about niggly things like this

[Peter Galbavy]

If space is the real issue then get those "DJ" style 400/800 CD folders, throw away the plastic cases and just keep the sleeves, back and the disc. 2,000 CDs could fit on a foot of shelf space.

[soundstory]

Originally Posted by Peter Galbavy

If space is the real issue then get those "DJ" style 400/800 CD folders, throw away the plastic cases and just keep the sleeves, back and the disc. 2,000 CDs could fit on a foot of shelf space.

Good idea, I did it last year and piled up all the empty cases, they reached the ceiling !

[krish]

I have over 2000 CDs (in their cases!) in a few cardboard boxes in a corner of my loft, really doesn't take up too much space

I personally wouldn't get hung up on the legal issues. You might as well ask if it's illegal to hang on to you personal digital copy (which as has been pointed out is actually/diabolically illegal to have in the first place despite WMP/iTunes blatantly featuring this functionality in the UK) if your dog ate the original CD and pooped it out in the park walking with your missus who then unwittingly disposed of it . The fact remains you have stolen nothing; it should be up to others to prove your guilt, not you to prove your innocence - there hasn't been and never will be the resources to pursue the innocent or even most of the guilty (the pirate businesses and ebay/street sellers rather than the private downloader), when there is always more serious crime to pursue, so rest easy.

It's funny how people can get hung up on perceived copyright theft of stuff they've actually paid for but not about other, possibly more important laws they may be breaking all the time (speeding, VAT evasion etc).

[dazza1011]

DONT SELL THEM!!!

keep them but get rid of the cases what if the drive fails or some other disaster happens ive still got mine gathering dust at my mothers ill probably never touch them again but i dare not take that chance

[Uridium]

Originally Posted by dazza1011

DONT SELL THEM!!!

keep them but get rid of the cases what if the drive fails or some other disaster happens ive still got mine gathering dust at my mothers ill probably never touch them again but i dare not take that chance

That's what backups are for

Seriously though anyone who's spent hours/days/weeks ripping all there CD's (or DVD's for that matter) then keeps them on a single drive with no digital backup copy should really loom to getting them backed up sooner rather than later.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by dazza1011

DONT SELL THEM!!!

keep them but get rid of the cases what if the drive fails or some other disaster happens ive still got mine gathering dust at my mothers ill probably never touch them again but i dare not take that chance

I've got all of my music backed up on a portable HDD and on my ipod.