Detroit News Reporter Seeking MP3Car projects for newspaper article

**MotorCityGal** · 02-21-2003, 01:35 PM

Hi there.

I'm an automotive reporter for The Detroit News in Detroit, Michigan, and I'm working on a story about what car companies are doing -- or not doing -- to help customers with MP3 files and players to play their music in vehicles.

I'm interested in talking to you about what you've done, and the lengths to which you've gone, to assist you in your MP3 playing in your car ...

You can call me at 1-800-678-6400, extension 1463, or reply to my email with your contact information and I'll give you a ring. We're very interested in hearing about it ... We're also interesting in featuring the coolest stuff in a photograph or two in the newspaper.

Regards,

**mp3z24** · 02-21-2003, 03:13 PM

well, this request brings up a few legal quandries that are generally pushed under the rug when one is building a DIY MP3 system.

First off, MP3's are generally regarded, especially by the music industy, as an illegal option when listening to music. original copies are the only ones legally allowed with the copyright laws of this and many other countries.

also, many domestic and foreign states (this is a global community) have laws preventing the use of any sort of display screen within the sight of the driver. This is an obvious one, in the case of users runing movie programs and DVD with their own cars.

I, for one would not like to see the downfall of such an outstanding online community, because of piqued intrest from certain local law enforcement districts. So, I think it would be best to keep discussions limited to LEGAL MP3 playing options. (i.e. systems that utilize graphic displays only for the selection of music... nothing else.)

In other words, be careful what you talk about....

Also, I regard this comment as person opinion and in no way should the above statements be used to describe myself, the members of this forum, or the Car-based MP3 player community. Also, the statements made may NOT be used without my consent for the purposes of this or any other report or research.

~mike

**MotorCityGal** · 02-21-2003, 03:18 PM

Hey Mike,

Our intent is not to get anyone in trouble, just to show how badly people want to play MP3s in their cars ... and how there are very few options to do so.

I won't quote anybody who doesn't want to be quoted.

Cheers,
Sarah A. Webster

**TruckinMP3** · 02-21-2003, 03:18 PM

Do not forget the car and/or Stereo theives.... give them pics and a bad person shows up in a day/week to remove your cool project.

I thought if you purchased the orig CD you were allowed an archive copy to protect your purchase. An example I buy a CD from a store, Rip to MP3 format, shelf the CD and listen to the MP3. Is that OK? Notice I did not say distribute, or share files.

EDIT: No Direct Quotes are Permitted other than this Forum. Re-phrasing is acceptable, publishing any information about me personally is not allowed. In case you are wondering No I do not trust reporters any more than I trust Mico$soft.

**CrazyLittle** · 02-21-2003, 03:36 PM

Under "fair use" laws, if you own the CD, you're entitled to do whatever you want to with the contents.

The DMCA limits -how- you get that material off of the CD. So if you've got one of those SONY-protected CD's, and you ink out the encryption track with a sharpie, you've just broken the law. But if you take that CD, play it through your CD-deck into your computer's SP/DIF Digital Audio In, then you're -not- breaking the DMCA... (And if doing it that way counts as breaking the encryption, then legally, you're -not- entitled to use a sony-protected CD, that -you- own.)

**mp3z24** · 02-21-2003, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by MotorCityGal
Hey Mike,

Our intent is not to get anyone in trouble, just to show how badly people want to play MP3s in their cars ... and how there are very few options to do so.

I won't quote anybody who doesn't want to be quoted.

Cheers,
Sarah A. Webster

thanks....

that wasnt meant to be totally toward you personally. i was more voicing my thoughts that the people here should be careful what they say they are doing.

example: someone has a install the features a software based MP3 player as the main feature, but they also have GPS, DVD, Phone number lookup... etc. Now to many people that is a pretty nice setup, but for anyone that is an officer of the law, that is basically another item to watch for when patroling. Viewing a monitor while driving is a sure way to get ticketed!!!

Im not naive, and im sure the many police departments are aware of the higher number of in-car AV products that have hit the market in the last 10 years.

Im just making the statement that people need to NOT divulve too much info. The last thing anyone wants is for thier stuff to get confiscated or stolen. im sure that there are people here that will tell you much about the DIY scene.

Good luck, and I hope nothing was taken too personally...

~Mike

oh, and that last comment was simply because, as im sure you know, there ARE dishonest people, that WILL quote out of context... sorry if it offended.