Restricting 'Rip' from Windows Media Player

[KarlGoddard]

Hi All.

Is it possible to restrict the use of, or even remove, the Rip facility on Windows Media Player? I want to try and do something to deter our pupils from a) filling up thier profiles with audio files and b) remove any copyright / illegal redistribution issues of having ripped audio files on our network

I've been looking for a reg tweak or something to remove the Rip tab from media player for a week or two now and come up with zero.

Any tips on how to achieve this (if at all possible) would be most welcome.

Cheers
Karl

[Ric_]

Couldn't you design a skin for media player that removes access to this function?

You could then apply this skin to your users with a GPO.

[ninjabeaver]

Oh God, how I wish that could be possible. Please find something. It's one of those things that I'm tearing my hair out over. How many GB's of music do I find on the system every week. Now even the staff are doing it. Obviously server HDD space is infinite.

[Dos_Box]

Time for WinDirStat I think. Simply tell them that it is not acceptable (you do have an AUP don't you?) and any found will be wiped immedietly. Or implement a policy that only media files below a certain size, such as sound effects or track snippets to be used in multi media presentations can be held on user areas.
They ask for enough money for 2 TB of NAS storage and migrate you user areas.

[ChrisH]

Implement quotas and have a log off/log on script check for MP3s or the amount they have. I used to just have them deleted in the log on script but they now edit music in Audacity as part of their ICT so I have had to have a rethink.

[Geoff]

Media Player rips to WMV

[ChrisH]

Well it also rips to MP3 last time i used it!!!

[ninjabeaver]

It rips music to the user area, thatst the main problem, whatever the format. If all the students do that it soon gobbles up what HDD space there is on the server.

I don't believe that Microsoft with all their preaching about piracy etc don't allow the RIP section to be disabled.

I'm just waiting so I can implement this new AUP software that was linked on this forum, and some of the other goodies you have highlighted. Perhaps I may remove Media Player 10 from the system.

[tarquel]

Media Player rips to WMV

Well it also rips to MP3 last time i used it!!!

Indeed...

WMP 9 = WMA only (minus plugin's)
WMP10 = WMA & mp3

Logoff script sounds good but how do you determine what is and isnt legit music files on the network? They may have a mp3 as a song being played throughout a powerpoint presentation for example which is 5-6MB long but without us knowing, it looks like its jsut been ripped.

This is one of the reasons [ripping music to H drive] why I dont allow access to the cd-rom drives and dont have this problem really.

Super big publisher and powerpoint files are eating up the space tho lol

Cheers,
N.

[ChrisH]

Thats always a problem finding whats genuine work and whats just the latest snoop dog album taking up space. I could probably write a VB script to determine the amount of a certain file type and send an alert if it crosses a certain threshold. You can then say you are only allowed x amount of MP3s for using with genuine work.

[Geoff]

Also remeber MP3 files have ID3 tags. If they are filled in correctly you should be able to determine the artist/album/song regardless of what the files called.

[mark]

Publisher - spits!

I recently tried to get my users down to 100mb so I could enforce a quota. I got it down to 50 accounts - the vast majority with oversized Publisher files.

The ripping feature is a very good reason to disable CD access isn't it. I do have a standalone next to the IT room that has been used for the very purpose in the past - just needs someone to be available to do it 'sall

[KarlGoddard]

Couldn't you design a skin for media player that removes access to this function?

You could then apply this skin to your users with a GPO.

I've just tried that on my machine at home.. seems to work for me at least! I'll give it a bash with one suite of machines / OU tomorrow!

Many Thanks
Karl

[mark]

Any chance of sharing it if it works kgcs?

[tarquel]

[no publisher rantingnow people - we have a new thread for that lol]

Is it a skin you've made kgcs?

Nath