Music Download - CHOICE # 363

The music industry is urged to design and introduce a standard marking to help consumers differentiate between legal and unauthorized music downloads.

The Government is currently consulting the public on the proposed amendment of the copyright law. One suggestion in the consultation paper is to impose criminal liability to unauthorized downloading activities.

While the Consumer Council agrees that consumers should respect intellectual property rights, it is concerned that in the absence of a standard marking for consumers to recognize legal music downloads, they may infringe a copyright without knowing the content is unauthorized.

The industry is therefore urged to design a standard marking or compile a list of authorized websites for legal music downloads.

In addition to the copyright issue, consumers are reminded to check whether the music player they use support the formats of the files prescribed by the websites. Some of these sites provide test files which consumers may download to test the compatibility of their systems.

Meanwhile, in this (363rd) issue of CHOICE was published a test report on 23 MP3 players and portable media players (PMP), which can be conveniently used as instruments to play downloaded music. Highlights of the test:

The tests include mainly audio performance (30%) tests, and assessment of ease of use (28%), battery performance (15%), durability (5%), portability (10%), versatility (10%) and software provision (2%).

Only 5 players could deliver on their headphones to give the listener good music. For most other models, the audio performance can be boosted by use of a higher quality headphone instead of the accompanied earphones.

Maximum listening hours are measured with the players delivering identical volume of music. The best could run for 37 hours with built-in rechargeable battery; some could play 25 hours of music from a mere 30 minute charging.

Moreover, the maximum listening levels of 11 samples were measured to generate a level higher than 100 dB, a limit imposed by the French Regulation.

Prolonged listening to loud music might impair hearing. Users listening to music via headphones are recommended to turn the volume down to 60% of full scale, and to listen not more than 60 minutes per day. Parents are strongly recommended to set softer sound for their children who enjoy listening to loud music.

Further, as a matter of safety, keep the volume of the music low if you are listening to it on the streets as so to stay alert to the siren of any approaching vehicle.

4 samples were found to have failed the tumbling test; users should pay extra care in handling these players.