Can anyone tell me whether I am infringing copyright by downloading MP3 music albums which I have already paid full price for on genuine tape or vinyl versions.

In other words have I bought the copyright to possess for personal use only these recordings and therefore I am using P2P to save me the task of converting my old library to a digital format.

I would retain all the original tape printed inner sleeves/recoerd covers as an archive of proof of purchase. Could I still be breaking the law.

I have over 400 albums and tapes many of which are available to download.

Thats a good question, but for example here's the warning off an old Led Zeppelin cassette tape I have.
Warning: Unauthorized reproduction of this recording is prohibited by Federal law and subject to criminal prosecution.
So technically I don't think it would be legal, but the laws vary by country. I don't think you have much to worry about, but what I think won't help anybody in court.

__________________
If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

Tombish & 6_pac

Although I live in the UK, I believe you still could be within your rights to make backups to protect your investment.

After all, if you backup your hard drive, containing applications and data, no-one is going to sue you. So, by extension, if you make or acquire compressed backups (mp3s) it would be difficult for anyone to say you are doing anything illegal, as long as you don't share your "backups" with friends, relatives and the rest of the world.

However, you will need to consult a lawyer/solicitor in your area for a definative legal opinion.




UK Bob

who would have thought that listning to a song would be so complicated...

*SIGH*

lol