Part 1: Copy protections for CD.
First: A history lesson...
Go back in time about 30+ years, and all computers stored data differently. Each computer system had unique storage methods (tapes, disks, etc), limits on the amount of data that could be stored on media, and differences in the physical size/shapes of the storage media. A Mac was unique compared to IBM, which was unique to other systems, etc. This kept costs high, and sharing data between systems was often impossible. From this mess came simplification by means of standardized formats -- first came floppy size/shape/storage, and later discs like CD and DVD. Same for other non-obvious aspects of computing, such as the USB port.
Companies forced themselves to interact and participate, for the greater good of all -- though lowering of cost was an obvious decision maker. If all devices used the same basic hard drives, floppies and discs, then they could be mass produced for a fraction of the cost.
Even video game consoles eventually ended their use of proprietary cartridges in the late 1990s and early 2000s, in favor of standardized media. (Or in some cases, small variations on standardized media.) Game systems had long been the hallmark of proprietary hardware. Game systems like the XBOX came with DVD drives, stored game data on DVD media, and was powered by a normal Intel Pentium III CPU.
Now, in order for standards to work, it means that the end-user hardware must accept and properly read/play/write to the media. All aspects of the media must conform to a standard, so that anybody can make it and use it, and it can be assured to work in all situations.
Why give this mini-lecture? Well, to explain the importance of standards, and to make it known that it applies to Compact Disc (CD).
Next: How does copy protection work?
When the standards were created, specific copy protections were included in the design plans. DVD, for example, specifically included CSS (Content Scrambling System) as digital copy prevention, as well as the Macrovision system to prevent analog copying. A few amendments to the specifications for DVD (and/or DVD-Video) allowed for DVD-R protections, as used by the
Warner Brother Archives. Anything outside the standards is not officially allowed to use the DVD logo, as it violates the specs.
Any copy protections not written into the official specs must basically violate the specs of the format. This means that some, many or all devices may not properly interact with the readers/writers designed to work with that media. Many savvy computer users therefore refer to these protections as "schemes" because they are unofficial, and may often do nothing more than cause the user grief (due to loss in customers, hassles from tech support, etc) because the protections cause problems. All of the various protection schemes, of course, make promises about how they've conducted independent test with hundreds of drives .... blah blah blah. It's generally nothing more than meaningless prattle.
Next: What copy protections exist for CD? Also how to copy protect CD-R?
Copy protection (or more accurately "copy prevention") for CD was a more popular topic pre-DVD (or rather, before DVD hit mass consumption circa 2003-2005) and in the early post-MP3 era. At the time when making your own CDs was popular, using ill-gotten MP3 as the source, or ripped DVDs as the source, there was much attention given to CD protections. Many of the protections were aimed at VCDs (VideoCDs) or audio CDs. Quite a few hucksters were out their selling "copy protection" software (and even hardware) from about 2002-2007. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of them have been forgotten. Most websites and companies peddling these protections disappeared, likely due to a mix of declining CD use mixed with a crappy recessed economy.
For the non-video, non-audio CD, you had to rely on in-programming checksum type protections (as used in games), or physical defects purposely added to the disc structure. Again, this came at the cost of problems, because it technically violates the specs of the formats.
India was, and still is, a mecca for CD protections, as it is a somewhat closed market for audio/video, where Bollywood still movies on VCD. The discs are infamous for not working in many CD devices, due to all sorts of asinine "protections" to prevent copying. The schemes are so good, in fact, that they even prevent playback. Oops.
Most of what exists now is something like
Laserlock, which is only useful if you're mass-producing media and having it pressed (replicated) -- not burned. It also carries added costs.
Conclusion: Is there any way to copy protect a CD?
No.
What few options you have can create a costly mess, and there are still ways that media can be copied by a dedicated tech-savvy person. While it's true that most so-called "amateur copiers" will give up in less than 30 minutes, when left to their own devices, it's also true that quite a few of them know how to use Google. Within 10 minutes, and often with free software, a copy-protected disc quickly meets its copy.
