Inspired by another 15-minute session of wrassling off security CD packaging, scratching the cover with scissors, breaking the hinges getting that unworldy-strong final sealing strip off, etc.
Do people even steal CDs anymore? The desperate crackhounds who tossed my car a few months ago probably laughed as they flung my CD portfolios into the backseat. My friends are amazed that my new car even has a CD player; we’re old ladies and don’t even have a player in the house. The Dollar Store, Target, and CVS have bins of unsold CDs marked with “Just freakin’ steal 'em, we don’t care” signs
The CD I wrassled with was $1.29 from Amazon (including shipping); when it came out in 1998 it was more than $25.00 (import).
What kind of security packaging are you talking about, and where are you getting it from? I remember the plastic casings they used to put on CDs (and cassettes) that you had to cut off with very strong scissors, and the kind the store clerk had to unlock for you with a special tool when you checked out; but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen any of that.
I haven’t seen a security tag on a CD in years . . .
I’m talking about the industry strength plastic wrap and the really sticky strip that seals the CD shut (one has to get through the plastic wrap to get to this frustrating thing).
If you mean the tape on the jewel case, I don’t think it’s an anti-theft device. It’s a tamper-evident seal. So people can’t make a digital copy and then return the CD to the store for a refund.
Above and beyond my very special troubles opening CD packaging . . .
Is security packaging even needed anymore? The technology is nearing extinction, I’d bet CDs are rarely stolen from brick and mortar stores anymore, and the format is obsolete (why pay for a whole album when you can digitally download just the two songs you like?)
I’m a happy dinosaur because I can get my fave CDs dirt cheap and copy them into my car computer. I doubt the new car I’ll buy in a few years will have a CD, but I can transfer the library from the current car to a USB stick/via Blue Tooth and still have everything.
Here’s a trick I learned years ago from my stepdaughter, who used to work in a record store. After you get the plastic wrap off, remove the cover of the jewel case by gently pulling the bottom tab away from the case and lifting. Now the only thing holding the two halves of the jewel case together is the sticker across the top. Peel the lid away from the sticker and then you can peel the sticker off the rest of the jewel case. Then just snap the cover back on.
At the record store they used this technique to open a new CD so they could play it in the store without removing the sticker. Afterwards they could snap the cover back in place, leaving the sticker intact, then re-shrinkwrap it and put it back out for sale.
I figured it wouldn’t be long before this kind of snark appeared.
To answer the question, it’s the year of people enjoying the security of a physical album copy in case their computer crashes and/or they don’t want to pay for cloud storage or similar backup.
I open CDs by the dozens. If you’re holding a CD case with the front cover under your thumb, and you look down at the top, the case actually separates just in front of the back. I use a cheapo utility knife in that gap, and slice through the security sticker and the plastic wrap in one swipe. Then I yank off the plastic, and peel the sticker halves off from my slice.
I assume they meant time by the amount of security measures on the CD. That’s how I read it.
I, too, am a Luddite and routinely buy new CDs. I remember the days of the cardboard long boxes, and the plastic store holders that the clerk had to remove. The only “security” they have these days is shrink wrap that you can remove with a fingernail, and a sticker sealing the top. A sticker which has one corner with no adhesive, so it can be removed easily. They don’t even come with anti-theft ID “chips” any more.
The used stores insist on putting 15 pieces of hard to remove clear tape, and anywhere between one and three anti-theft chips. They sure seem to worry about theft. Maybe us luddites are too stupid to download, so we steal the discs right out of the packaging.
But us old farts love the packaging! Liner notes. Lyric sheets. Tiny pictures of the band that were much bigger on the vinyl.
I used to have one of those (just for CDs, didn’t have to sides). Worked great. IIRC, I’d have to run it around twice. Once for the cello packaging, again for the sticker.
Another way that sometimes works is to start opening the case, enough to put some tension on the sticker and then run something sharp-ish over it. A key or a pen or something. With the case pulled open, the sticker, if you’re lucky is pulled away from the case so you can use something that won’t slice your hand open if it slips since it just needs to break sticker. Much like opening the tape on the top of a box. Just need to jab it a couple of times and you can rip it the rest of the way.
