sbdcsierra Chapter 74 Pirated "Lilacs" Appear
Chapter 74 Pirated "Lilacs" Appear
Three days later, Lin Feng and Su Wan went to Xunji Audio.
Manager Zhang's office was on the twentieth floor, facing south, with plenty of sunlight. When Lin Feng knocked and entered, Manager Zhang was making tea.
"Mr. Lin, Xiao Su, please have a seat." Manager Zhang handed over two teacups with tweezers. "Try these, they're pre-Qingming Longjing teas that a friend gave us."
Lin Feng took it and tasted it. The tea was clear and bright, with a delicate aroma.
Manager Zhang picked up his teacup and took a sip: "I've reviewed your 'Campus Original Musician Support Program' proposal. The idea is good, but it will be quite difficult to implement."
"I know how difficult it is, that's why I need Manager Zhang's help," Lin Feng said with a smile.
"Helping is no problem, but the company has its rules," Manager Zhang said bluntly. "Your plan, to put it bluntly, is asking us to invest resources in advance and gamble on the future of a group of student singers. If we win, we split the profits. If we lose, our investment goes down the drain."
"So we can make a bet," Lin Feng said. "You don't need to put up cash, just resources. For example, the right to use the recording studio, basic arrangement support, online promotion space, etc."
We handle the sourcing, selection, and signing of contracts; we cover the initial production costs. Once the songs are released, the revenue will be split proportionally.
If the data does not meet the standards within three months, subsequent resource support can be discontinued, and we will assume the risk ourselves.
Manager Zhang didn't rush to speak, but gently stroked the rim of the teacup with his fingers.
"Manager Zhang, you've seen the popularity of 'Lilac Flower'," Lin Feng continued. "I wouldn't say my judgment is 100% accurate, but at least I haven't missed anything so far."
There are many talented students on campus, but what they lack are opportunities and channels. Once we pave this path, we'll never have to worry about a lack of good content.
Where do you plan to begin?
"It started with the Digital Music Club. We have a foundation, a venue, and an organization at Xichuan University of Technology."
Let's start with a small original music competition. The top three will be signed, we'll be responsible for production, and you'll be responsible for online promotion.
If it works well, we can expand to other universities in Chengdu, and eventually extend it to the whole province and the whole country.
"Size of competition?"
"For the first edition, the number of groups will be limited to thirty. The entire process—registration, preliminary selection, semi-finals, and finals—will be open to the public. Judges can include music academy professors or media professionals to increase credibility."
Manager Zhang pondered for a moment, then picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Here's what you do: first, draft a detailed implementation plan, clearly outlining the budget, timeline, and expected results. I'll show it to the higher-ups. If it's approved, we can allocate some resources, but not too much; we'll just test the waters first."
"Okay, I'll get it sorted out when I get back. Also, regarding next week's performance, what about the equipment and staff at XunJie...?"
"Don't worry, everything is arranged. Three staff members and ten demo units will be delivered to the site that morning. Data cables and promotional materials are all ready."
"Thank you, Manager Zhang."
"Don't mention it, it's a win-win situation." Manager Zhang saw them to the door.
As Lin Feng walked out of the XunJie Audio building, he sent Xu Qiang a text message: "Did you buy the 'ShengYue' MP3 player?"
I quickly received a reply: "I bought it. I'll be waiting for you in the office."
Back at the startup incubator, Xu Qiang was already waiting for him in his office.
On the table sat a dark blue MP3 player, simply packaged with the "ShengYue" logo. The device itself was well-made, with neat seams on the casing, a clear screen, and a moderate weight.
"The 256M version is 650 yuan a unit." Xu Qiang handed the machine to Lin Feng. "It's 49 yuan cheaper than ours. I listened to it, and the sound quality is okay, about the same as ours. Look at the songs pre-installed on it."
Lin Feng plugged in his earphones and turned on the device. The playlist contained over a dozen songs, mostly popular hits and trending online. He scrolled down and stopped at the seventh song.
Lilacs.
He pressed play. The guitar intro began, a familiar melody, and Tang Lei's voice came through clearly.
But if you listen carefully, there is a subtle harshness in the high notes of the chorus, as if the sound quality has been lost due to multiple compressions.
Most noticeably, when the song reached the second verse, there was a slight stutter and noise for about half a second.
These are typical characteristics of pirated files.
"Piracy, and a pretty low-quality pirated copy at that." Lin Feng took off his headphones, his tone certain. "The genuine files in our MP3 players are protected with DRM, which they can't crack, so they can only get them from somewhere else."
"But it sounds pretty much the same," Xu Qiang said, picking up the machine. "What ordinary student could tell the difference? Besides, it's fifty yuan cheaper."
"That's the problem." Lin Feng put the machine back on the table. "They attract people with low prices and fill in pirated songs. They can indeed seize the market in the short term."
But our machine contains a legally licensed copy of "Lilac Flower" with digital rights management and CD-quality audio. Their files are at most 128kbps MP3s, and they may have changed hands several times.
Su Wan took the earphones and listened for a while, then frowned: "With this kind of sound quality, even slightly better earphones can make the difference. But most students using the earphones that came with the headphones probably won't be able to tell the difference."
"And since they have 'Lilac Flower,' they probably have other pirated songs too," Shen Jingyi interjected. "We promote one song, and they pirate another. It's impossible to guard against them all."
"We can't just focus on defense."
Lin Feng came up with a solution: "Xu Qiang and Wang Peng, you two take this MP3 player to a technical institution and compile a detailed statement of the infringement, including audio comparison, technical analysis, and market impact, and make sure it's clear."
"Understood, Brother Feng." The two immediately replied.
"Regarding contacting a lawyer..." Lin Feng paused, then suddenly remembered something and tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "You guys prepare the evidence materials according to the plan first, and I'll contact the lawyer."
He remembered that during the Spring Festival at home, his father, Lin Guofu, had mentioned that his third uncle had recommended a lawyer. He never expected that the lawyer would come in handy so soon.
Lin Feng took out his phone and dialed Tang Lei's number first.
The phone rang a few times before being answered; the background noise was somewhat loud, like it was coming from a music room or rehearsal room.
"Lin Feng?" Tang Lei had just finished practicing his song.
"Brother Lei, there's an emergency I need to tell you right away," Lin Feng said bluntly and seriously.
"Go on," Tang Lei said. The background noise on the other end quickly quieted down, as if they had moved to a secluded spot.
"Our commemorative edition of 'Lilacs' MP3 contains DRM-protected audio files, did you know that?"
"I know, it's to prevent copying."
"But now there is an MP3 player on the market called 'Shengyue' that comes pre-installed with 'Lilac Flower,' which is a pirated audio file."
"Piracy? Where did they get it from?"
"It was probably obtained illegally through methods such as internal recording, and the audio quality is degraded. This infringes on your copyright and violates our exclusive licensing agreement."
"So what should we do?"
"We need your formal authorization to send a lawyer's letter to the other party in your name, in conjunction with Fengchi Digital Studio, demanding that they immediately cease the infringement, remove the product from sale, and compensate for losses. If they ignore this, we will file a lawsuit."
"No problem," Tang Lei immediately agreed. "You decide how the authorization documents are signed and how the lawyer's fees are calculated. I'll cooperate with whatever you need me to do. My song shouldn't be ruined like this."
"Okay, don't worry, Lei-ge. I'll prepare the necessary documents and send them to you for your signature. I'll contact the lawyer. I'll let you know as soon as there are any developments."
"Okay. Also..." Tang Lei asked, "Is there anything I need to say publicly? Like during a performance, or when I give an interview?"
"Not for now." Lin Feng thought for a moment. "Let's proceed with the legal process first. We'll ask you to speak out when we need to exert public pressure. Saying too much now might alert them."
"Understood. I'll wait for your message."
After hanging up with Tang Lei, Lin Feng prepared to contact a lawyer.