Update and downloaded songs

[Hitchman]

I recently downloaded an update. I took my xbox harddrive to my folks house this weekend to play with family, as I due a couple times a month. They have xbox but it is my rockband and downloaded songs. Normally I have to go online once my harddrive is plugged in and re-download one of the previously purchased songs again. Really it isnt a download, it just gets 1% done and recognizes its there and I am good to rock. I assume it resets something to work with her machine.

So I do this and take the unit to her game room where we play, which her wireless modem will not reach. So there is NO xbox live when we play. Never has been. Done this now like a dozen times. This weekend after the update however, things were different. Long story short, the ONLY way I can play the downloaded songs that I paid for is to be online!!! Whats the deal? If this is the case you need to fix your update or give me my money back! I bet I have a good 30 or 40 songs downloaded. Not everybody and everyplace has internet.

Please explain.

Thank you

Hitch

[Jixzer]

Having to be online to play your downloads on somebody else's console has pretty much been the case from the beginning. Seems to me that you were somehow bypassing the licensing process prior to the "update" which is now forcing you into compliance. It's the way things are man...you won't be getting any refunds.

Your downloads are licensed to the console first, your GT second. You don't have to be online to play songs on the console you originally downloaded them to. That changes when you move the drive to another console. Now it has to check the license with your GT over XBL. It's been that way from the start bud. If it wasn't, you could have every friend you have come to your house and download everything you've purchased on their hard drive and play it on their system. It's to prevent stealing and/or piracy.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you may consider bringing your X-Box next time you visit family.

EDIT: IBFF! ;)

[Frederf]

What's the deal?

The deal is that DLC DRM on the Xbox 360 has two possible checks in order to use the DLC. If any check succeeds then use is approved; if both checks fail then use it not approved.

Check #1: Does the console ID of the DLC match the console ID of the current Xbox 360 in use? The only way for this check to be a "yes" is if it is being used on the same Xbox (which hard drive doesn't matter) it was purchased on.

Check #2: Does the gamertag of the DLC match the current gamertag in use and connected to the Internet? The only way for this check to be a "yes" is if the the gamertag that purchased the DLC is signed in and connected to the Internet for verification.

Only if Check #1 fails will Check #2 be tried.

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Lessons:
A. Do not take your hard drive to a friend's house and use his Xbox 360 to by your DLC. If you do this you will be buying DLC for the machine you are using to shop (your friend's).

B. Do not purchase DLC with a gamertag that is not yours. If you do this then you will be buying songs for that gamertag and not you.

C. The DLC is marked permanently with the console ID and gamertag used to purchase the song once and only once at the time purchase. Redownloading the song with another console or gamertag does not change these associations.

D. You can selectively migrate DLC licenses to another console ID once every 12 months by using the Microsoft license migration tool online.

[Hitchman]

Thanks for informative responses. I don't like it, but thats the way it is.