Is Direct Song dead? Request for help

I wonder whether anyone can help me by trying to access the Direct Song server to download some of the extra GW music?

I have just returned to GW after three months without a PC. On my previous machine I had bought all the Direct Song packs, and I still have downloads and licences left, for my new machine.

After installing GW this weekend, I went to their site to get all the music that I have bought and paid for. I logged in and ran the downloader; Vista asked me whether to Allow the program, which I did, but then I got the message:

"The DirectSong server could not be reached.
Please check your internet connection and try again.
Error Message - 11010 ( ip req timed out ) - This error means that you either have lost your internet connection or that you are behind a firewall."

I switched off windows Firewall and disabled my AntiVirus protection (Kaspersky). I tried again and got the same message. So, I rebooted my router and used a DMZ, i.e. placing myself outside the firewall and still I got the same message.

Previously I have managed fine to download DS music onto previous machines, using the same router, and Vista, and with Windows Firewall and Kaspersky running anyway. Last time I successfully accessed DS was about three months ago, when I was temporarily using another machine for GW.

As a last resort I went to use a completely different PC, in a completely different place with a different connection - logged in, tried to run the downloader and got the same message.

I raised a ticket with their support, which they are supposed to answer within 72 hours. They haven't - not a squeak.

So, in summary

Can't Access Server with many combos of PC/Firewall/Connection/Location
+ No Answer from Tech Support
= Server is down and no-one cares/Direct Song is dead

I sincerely hope this is not the case.

Has anybody managed to download music from them recently?

This is a real pain - I can copy the files from another PC but it's the DRM that's the killer. It has to come from Direct Song with its license certificate.

Wondering whether anyone knows about this or might be kind enough to go to their site, log in, and attempt to download from them.

Please?

I still have a couple downloads left on the Sorrows Furnace pack but its a no go I got the same thing you did.

I have all soundtracks from Direct Song, all gw and rest of the games. Even collector's editions (for GW), so my answer is no, DirectSong is not dead. If you cant receive answer from Tech support, try contacting Jeremy itself.

I have same problem. Just tried it out (also have bought all soundtracks). Sucks kinda...I used to have the music on another computer but don't have those anymore. Not that I really care about the music, you can easily download it by other ways.

Thanks to the 2-3 of you for trying. It seems that no-one can contact the download server. This is reassuring in a way; I don't have to start pulling apart my PC and router as the error message seems to imply.

IF ANYONE MANAGES TO DOWLOAD SUCCESSFULLY FROM DIRECT SONG PLEASE CAN THEY UPDATE THIS THREAD otherwise it should be regarded as an ongoing issue.

As suggested above I have emailed Jeremy Soule via his website in case that helps or provides info, although I am sure he's a busy guy.

In the meantime, can anyone suggest an alternative way to get the music and get it into the game, working? The problems seem to be

1) Digital Rights Management - a license must be obtained for each track, from Direct Song
2) Getting the game to recognize the music is there, and play it

Both are absolutely easy and automatic.... when you are able to use the DS server.

Is there another way? Obviously I don't advocate copyright theft or want to publicize a hack - but in my case I have bought this music and would like a solution.

Direct Song is not dead, however I also got the same error when I attempted to download the music. I went around the downloader. DirectSong provides an alternate method for downloading the music. You can dowload the music in zip files by going to http://www.directsong.com/zip. You will still need to register the music, but at least you will have it.

Thanks - is there any clear explanation available of what files to download, where to put them and how they are used?

Basically a step-by-step guide for using this method?

Also, I don't get how this works - how do you acquire the certificates for these if you are not signed into their server?

The site has no clear and easy to follow explaination of how use the files. I had to wing it today. To start things off, those files where the name starts with "directsong" will create a "directsong" folder when extracted. These "directsong" files should be extracted to whatever folder you want to put them into. For me I extracted them into the "My Music" folder. It created the rest of the path.
For those files that do not start with "directsong," there is a batch file (I did not use it) in each archive that should create the correct folder and move the files into the correct folder. Extract these files into the "directsong" folder then locate the bat file to move the wma files into the correct folder. If prompted always over wright existing files.

Extraction order, oldest to newest. Proph, Factions, NightFall, GWEN. Below is a list of file names and the chapter they belong to and the order in which you want to extract them:
DirectSong-GuildWarsSpecialEditionSoundtrack.zip
DirectSong-Sorrow's_Furnace_Mini-Pak.zip
DirectSong-GuildWarsBattlePakOne.zip
GWF101.zip - (Guild Wars: Factions)
GWNF101.zip - (Guild Wars: Nightfall)
GWEN101.zip - (Guild Wars: Eye of the North)

It is impartive that GWEN101 be the last archive extracted as this is the only one that has the current guildwars.ds file in the archive.
Once you have extracted and moved all the music to the correct folders run the file named "RegisterDirectSongDirectory.exe" once it makes the correct registery enteries it will pause for ten seconds then close itself.
Launch media player (no not attempt to play a song), double check to make sure you have cookies enable in media player. Close Media Player. If Media Player is not properly configured, you will waste an install.
In the same order you extracted the music files select a song (it does not matter which one) and attempt to play it. You should see a sign in dialog box, log into Directsong, select the type of install (perm or temp) then click play. Close the Directsong log in window. Close media play and proceed to the next folder repeating the steps above by selecting a single song and attempting to play it. Repeat this cycle until you have played one song from each of the folders you have payed for.

In spite of what some people will tell you, you do not need to play every song in each folder. The License is for the album, not the single.

To check to make sure everything is properly registered, launch guild wars. No need to select a toon, press F11 and go to the sounds folder. If you did it right, you will see the yellow outlined musical note.

That is the quick version of how to do it. Did I miss anything important?

PS: I tried to download the files and install them via the exe again today, failure. I was however able to aquire the license today. The download server used by the exe is not working but the license server is.

That's really helpful thanks - but can you open http://www.directsong.com/ today?

The whole site has gone.

I think they really ARE dead now?

the site sems to be down .

i have a quick question on this, does the process outlined above change if you have the original soundtrack disc that came with the Collectors edition?

How very informative of them :/

(The site works fine for me, by the way)

Sorry to ask again but are you certain that you can access www.directsong.com right now and you're not just reading cached information?

Because as far as I can see, all trace of it is gone.

I just checked the site, it is coded as Forbidden; error 403. I am not sure what is going on with the site, his (Jeremy Soule) lease does not expire until 22 August 2009, but the whois shows an update on 15 Jan 2009 at 23:16:35 EST. The support site is still up. Yesterday afternoon I was able to procure licensess for all my music. Did you already download the music?

If you feel you need to, give me a shout on X-Fire: same user name.

Site loads fine for me as well. Can't re-download my SF music though, I get the same timed out error as in your first post.

This is strange - the site is back from the dead to the semi-dead state.

The downloader still does not work, and is giving the error message as per my original post.

The FTP site is back up, but I am not able to download media usage rights successfully, despite having licenses remaining.

Strangely enough, I think I was around at the exact moment of the death of the DRM server.

The other night, after reading the instructions above, I downloaded the six different packs of music that I purchased previously. I had the registerdirectsong.exe file ready for use and all I needed was the DRM licenses. I went to play a track from the SF mini pak, and a window opened asking me for the Direct Song username and password. I was able to download media rights for:

GW103
GW101
GW102m
GWF101

...and can now play these in Media Player.

But then, when I tried to download the licenses for GWNF101 and GWEN101 the server stopped working, at the moment, and I couldn't get licenses any more. This was about midnight on Wednesday and I am wondering if I was on at the exact moment of DirectSong's demise, as the ftp site went offline shortly after, with the main site.

I can now get the main site and the ftp site open, but am still unable to download the licenses for Nightfall and Eye of the North. I am frustratingly close to having fixed this the hard way, I just need those licenses.

If anyone manages to acquire licenses for NF or GWEN soundtracks after reading this post, again, please can you say so?

It's weird because (guessing) it's almost like their Authentication Server is working but their DRM one is either not working or semi-working. When I click on a NF or GWEN track in Explorer a box opens me and asks for username/password, then telling me I have licenses remaining and asking whether I want a Permanent or Temporary one. I hit 'Permanent' and then 'Submit', then get a 'page unavailable' error.

At least I could register half of the music, if I want to, but I would really like to finish this job. Any ideas?

I wish I had any idea other than wait for them to come back online.
Last I knew Microsoft managed the Windows Media DRM servers with information provided to that server from DirectSong's web site.
I had hoped you would be able to get it all. So what are GW102 & GW103? Were those the addational battle packs that were once available?

GW102m is the Sorrow's Furnace Mini Pak and GW103 is the Guild Wars Battle Pak One.

So annoying - it's still impossible to download media usage rights for Nightfall (GWNF101) and Eye of the North (GWEN101) - I also tried this on a friend's PC at a different location today and once again failed at the same stage.

I have asked him to try the Battle Pak to see whether it's a specific problem with the two packs or whether it's now impossible to obtain any media rights for Direct Song products. Will report back with details.

I guess that what annoys me (among other things) is that the Direct Song website is still promoting these packs and you could easily be fooled into handing over money, only to find that the downloader doesn't work and - even when you search the web for a solution and downlod the music from their ftp site - you still can't obtain the DRM to what you paid for. Their tech support is non existent, doesn't reply and overall it's totally unnacceptable.

Should this go on much longer I may well raise the issue with GW/ANet customer support and see whether there is any information they can give about what is going on at Direct Song.

I actually wonder how long this has been going on before I tried, then created this thread.

This sounds like a very good idea. DirectSong selling broken stuff with the GuildWars name on it is certainly not in ANets best interest, so they should be willing to put some pressure on DirectSong.

Well the DRM server seems to be working again, so I managed to get licences for Nightfall and EOTN soundtracks today. I have now put them all into Guild Wars/DirectSong and used the RegisterDirectSong.exe app which found them OK.

I therefore think that I have managed to complete the install of all my DS music the hard/long way. The only problem with this method (and not using the downloader) is that you don't get the symbol in the Sound menu inside GW that shows it's playing the music from Direct Song. Am I looking in the right place for this icon?

The downloader is, of course, still broken.

Glad to hear that you are fully reinstalled, now is the time to zip up your licences and put them away. As long as you don't reinstall windows or make ANY hardware changes you should be when and if it happens again.