Court stops DVD-copying software: Welcome to Amerika

[Tony]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3534299.stm ..full article

A US court has told software company 321 Studios to stop selling a program that lets people copy DVDs.
Federal Judge Richard Owen in New York ordered 321 to stop distributing products that violate the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

The decision follows a similar ruling in California two weeks ago - 321 Studios said they would appeal.

[shanek]

In another thread, someone tried to make the case that a Libertarian America would turn into a plutocracy. But look at the DMCA and its enforcement and tell me that isn't what we have now!

[Cleon]

Originally posted by shanek
In another thread, someone tried to make the case that a Libertarian America would turn into a plutocracy. But look at the DMCA and its enforcement and tell me that isn't what we have now!

DMCA, RIAA, MPAA, MSFT, suddenly I know why people have such hatred of four-letter words...

Time to make another donation to the EFF (http://www.eff.org).

[Tmy]

You think thats bad. OJ is being sued by Direct TV Satiliite for "stealing" Direct TV.

Honestly, how can you steal somthing thats being broadcast onto your property!

Viva le TV freedomfighters!

[bignickel]

This is most odd. I thought under fair use that we were allowed to make one personal backup copy of the info we buy...

OH! I know! They mean we can put the DVD on a xerox copier, and print out a nice black and white pic of the DVD! With high contrast, I may add.

[shanek]

Originally posted by bignickel
This is most odd. I thought under fair use that we were allowed to make one personal backup copy of the info we buy...

Fair use doesn't apply to the DMCA. This isn't the first court ruling to that effect, With the DMCA, your rights do not exist. You will have had to bypass an access restriction method to do it, and so it is illegal, period. All hail the great and holy MPAA!

[TillEulenspiegel]

The Studio 321s software is based on Jon Johansen's algorithm (De-CSS) . The MPAA who lost the case ( in the respondents country ) trying to prosecute that teenage author's program. The implantation of that program ( in 321s program ) will prove, I believe as problematic as the prosicution of the Norwegian youth and like the restrictions on "Technology Exports " meaning the PGP codex will resolve in the stupid government spending millions of dollars for naught. At the behest of their corporate sponsors.

[corplinx]

Originally posted by Cleon


DMCA, RIAA, MPAA, MSFT, suddenly I know why people have such hatred of four-letter words...

Time to make another donation to the EFF (http://www.eff.org).

Dude, I know that OSDN (aka the Linux Cartel) has legitimizaed the EFF because through articles on slashdot and newsforge but I've met these EFF people before and they are wacky. Do you even remember their anti-patriot act rant? 90 percent of their criticisms were pure crapola scaremongering.

Give your money to the ACLU instead since there is a 50/50 chance it might actually be used wisely.

[gnome]

Originally posted by shanek
In another thread, someone tried to make the case that a Libertarian America would turn into a plutocracy. But look at the DMCA and its enforcement and tell me that isn't what we have now!

Just the other day, someone tried to tell me that if we shut down all the fire deparments that America would turn into a firetrap. But look at all the wildfires that go on every few years and tell me that isn't what we have now!

[geni]

Originally posted by bignickel
OH! I know! They mean we can put the DVD on a xerox copier, and print out a nice black and white pic of the DVD! With high contrast, I may add.

No it means you can play the dvd and point a camara at the screen and record off the screen.

[bignickel]

Originally posted by geni

No it means you can play the dvd and point a camara at the screen and record off the screen.

Even better! All those wonderful resolution lines in my 'backup copy'...

[Zep]

Forget the technology or the restrictions. Order as many copies of anything as you want over the phone or the Internet from Hong Kong and China. And it's way cheaper too. Crisis over.

Issues like this make you wonder where all the brains are in some governments...

[HarryKeogh]

I'm sure I'm going to get my ass handed to me on a platter for saying this but why are we upset that there is a law protecting a movie studio's right to prevent unauthorized copying of their product?

Is it because it prevents us from making a backup copy of a Scarface DVD in case heaven forbid anything happen to the original?

[evildave]

Oh, boo-hoo!

Instead of copying DVDs (a waste of polycarbonate), rip the contents of the DVDs to hard disk, and set aside a multimedia compatible computer (Linux, Windows, whatever) to play it. Lots of DVD playback packages will play IFO files (ripped DVD images) now, and most 'ripper' software will turn the DVD into a 'region zero' image. Most recent video cards will do non-interlaced, full-screen playback to VGA, and most DLP projectors* will take VGA as an input. (So you can watch your DVD content on as big a screen as you can fit into your house.)

In other words, build yourself a 'media server' and forget copying DVDs. You probably don't make 1:1 copies of CDs with your CD burner, anyway. A 16x DVD drive will rip a whole DVD in about ten minutes, just like a CD ripper will make MP3 files in less time than playing a CD.

You can get the contents of between 26 and 55 DVD discs onto one 250GB hard drive.

One 250GB hard disk drive, with a firewire controller, power adapter and enclosure costs $200. The firewire part is key, as you can just keep plugging them in. Up to 15 TB from 250GB hard disks. For $400, you could have a mirrored backup exactly like the first that you can unplug and put away somewhere safe. After all, once written, you're probably not going to change the ripped DVD content much - other than maybe to remove some extra ads and junk.

Go look into 'Freevo' (http://freevo.sourceforge.net/) while you're at it.

Just make sure (to be absolutely legal) that you keep your original DVD media content for as long as you maintain a copy on a hard disk. Your DVD media can be put away in a closet where greasy little fingers won't get all over them.

* My DLP projector runs less than $900 brand new, and will project a bright, crisp 144" diagonal image on a white wall, even with texture. You can't get a 52" rear-projection TV for that. The wall texture "disappears" under all but the most flat and unmoving monochromatic images. A non-interlaced source is absolutely mandatory on large images, or you get lots of horizontal lines when things move. Awesome for video games.

[Tony]

Originally posted by HarryKeogh
I'm sure I'm going to get my ass handed to me on a platter for saying this but why are we upset that there is a law protecting a movie studio's right to prevent unauthorized copying of their product?



It's not about that; it's about the government using force in the interests of private business at the expense of innovation and competition.

[Kevin_Lowe]

Originally posted by HarryKeogh
I'm sure I'm going to get my ass handed to me on a platter for saying this but why are we upset that there is a law protecting a movie studio's right to prevent unauthorized copying of their product?

Is it because it prevents us from making a backup copy of a Scarface DVD in case heaven forbid anything happen to the original?

Exactly.

The distinction is between "unauthorised" and "illegal". It might be fair use in the USA to copy a DVD you own, and thus legal. However it is unauthorised - the DVD maker would rather you didn't do that, and has put flimsy safeguards in place to stop you.

The DMCA catch-22 is that even though it's legal to copy the DVD, it's illegal to crack the safeguards that stop you from exercising your legal right to do so. Even if those "safeguards" are not there to prevent piracy, and have no
function except to prevent legitimate fair use.

In effect, you have rights only as long as they can't find a way to deny you those rights with a technological measure. As soon as they do that, you and your rights are SOL.

[Cleon]

Originally posted by corplinx


Dude, I know that OSDN (aka the Linux Cartel) has legitimizaed the EFF because through articles on slashdot and newsforge but I've met these EFF people before and they are wacky. Do you even remember their anti-patriot act rant? 90 percent of their criticisms were pure crapola scaremongering.

Give your money to the ACLU instead since there is a 50/50 chance it might actually be used wisely.

There is no way I can take a post like that even remotely seriously...

[peptoabysmal]

Bah. Give me back VHS where I can turn the blasted machine completely off and resume the movie later right where I left off. I hate these stupid DVD's. CD's were a vast improvement over tapes and records, but DVD's blow chunks. Even my CD player in my auto can resume the CD where I left off when I start up the vehicle. Bought two different supposedly top of the line DVD players and I can rent movies that won't play worth a darn on either of them.

[evildave]

My $110 DVD player supports progressive scan, and resumes DVDs.

Obviously going for "top of the line" was your mistake.

[shanek]

Originally posted by evildave
My $110 DVD player supports progressive scan, and resumes DVDs.

Heck, my $60 DVD player has those features!

[Ipecac]

Originally posted by peptoabysmal
Bah. Give me back VHS where I can turn the blasted machine completely off and resume the movie later right where I left off. I hate these stupid DVD's. CD's were a vast improvement over tapes and records, but DVD's blow chunks. Even my CD player in my auto can resume the CD where I left off when I start up the vehicle. Bought two different supposedly top of the line DVD players and I can rent movies that won't play worth a darn on either of them.

I'll bet yours does have that feature. For most models, you don't stop the playback, you just turn off the machine. Next time you turn it on, it takes you right back to the same point. Hit play and off you go.

[corplinx]

Originally posted by Cleon


There is no way I can take a post like that even remotely seriously...


You should. The geek media has legitimized the EFF the same way some parts of the mainstream media have legitimized whacko groups like the World Wildlife Fund.

Why do you think ESR and those other guys tried to setup their own techo-liberties group?

[TillEulenspiegel]

This is OOT but another thing that pisses me of is that You bye the DVD and you own it , yet you are forced to look at commercials and previews and cant fast forward.

[Cleon]

Originally posted by corplinx

You should. The geek media has legitimized the EFF the same way some parts of the mainstream media have legitimized whacko groups like the World Wildlife Fund.


You post something of zero substance referring to the "Linux Cartel," and your opinion that the EFF is "wacky," and you want me to take it seriously? Please.

[corplinx]

Originally posted by Cleon


You post something of zero substance referring to the "Linux Cartel," and your opinion that the EFF is "wacky," and you want me to take it seriously? Please.

I met the top EFF people years ago at LinuxWorld San Jose. I couldn't believe those nutjobs actually have gotten "time for another donation to the EFF" coined.

As for the Linux cartel, that was just a cutesy name I came up with for VA Linux when they bought all the different web sites up. I think SF was a brilliant idea. Get all of the oss community hooked on your site and boom, you are a defacto cornerstone of the community. Not only that, you have tremendous spin control through Slashdot and Newsforge.

Who doesn't love slashdot? You can get your Ashcroft tinfoil hat stories, hoaxes, Linux news, and duplicates all in the same place. I especially love the "Your Rights Online" stories that have nothing to do with rights at all most of the time.

I just hate OSDN to be honest. I call them the Linux cartel because that is their business model. They want to have a co-dependent community on them with Sourceforge and they want to control OSS news.

[I'll_buy_that]

Originally posted by TillEulenspiegel
This is OOT but another thing that pisses me of is that You bye the DVD and you own it , yet you are forced to look at commercials and previews and cant fast forward.

My guess is that you can buy (see correct spelling) that DVD for $19 because of the advertisements on it. And you do not need to watch them. If you press menu at the beginning, you will be taken directly to the dvd menu without having to FF through the ads.


and to answer the angry guy who pines for VHS, any DVD player will return to its last position when you stop it. RTFM

[Cleon]

Originally posted by corplinx


I met the top EFF people years ago at LinuxWorld San Jose. I couldn't believe those nutjobs actually have gotten "time for another donation to the EFF" coined.


Yet another reference to the EFF, only now as "nutjobs," and yet still nothing of substance to indicate why I shouldn't support them.


As for the Linux cartel, that was just a cutesy name I came up with for VA Linux when they bought all the different web sites up. I think SF was a brilliant idea. Get all of the oss community hooked on your site and boom, you are a defacto cornerstone of the community. Not only that, you have tremendous spin control through Slashdot and Newsforge.

Who doesn't love slashdot? You can get your Ashcroft tinfoil hat stories, hoaxes, Linux news, and duplicates all in the same place. I especially love the "Your Rights Online" stories that have nothing to do with rights at all most of the time.

I just hate OSDN to be honest. I call them the Linux cartel because that is their business model. They want to have a co-dependent community on them with Sourceforge and they want to control OSS news.

Anyone can grab SlashCode and start their own SlashDot. Most OSS is not done through SourceForge. (Though SourceForge is a handy tool if you have a sh!tload of people working on a project.) OSDN doesn't exactly have an iron-fisted rule over the OSS community.

But I understand. Your opinion of OSDN is just your version of people's suspicion of ClearChannel.

[TillEulenspiegel]

Originally posted by I'll_buy_that


My guess is that you can buy (see correct spelling) that DVD for $19 because of the advertisements on it. And you do not need to watch them. If you press menu at the beginning, you will be taken directly to the DVD menu without having to FF through the ads.


and to answer the angry guy who pines for VHS, any DVD player will return to its last position when you stop it. RTFM

Your guess is incorrect. As of 2003, DVDs cost about $1000 to master and about $0.70 to replicate.

That's in the retail market . The production cost of a typical "blockbuster movie " (unless it's a real stinker ) is recovered in zone 0 , the US, in about a week all the rest is profit to the producers, movie company and the stars ( if they played their contract right). The reason Ads reside on my copy of the latest Disney movie is a marketing decision that has nothing to do with either the cost of production of the DVD or the product that is etched upon it's surface. Many DVDs I have purchased since 1999 have non-disabling commercials on them.

P.S. Thank You for pointing out my speling error, I sware I won't do it any more.

[corplinx]

Originally posted by Cleon

But I understand. Your opinion of OSDN is just your version of people's suspicion of ClearChannel.

Yep, I am perfectly fine in being a big fat hypocrit when it suits my purposes.

[peptoabysmal]

Originally posted by I'll_buy_that


My guess is that you can buy (see correct spelling) that DVD for $19 because of the advertisements on it. And you do not need to watch them. If you press menu at the beginning, you will be taken directly to the dvd menu without having to FF through the ads.


and to answer the angry guy who pines for VHS, any DVD player will return to its last position when you stop it. RTFM

Try turning it off or better yet, unplug it and return to where you were. I don't want to leave the damn thing on stop all night. Maybe the technology is slightly better than when I got mine by now, it's been a year~. Still, I'm not all that impressed by DVD yet. LSMFT (http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?acronym=LSMFT&p=ie). :D

[peptoabysmal]

OK, now I'm impressed by DVD's.

Motorists Spot X-Rated Films in Some Cars (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A47041-2004Mar10.html)

This may have as much impact on society as when it became common to carry video cameras and spawned such things as the Rodney King incident.

[shanek]

Originally posted by peptoabysmal
Try turning it off or better yet, unplug it and return to where you were.

I have. It works perfectly on my $60 JVC. I can even eject the disc, play several others, leave it unplugged for awhile, then turn it back on and pop the disc back in and it resumes where I left off.

[shecky]

I kinda like how the "Amerika" vision in the title is also described as the plutocracy referenced to earlier. :D

The disregard of Fair Use policy is something that irks me to no end in this digital age. I don't know why it bugs me so much.

Not to mention the video coming unsynchronized with the audio or the glitches I've encountered on more DVDs than I've ever encountered on ol' tape. :(