Live Free or Die Hard DVD to also include downloadable version

Although we had heard that "another studio" would be mimicking the approach taken by Warner Home Video on the forthcoming Harry Potter DVD, now we're learning the who, what and when. Apparently, 20th Century Fox will be including an "electronic copy of the complete movie [that's Live Free or Die Hard, for those wondering] that can be played on a computer and select portable video players." This could debatably be seen as an "industry first" considering the November 20th release date (compared to Potter's December 11th), and while the Digital Copy system is expected to hit future Fox DVDs, we've no idea what those titles will be just yet. Furthermore, it's stated that the feature is "DRM-free," but after entering a 16-digit serial code found within the case, users can only "transfer the movie file to Windows-based computers or PMPs equipped with Microsoft Windows' PlaysForSure feature." Gotta love those limitations, eh?

[Garst @ Oct 18th 2007 5:20AM]

I don't think studios thought this one through. Unless they are also going to release DVDs that are slightly cheaper that rental services will have to buy. Otherwise, everyone's going to go to Blockbuster and download the movie. Someone else needs to take note of this comment to make sure that studios don't try to change their story when they try to blame P2P for failing movie sales.

[Jon @ Oct 18th 2007 5:27AM]

And why do you think they won't? Regardless you don't need a bundled portable version to be able to copy from any DVD rented from Blockbusters etc.

[Jack @ Oct 18th 2007 9:03AM]

surely blockbuster will have specific rental copies as you can rent a regular DVD, but anyway, that doesnt matter as all you need is a copy of anydvd and your favourite burning tool

[bombastinator @ Oct 18th 2007 5:46AM]

This does have a somewhat schizophrenic Clash-of-the-Marketing-Departments Feel to it. "DRM free" and PlayForShure are not exactly the same thing.

[yoshi @ Oct 18th 2007 7:01AM]

Yes they are.

[bombastinator @ Oct 18th 2007 7:46AM]

Well, no. No they're not, at least not in the meaning of the term used by everyone except microsoft.

This website itself has on multiple occasions equated Playsforsure with DRM. And fairly sucky DRM for that matter.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/16/is-drm-sucking-the-life-out-of-your-mp3-player/
http://interviews.engadget.com/2006/09/25/the-engadget-interview-viodentia-creator-of-fairuse4wm/

From the PlaysForSure website:
"When your device and music service are compatible with each other, all you have to do is choose the music that’s compatible with you. Look for the PlaysForSure logo on a wide selection of devices and music stores."

Even they more-or-less admit it is. I love the assumed "music service" bit.

[yoshi @ Oct 18th 2007 7:50AM]

Oh. My. God.

Open your eyes and ears and learn to tell when someone is telling a joke. Yes, it's DRM. But because, as you put it, it is "...fairly sucky DRM for that matter", and because everyone and their dog have cracked the thing, it is as close to being both DRM and DRM-FREE at the same time as you can get.

[Mr Lizard @ Oct 18th 2007 8:09AM]

Fairly straightforward.

If the file refuses to play on a portable device (or the device refuses to play the file, either way round) because the device only plays 'Plays For Sure' media, then it must contain DRM.

If it didn't contain DRM, then it would play on any device.

[Paul @ Oct 18th 2007 8:17AM]

Just because the DRM is easily removed does not make it stop being DRM. the Playsforsure format can be used as a form of DRM, as states wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playsforsure

And if the movie studio is going to use playsforsure to restrict you from copying the movie file to different computers then it is DRM.

[yoshi @ Oct 18th 2007 8:30AM]

This is taking WAY too much time to explain.

Lizard: Your analogy, "If it didn't contain DRM, then it would play on any device" is just wrong. Does an AAC file contain DRM? No, it does not. AAC is not DRM. You can ADD DRM to AAC, like Apple does, but that doesn't mean AAC contains DRM. Now, does every PMP out there play AAC files? No, they do not.

Paul: Go to Wikipedia (since you quote from it, you should know where it is) and look up "joke".

[patsy @ Oct 18th 2007 8:42AM]

Yoshi, the phrase "Yes they are" in the context of this forum does not contain enough information to unequivocally identify it as a joke, without either knowing you personally or hearing your tone of voice or seeing your face. There are plenty of dweebs that make such statements of fact here without a shred of irony. So stop being a dick and move on.

[DorianGray @ Oct 18th 2007 8:51AM]

@yoshi

in yo FACE!

just joking.

[Kurtis @ Oct 18th 2007 10:54AM]

@DorianGray

Hey, come take a look at this picture I found...

[Paul @ Oct 18th 2007 12:32PM]

@Yoshi Welcome to the internet.

You must not have noticed but there are quite a few ill informed people and I was just trying to be helpful by providing a pertinent link to the subject on hand. Many times people make comments that look like they could be a joke but are in fact the result of a poorly informed person.

Oh, and from wikipedia, "The desired response is generally laughter; when this does not happen the joke is said to have 'fallen flat'."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joke

[bombastinator @ Oct 18th 2007 6:16PM]

This is one of the internet's conundrums. What is a joke and how can you tell? There are no finite facial expressions to use. Is it a yes or an ironic yes?

Precision in language sometimes helps.
In the fullness of hindsight a more effective response might have been something like "effectively the same thing" or "with DRM that bad it's hard to tell the difference" You never know how someone can necessarily take something though.

Also framing a good response can take way more time than is available. It's just one of those things you have to mush through.

[pigfister @ Oct 18th 2007 5:48AM]

This is the industry hitting back at apple because of apple refusing to hike up the prices of audio and video content via iTunes and seems iPods have sold over 110million units is possible the worst business decision ever! btw apple iPod does not support PlaysForSure nor does the zune have 100% compatibility. Then you have the problem that you still can't run that film from your laptop hard drive to save battery power because the quality has been severely reduced by the media companies.

you can use FairUse4WM to remove the wmv drm locks but why bother when you can just use slysoft's anydvd or your fav drm bypass tool, to rip at a quality you specify and a format you want but what do you expect from fox other than anti consumer tactics?

FairUse4WM: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=114916
Slysoft AnyDvD: http://www.slysoft.com/en/

[icfleming @ Oct 18th 2007 8:01AM]

Are you serious? If the industry was so interested in hiking up prices, why would they allow Amazon to sell them cheaper forcing Apple to drop the price of DRM-free music 30%? A few weeks after Jobs says he kicked NBC off of iTunes because NBC wanted to raise prices, NBC released them with advertising for free. Maybe the studios are just want to offer choices and we all know how much Jobs wants people to have choices.

Funny how he keeps saying that everyone is trying to raise prices when Amazon and eMusic are cheaper. It must be that the iTunes song has better industrial design and looks cooler at the coffee shop so they can charge the premium for the content.

[Paul @ Oct 18th 2007 8:19AM]

Because its about the %cut that the studios are getting. From iTunes I am willing to bet that the studios get less of a % of the price of the song than they do from Amazon or some other store.

[shamrock593 @ Oct 18th 2007 5:55AM]

"transfer the movie file to Windows-based computers or PMPs equipped with Microsoft Windows' PlaysForSure feature."

So basically it has DRM? lol...

[shamrock593 @ Oct 18th 2007 7:57AM]

I love it when I get high ranked, it gives me a nice warm fuzzy feeling.

Can you do it more often?

=P

[5lectro @ Oct 18th 2007 6:00AM]

Industry first? Japan has been doing this already with their porn.

[Jon @ Oct 18th 2007 6:07AM]

This just goes to prove that the industry really hasn't a clue about the technology.

[David @ Oct 18th 2007 6:26AM]

Agreed...

[DickHardknocks @ Oct 18th 2007 8:17AM]

"The Industry" is a bunch of well groomed men in business suits making decisions about technology they have never used.

[Ethan @ Oct 18th 2007 8:29AM]

Everyday consumers are beginning to recognize that DRM is a bad thing. The fact that a product is advertised as "DRM-free" is a good indicator that the industry recognizes that, even if they're lying. Eventually this can only lead to DRM disappearing for good as consumers vote with their wallets and the industry makes changes in order to maintain sales.

[tom @ Oct 18th 2007 7:00AM]

lmao yeah i know, ive already downlaoded it!

[Jordan @ Oct 18th 2007 7:20AM]

It is DRM free... with the exception of the PlaysForSure DRM. Other than that there is not DRM.

[DRMfree @ Oct 18th 2007 7:28AM]

and this DVD is also free! except that you have exchange it for $23.99, but after that, it's free!

[yacoub @ Oct 18th 2007 7:38AM]

lol pointlesss. I'll just rip & encode my own portable copy from the DVD if I buy it like I do with the other DVDs I own. That way no need/limitation for "PlaysForSure" or whatever.

[Steve @ Oct 18th 2007 8:17AM]

Amen Brother!

[patsy @ Oct 18th 2007 8:46AM]

There is no such thing as DVD copying, because that would require breaking the law, and besides then the terrorists would win. You don't want that now, do you?!

[Rizzo @ Oct 18th 2007 9:06AM]

Play for Sure = A way to manage digital rights = Digital Rights Management = DRM = SATAN.

I did a few surveys a while back and about 40% of people still don't know what DRM is. Along with that other 60%, 51% think that DRM is bad, and the rest think it has its place.

So trying to convince people that its not DRM may be harder than it seems. Also, hopefully the media (blogs especially) will keep hamming that no matter what they call it, its still DRM.

[h8rain @ Oct 18th 2007 9:32AM]

I got a digital copy of Transformers free when I bought it on Tuesday. I put in my Mac and opened Handbrake, and told it to "download" (convert) the movie to my computer. That version will "play for sure" in almost any player :)

BTW, I really dislike movies that have cardboard slip sleeves, and the plastic case insert does not really have a front cover (at least the side is labeled).

[the ferg @ Oct 18th 2007 10:08AM]

Terminater 2 Extreme Edition anyone?

[Boynamedsue @ Oct 18th 2007 11:56AM]

i'm just glad i can finally watch it, i wasn't watching that PG-13 bullshit version.

Theatrical = Live free or whatever.

DVD= Dying harder than previously indicated.