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Who cares if the analog hole is closed?
There are plenty of people out there that couldn't care less if HD programming continued to flow over component connections. To some, it is just seen as an outdated technology that deserves to die. So it's no surprise that some big names like DirecTV and AT&T recently told the FCC that they couldn't care less either, but this is mostly because they are more interested in offering some Hollywood movies a few weeks early, than ensuring their customers can use their connection of choice. Funny though, not everyone agrees, we particularly liked the stance of the National Association of Theater Owners which believe that if new movies were offered earlier, it is sure to kill the theater business -- boy, we never heard that one before. The only entity out there who did seem to be on the same page as us was the Consumer Electronics Association, who called SOC a "blunt instrument" to which they see many opportunities for abuse. TiVo seemed to have the most level headed approach though, which was, let 'em try it, and if it's abused (aka used for something other then new movies) then repeal it -- just so long as the content works on TiVo devices, of course.
Hollywood can already control what you record on your DVR
There has been a bit of a ruckus lately about the fact that Hollywood recently petitioned the FCC so that the ban on selectable output control (SOC) would be lifted. The articles go on to say that the this could impact the way you record with your HD DVRs, but it really isn't the case. As DirecTV HD DVR, TiVo HD and Vista Media Center owners (among others) can tell you, there are already flags out there that can either limit the amount of time you can keep a show, or prevent you from recording something entirely. The copy never flags are not supposed to be used, but it's obvious that they are, and the copy once flags get abused by some providers as a rule, rather than the exception. But SOC has nothing to do with recording on your HD DVR; SOC is all about closing the analog hole.
MPAA backs yet another anti-piracy technology: DreamStream
As the Motion Picture Association of America continues on its unending (we mean that quite literally) quest to banish digital piracy, it has just announced its unbridled support for yet another technology. The MPAA has approved the use of DreamStream's secure online file streaming system "as a solution to curb digital piracy," and according to Michael Jay Solomon, founder of Solomon Entertainment Enterprises, the software will "allow the content providers to recoup the billions of dollars that they are loosing [sic] right now." If you got a chuckle out of that, get a load of this. Ulf Diebel, chief development officer for DreamStream, went so far as to say that in order to "win the war on piracy, the studios need DreamStream's military grade capabilities." Heck, the company even asserts that its "unpublished encryption has never been compromised by hackers or digital pirates." Sheesh , don't you all know what happens when you just beg to be circumvented?
FCC wants to hear your voice on the MPAA's latest DRM proposal
Last month you let us know in the comments how you felt about the MPAA's latest effort to close the analog hole -- by removing the FCC's ban on selectable output control (SOC), giving them the ability to remotely disable the analog output on your cable box -- now try telling someone who can actually do something about it. The FCC has opened the petition to public comment until June 25, and replies to comments by July 7. Currently, the MPAA is arguing that allowing SOC will actually hasten the digital transition, once it feels comfortable offering early release flicks on HD video-on-demand, people will have more incentive to upgrade their TV sets. Of course, owners of older HDTVs without HDMI connections or anyone else who'd rather use analog outs would be left in the dark, and Ars Technica notes the EFF and Home Recording Rights Coalition have already spoken out against the plan. Give the MPAA's proposal a read then let the FCC know which side of the line you fall on before it's too late.[Via Ars Technica]Read - MPAA proposal (warning: PDF link)Read - FCC Electronic Comment File Submission (The docket number for field #1 ("proceeding") is 08-82.)
MPAA dangles early HD VOD releases, in exchange for closing that pesky analog hole
Moving beyond day-and-date releases via internet and HD video-on-demand, movie studios may be ready to move towards regularly putting movies online ahead of the DVD release date for a premium price -- that surveys say some of us are willing to pay -- but prepare to have your analog hole plugged again. The MPAA petitioned the FCC earlier this month to lift the existing ban preventing cable and satellite providers from remotely disabling analog outputs on their set-top boxes via selectable output controls (SOC). In a bit of ICT redux, the movie studios haven't said definitively that they will use the technology, but insist on having the ability to force anyone wanting to view high definition movies to only see them through an HDCP-protected HDMI output to a compatible TV. The failure of AACS and BD+ to prevent high quality copies isn't a deterrent to the MPAA's push, so while ICT has gone unused on Blu-ray and HD DVD, we're still too fond of our component outs, switchers and homemade cables -- and too wary of a future change in policy -- to support any changes in the law.
Arizona bill would hold content creators liable
A new Arizona bill aims to take on the entire media industry. House Bill 2660, which passed the state House of Representatives last month, aims to make a person "liable for damages if the person produces, publishes or distributes written, audio, video or digital material" that is deemed "dangerous or obscene." Such wording could apply to books, websites, video games, movies, TV shows and Numa Numa. While the bill sounds ridiculous to the point of fiction, it is causing many to be concerned -- for example, who decides what is dangerous and obscene? The Video Game Voters Network has issued a call to action over the bill, and representatives for the MPAA and the Arizona Newspaper Associations have taken issue with it.We at Joystiq aren't too worried. Should the bill pass, it would logically self-destruct, seeing as it is also dangerous and obscene written material. [Via Game Politics]
MPAA admits it overstated the effects of college piracy, times it made a beer run
The MPAA has never been too high on college kids -- remember the dishonor roll? -- but it looks like Hollywood set is bummed about not being invited to that last kegger, because the MPAA is now admitting that it drastically overstated the effect of college downloading in previous studies. Back in 2005, the MPAA claimed that a whopping 44 percent of revenue losses came directly at the hands of carefree coeds nationwide, and used that number to pressure colleges into enforcing harsher downloading policies and even propose legislation currently before Congress that would tie federal education funds to copyright enforcement requirements. We're not sure why the industry is now backing off that 44 percent number, but it's now saying that "human error" resulted in a miscalculation, and the revenue loss from college piracy is more like 15 percent -- a number which is further disputed by campus IT groups, who say it should be more like three percent. Of course, while it's good to see the MPAA take an upfront stance on this, simply admitting you're sleazy doesn't actually wipe the slime off, so let's see how the industry approaches future studies, shall we?
San Francisco man busted for stash of 50,000 pirated DVDs
Santa Clara County police arrested a 27-year-old "entrepreneur" with roughly 50,000 pirated DVDs stashed. The estimated street value of the collection adds up to $250k, and the movies naturally included titles currently in theaters -- including the critically acclaimed "Alvin and the Chipmunks." Police found the stash thanks to a 911 hang up at the man's home, and currently have him sitting in jail while everybody waits for the MPAA to redouble its consumer education efforts on this menace to society -- we're going to run out of plastic, people. [Thanks, Paul B]
Apple to pay higher wholesale movie price reports Ars
Over at infinite Loop, Former TUAW heavyweight David Chartier posts that Apple will soon be paying a $15 per movie wholesale price to the movie studios. David sees this as Apple caving into Hollywood after a tense face-off. Me? I see this another way. I don't believe the movie sales over at the iTunes store have been all that hugely successful. With competition from Walmart and weak consumer interest, I think Apple is changing its direction. Instead of movie sales, I'm thinking movie rentals. We've seen evidence for this both on the Mac in the iTunes binary (thanks Evan DiBiase) and on the iPhone (thanks Pumpkin). Rentals could do a lot for Apple's bottom line. It would re-energize the lagging Apple TV as a platform, it would expand the iPhone's reach as a portable media device, especially for travelers, and it would basically give up on iTunes-distributed buy-to-own movies as an unprofitable but fully explored avenue. So what do you think? Evil MPAA? Weak Apple? Or a new paradigm on the horizon?
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?
Downloadable files coming to next Harry Potter DVD
Users clamoring for alternate (read: easier) ways to transport commercial DVD footage to portable media players will likely enjoy knowing that the next Harry Potter DVD will reportedly feature "two downloadable digital files" for easy viewing on devices other than a vanilla DVD player. According to Jim Wuthrich, Warner senior VP of digital distribution, users can "buy the DVD and have the option of the digital copy," and apparently, he also suggested that "another studio was preparing to launch digital copies of a film tied to its DVD release." Unfortunately, details about the actual formats and whatnot weren't disclosed, so barring any unforeseen announcements, it looks like we'll be waiting for the December 11th release of Order of the Phoenix to find out exactly what this disc contains.[Via ArsTechnica]
DataPlay unveils CSS-friendly external DVD burner
Just a week after the DVD CCA approved an unexciting (and incredibly restrictive) download-to-burn scheme, DataPlay has unveiled what it calls the "world's first CSS-managed recording DVD burner." Of course, this isn't the first time we've heard about this type of setup, and as it turns out, DataPlay is actually "participating in the Qflix technology and IP licensing program." The aptly-named MovieWriter is an external USB 2.0 device that is "capable of writing CSS encrypted content for playback on standard DVD players," but alas, you'll be forced to pick up the presumably expensive CSS-MR pre-keyed recordable discs through Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden before any burning can take place. Currently, no pricetag is being listed, but we are told that the outfit is already planning an internal version for OEMs to integrate into pre-fabricated machines. [Warning: PDF read link]
Verance rolls out audio watermarking for HD DVD / Blu-ray
It's been so long since we've heard anything serious about audio watermarking that we were beginning to worry, but for the hackers up for yet another challenge in the realm of high-definition film, your brief wait is (nearly) over. Verance Corporation has just announced the immediate availability of its audio watermark technology for licensing by manufacturers of Blu-ray and HD DVD players and components, which means that users will likely face another layer of content protection when trying to free their movies from the bondage of DRM. No word just yet on a timeframe in which this stuff will actually make its debut, but it is noted that the AACS is "is expected to release final license agreements requiring the inclusion of VCMS/AV detector technology in HD DVD and Blu-ray players in the coming months."
MPAA claims prevention of 31 illegal recordings of Spider-Man 3
We resent writing about the MPAA, simply because every time the organization makes a statement it invariably exposes some aspect of its backwards perspective. This time the Association has made the rather preposterous claim that the efforts of staff and customers in preventing illegal recordings of Spider-Man 3 gave the film "a fair shot at its record-setting opening." In all, 31 people were caught illegally recording the movie, a figure which is apparently thanks to night vision equipped cinema staff (motivated by a $500 reward for each case) and reporting from the patrons themselves in a few cases. The logic that this in some way helped assure that the film would be a commercial success is shaky at best: it only takes a single recording for the film to become "pirated." And of course, if the system for detecting illegal recordings of movies is working so well, why do we still have to sit through those patronizing anti-piracy PSAs?[Via TechDirt; Image credit]
Wii Warm Up: Piracy
And not the cool kind, folks. The Wii has not been on the market for over half a year, and like any other shining beacon of all that is right in this world, it has been corrupted by peg-legged drunkards. Or software pirates in the Philippines, or something, whatever.Some of you have already chimed in on your thoughts regarding game piracy, but how do you feel toward the practice in general? TV shows, movies, games, music, and outrageously expensive software have all become essentially free, thanks to various file sharing methods across the web. Do you do it? Do you look down on others who do? How can you justify such things? We'll be honest, we pirate occasionally ... usually stuff we'd be unable to obtain via normal means, like anime (Death Note!). But never games. Pinky swear.And don't worry ... we won't give the MPAA your IP addresses.
MPAA says it's committed to fair use, interoperability, and, uh, DRM
Uh-oh. Looks like MPAA boss Dan Glickman skipped over his pal Steve's open letter. Speaking at a LexisNexis conference on DRM, Glickman announced that the major studios comprising the MPAA have made a "philosophical commitment" to interoperability and fair use and announced a plan to let people rip DVDs to home servers and iPods. The goal, he said, is to "make things simpler for the consumer." However, Glickman also stressed that the studios were going to move forward "legally and in a protected way," meaning, of course, DRM. Hammering the irony home, the solution he proposed -- a "technology summit" of academics, tech companies, and content producers to develop a workable DRM system -- is exactly the sort of wasted effort Steve-O lambasted in his open letter. And while it's encouraging that Glickman recognized the "impatience" of consumers, he didn't give a timeline, instead saying that pricing and business models were "way beyond" him. Now, to be fair, Steve himself doesn't think TV shows and movies need to be DRM-free, but on the whole, Glickman's plan to solve DRM's problems with more DRM isn't exactly our favorite idea ever. Still, it's nice to see the MPAA finally recognize the importance of interoperability. Let's just hope they're actually serious about it -- we're not holding our breath.[Thanks, Todd]
Lucky and Flo sniff-out another $450k in pirated DVDs
Last month, the MPAA's two DVD sniffing dogs busted a ring of $3 million worth of pirated DVD movies and games in Malaysia. Over the weekend, Lucky and Flo sniffed down another $430,000 after police failed to find the discs during an initial search. After calling in the "canine brigade," the dogs were able to quickly sniff-out the discs hidden away in a room that could "only be accessed by the push of a button hidden under a plug outlet." Nice work pups, Scooby snacks for all.
The MPAA piracy dishonor role
Oh yes they did. The MPAA now has their own list of the most drug piracy-ridden schools in higher education: the MPAA's "dishonor role." In addition to receiving a top-25 ranking, each institution above is labeled with the number of students identified as making unauthorized use of copyrighted materials. Some schools like Ohio University, Purdue, and eight others have the dubious distinction of being on both the MPAA's and RIAA's lists with Purdue achieving the highest combined ranking -- #5 MPAA, #2 RIAA. Feel that, son? That's school pride welling within. Enjoy it while you can as we wait to see if the MPAA will take legal action.
BackupHDDVD slapped with DMCA takedown notice
It's roamed relatively unscathed for a few months now, but it appears that BackupHDDVD -- the app that helps bypass the AACS copy protection on HD DVDs -- has been hit with its first major setback, drawing a DMCA takedown notice and vanishing from its perch at SourceForge as a result. Speaking to Wired blog 27B Stroke 6, SourceForge parent company VA Software's General Counsel Jay Seirmarco revealed that the AACS's complaint centered on copyrighted cryptographic keys allegedly contained within BackupHDDVD, which he says was verified to be true, giving SourceForge reason to remove the software. He added, however, that SourceForge would be willing to host a version of BackupHDDVD that did not contain the keys in question. This course of events will no doubt be familiar to anyone's who's followed the FairUse4WM saga, in which Microsoft issued a similar notice demanding that the software be taken down from its host site. Of course, BackupHDDVD isn't the only bit of software that messes with the copy protection on HD DVDs, although, as of yet, it's main rival AnyDVD HD remains untouched and readily available, albeit for a price.[Via Slashdot]
Digital FAIR USE bill introduced to amend DMCA
Ah, the day we've all been waiting for has finally arrived -- well, sort of. Yeah, it is still a bill, but it's a refreshing start on a long overdue amendment. While content guardians (we're looking your way, MPAA / RIAA) have done their fair share of beating around the issue and insisting that DRM-laced content was the only way to go, consumers haven't exactly been thrilled about such limitations since day one. In yet another glorious case of red and blue coming together for the good of mankind, Rich Boucher (D-Va.) and John Dolittle (R-Calif.) introduced a breath of fresh air they call FAIR USE, or Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing U.S. Entrepreneurship. The idea, of course, is to simply "make it easier for digital media consumers to use the content they buy" by amending the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; according to the duo, the DMCA simply "goes too far by dramatically tilting the copyright balance toward complete copyright protection at the expense of the public's right to fair use." Boucher further substantiates his case for the most down-to-earth politician of all time by suggesting that if the DMCA remains unadulterated, "individuals will be less willing to purchase digital media" due to the unacceptable restrictions that come along with it. We'd ask for an amen, but we don't want to set off any minor earthquakes.[Thanks, Kevin M.]
