p2pnet - rss feed: Hollywood vs RealDVD
p2pnet news view | MPAA News:- Hollywood’s six major movie studios are panicking.
Time Warner, Viacom, Fox, Sony, NBC Universal and Disney have suddenly realised it’s possible for people to rent movies and then (shudder) copy them!
Say it ain’t SO!
But it is so and on the receiving end of the studios’ wrath aren’t the P2P file sharing networks, this time. Instead, RealNetworks, the corporation which for years has been trying to cash in on the online music scene, is bearing the brunt.
Real, whose software in the past has suffered from a number of critical security problems, is being sued by Hollywood enforcement agency the MPAA.
That’s because the studios say they stand to lose, “key revenue from the sale of DVDs, estimated by Adams Media Research at $15 billion in the U.S. this year, if consumers stop buying DVDs and instead copy rental discs from outlets like Netflix and Blockbuster,” says the Associated Press.
The suit alleges RealNetworks’ RealDVD ripper, which launched yesterday, “illegally bypasses the copyright protection built into DVDs,” says the story, going on:
“For $30, consumers can buy RealDVD and use it to copy DVDs to computers or portable hard drives, though the program prevents them from transferring the files to other users. The maker calls RealDVD ‘100 percent legal’ on its Web site.”
But, “This is not a product that enables Internet piracy,” AP has Bob Kimball, general counsel for RealNetworks, declaring.
“Real has said the software enables DVDs to be copied onto up to five computers — with the purchase of up to four extra program licenses for $20 each — and does not alter the discs’ encryption technology meant to prevent wide-scale piracy,” says AP.
“The software locks the copy to the hard drive where it is copied and to the program it was copied with, Kimball said, and he asserted that copying one’s personal collection of DVDs amounts to “fair use” allowed by law.
“Kimball said the company discourages using the program to rip rental DVDs, but he acknowledged there’s nothing to prevent consumers from doing that.”
“We are very open to coming up with solutions to that problem that will require industry participation,” he said.
Said p2pnet reader Mostly Harmless in a comment post »»»
I really don’t like “RealNetworks” stuff. Horrific malware. BUT, if their claim that they are “in full compliance with the DVD Copy Control Association’s license agreement” is upheld by the courts it would be simply AWESOME. Not that I would ever want to install or use the application mind you, it is still “real” after all… But a black eye for those douche bag MPAA control freaks would be a big win for Justice. Any organization that gladly purchases legislation who’s net effects are to strip away privacy and freedom just to make a few extra bucks deserves a lethal smackdown. This is hardly a knockout punch (if it is even upheld), but hey, I’ll take what I can get …
Responded RealNetworks spokeswoman Lacy Kemp »»»
I just want to clarify one point made above. The CSS on the DVDs is left completely intact. We absolutely do not decrypt any part of it.
@mostlyharmless I’ve seen the malware claim a million times. It’s not true. I’m sorry if you’ve experienced some unfavorable issues w/ our product. I know that past versions of RealPlayer have really irked some people, but nothing about it was malware. We’ve tried really hard to improve the product and make it easy and user friendly.
I can tell you that RealDVD is really a simple small program- no adware, malware-any kind of ware. If you change your mind and want to give it a shot, follow my link and I will be happy to give you a copy.
To “@mostlyharmless I’ve seen the malware claim a million times. It’s not true,” said Rekrul »»»
Before switching to Real Alternative (that’s right, I’m admitting that I use a software package that probably violates Real Networks’ EULA), I had Real Player 8 installed. In fact, I installed it on a couple systems. During installation, RP would try to take over all the media associations and they’d have to all be manually unchecked. I’d also have to manually uncheck all the various notifications. Once installed, there were still more notifications to uncheck. Even then, RP would periodically contact the Real site and show me a popup ad when I went to close the player. I’d delete the files from my drive and they’d be back a day or so later. I even tried replacing the ad files with empty ones and setting them to read-only, but it just created new ones. When trying to play some recent files, RP claimed it needed additional software, contacted Real, then told me that the software wasn’t available and suggested that I download and install RealOne. Funny that Real Alternative was able to provide the necessary codecs.
Oh and let’s not forget the fact that RP would try and contact Real to tell them the name of every file you played.
Read this page, I can personally vouch for the accuracy of this guide;
Meanwhile, “Real’s claim that the program’s intended use falls under ‘fair use’ has fair merit,” reckons PC World, adding:
“Real cites a previous case against an archival program called Kaleidoscape that was shot down by a court a couple of years ago. Consumer rights groups such as Public Knowledge have previously spoken out about users’ fair use rights, saying that Hollywood has gone too far in trying to ban DVD duplication. The law itself, which will be the deciding factor, appears to be on Real’s side.”
Stay tuned.
sued by Hollywood - MPAA sues RealNetworks, September 30, 2008
RealDVD ripper - RealNetworks DVD ripper, September 8, 2008
Associated Press - Hollywood aims to block RealNetworks’ DVD software, October 1, 2008
PC World - Why Hollywood’s RealDVD Lawsuit is a Losing Battle, October 1, 2008
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October 1st, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Ya know, the RIAA/MPAA are vermin, but I never realized that they suffered from severe memory-loss as well.
Now:
“the studios say they stand to lose, “key revenue from the sale of DVDs, estimated by Adams Media Research at $15 billion in the U.S. this year, if consumers stop buying DVDs and instead copy rental discs from outlets like Netflix and Blockbuster,” says the Associated Press.”
THEN:
‘I say to you that the VCR is to the American film producer and the American public as the Boston strangler is to the woman home alone.’
Ain’t hypocrisy fascinating?
They got bitch-slapped by the Betamax decision, so now we were all “permitted” to own VCR’s. They didn’t try to ban DVD players — because they knew it wouldn’t work since people had been “allowed” to posess home playback equipment AND create a viable “movie rental” business in the process.
But they DID score a big “win” with the region-coding nonsense.
Anybody remember “home taping is killing the music industry”? They’ve been doing this shit so long nobody even cares anymore. Even if they DO manage to get RealDVD stopped, somebody’ll just put out another one.
Remember the big protest over DeCSS? People made t-shirts with the algorythm on ‘em. Remember “Grey Tuesday”? Sony wanted Dangermouse’s Jay-Z/Beatles mashup album taken down: instead you had HUNDREDS of websites hosting the thing in multiple jurisdictions.
Despite the ignorant/downright disingenuous claims of the Cartels’ apologists, this stuff is NOT a “regrettable but temporary moral aberration”. Rather, it’s a permanent — and unstoppable — REPRISAL against corporate megaliths who attempted to do “more than the market would bear”.
Any comment “Sam?” I trust you have something stupid to say on the subject.
October 1st, 2008 at 7:29 pm
To: RealNetworks spokeswoman Lacy Kemp
It may be your job, but thank you for responding. The term malware may be inaccurate and a bit of an overstatement, but Rekrul’s experiences/comments spell out very clearly why we dislike, distrust, and won’t use RealNetworks apps. To be fair, the features that are designed to be “helpful” to casual users in many apps (Vista to name a biggy) are in many cases the same things that drive experienced users crazy. But it does go further than that. The “phone home” features that collect data that I consider to be private fall squarely in malware territory. Same goes for file association hijacks, services that keep “coming back” etc…
Lacy, you state, “I’ve seen the malware claim a million times.”.
Doesn’t that tell you something all by itself?
As to RealDVD. Go for it!!
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:42 am
according to two new reports, The Digital Entertainment Group and NPD says dvd sales in the US are $16b. 80% of peoples’ movie budgets is spent on dvd purchases and rentals - $8 out of every $10.
“41% of money budgeted for movies and video was spent on DVD movie purchases; 11% on TV programs on DVD; and 29% on DVD rentals, including via Netflix.”
In addition, 18% is spent on movie tickets, but only 0.5% is spent on Web-based services.
also, only 6% surveyed used free p2p networks and 0.5% used “legal” downloads/purchases.