New Ruling Confirms Copying DVDs to Hard Drive/iPad is Illegal

[Jeebus]

http://hometheater.about.com/b/2012/...pying-dvds.htm

The U.S. Copyright Office in response to a request to provide a copy exemption for consumers that want to watch their legally-owned DVD content on devices that do not have disc drives, has ruled (via the Librarian of Congress) that it is illegal to bypass DVD copy-protection codes (known as the Content Scrambling System - CSS) in order to make digital copies for playback from PC hard drives, USB flash drives, tablets, or other non-disc drive equipped devices.

The DVD Copy Control Association was able to argue that when a consumer purchases a DVD, they only have the rights to play that DVD. In essence this ruling shuts down the legal availability of software/hardware devices that allow you to copy a DVD onto hard drives.

“While copyright owners are taking tentative steps to link motion pictures purchased on DVD to digital versions playable on new devices [UltraViolet and other digital copy initiatives], there is no indication that this program — if successful and sustainable — would apply retroactively to the millions of DVDs already lawfully owned by consumers and purchased when DVD was the only format available to them,” Public Knowledge argued.

[bmore_ken]

No big deal. millions of people rip DVDs every day. good luck enforcing something like that

[atomic]

still a terrible decision. once again big business is running this world over the rights of consumers. So instead of buying the dvd legally and copying it their hard drive people will just download a torrent and pay nothing for the movie.

[bmore_ken]

Exactly

[ivanbalt]

still a terrible decision. once again big business is running this world over the rights of consumers. So instead of buying the dvd legally and copying it their hard drive people will just download a torrent and pay nothing for the movie.

Things like this are one of the reasons Apple made their huge comeback. The record and electronics companies were looking for every way to destroy digital music while Apple was looking for every way to make money off their stupidity.

[bmore_ken]

Yeah say what you want about Apple. Love em or hate em, but Apple tends to stay ahead of the curve

[Ravens2006]

It's still very easy to bypass DRM technology to copy all forms of media. There are plenty of tools that will re-encode / record anything that gets rendered on the screen and/or the sound card. You lose almost nothing in audio quality, but the loss in video quality depends on the equipment you're running on (i.e. whether it can keep up). To each his own there. As more and more people seem content watching their "HD" video on small screens (like laptops, tablets, and phones) there's less and less of a need for high-bandwidth copying. "SD" resolution content looks just fine on a small screen.

The new push to make screens small and put more content on those small screens actually makes it easier for rippers to create consumer-accepted copies of multimedia. Unless you get every device manufacturer to embed some incredible restrictive chips within their hardware... at which point the public will only put up with that for so long, before some alternative player(s) enter the market with more flexibility.

[Bartman]

I'm surprised more about how the Studio Machine has been able to strong arm the Mfg. Co's out of selling them anymore. Try to find them on the net. There are a couple still available but probably not for long.

I can see it coming where I'll have to hook up my PC to the Satellite box to record my stuff. That's OK as then I can play my DivX & MKV movies I get from the 'net HD without having to convert them to DVDs which is lower res. anyway. I don't do Torrents, I never liked the idea of that "File Sharing" stuff. I get my files from Usenet. DivX & MKV are BIG in Europe, as far as I'm concerned the US is behind the curve again now thanks to the Legal profession. I looked into Blu-Ray burners for the PC as the prices have come down both on them and the discs but if I can play my DivX & MKV files directly, why bother.

[The Eternal White Belt]

All my blu rays come with digital copies these days anyway.

[bmore_ken]

All my blu rays come with digital copies these days anyway.

That's called the death throes of a dying media

[EL-FLIPPO]

A practically unenforceable law.

[dogstarman]

Yep, unenforceable. Moreover this will become increasingly irrelevant now that media is very quickly moving towards streamed formats.

FWIW, anything that relies on peripheral hardware (like optical drives) following specific protocols to ensure IP protection is guaranteed to be flimsy and will only serve to annoy legit consumers while being hardly even a speed bump for large scale pirates.

[EL-FLIPPO]

So correct. Since I obtained my HD media player, I stream digital content directly from my pc to my tv via my wireless network. No reduction in Quality that is inherent in burning most DVD's. DVD players [peripheral hardware] are the new 8-track players...over the hill.

So the REAL deal is how The Industry controls digital content itself. Those who share/seek it out are more sophisticated than the average prole who just checks email & plays Farmville on Facebook. The Industry doesn't have the resources to keep up. Their latest model is to encourage rental of digital media rather than the actual sale of it. A losing proposition in my view.

[Bartman]

OK I guess if you have a Fast internet connection. I don't! My DSL tops out at about 1.3Mb and that's it. I can't get FIOS in the city and I just refuse to deal with Comcast so I have no options. Clear 4G says where I live isn't serviced and I can't find what their Download speed is anyway. Maybe you can Save streaming stuff with a PC with the right software but if I can't, streaming is no good for me if I want to Keep something.

That's the thing that everyone is overlooking! The Powers have decided that they don't want you to keep Anything unless you Pay for it! Why do you think that you can hardly find any set top DVD recorders anymore? Why do you think that there are No Blu-Ray recorders?

DVD isn't dead, sure it's only 480 but if you have a compatible recorder or player DivX HD files are at 720 and those files fit fine on the 4.7GB disc. I have a Philips DVD machine that's DivX compatible AND has a USB port on front. I can put a DivX movie from the PC on a DVD Data disc or the Thumb Drive and play it. I looked into Blu-Ray burners for the PC and they have come down to where DVD burners were a few years ago and so have the blanks but I'll not bother with it. My 60yr old eyes aren't going to see any better than what I'm seeing now on my older 720P plasma anyway.

[bmore_ken]

Blue Ray recorders are coming

http://www.blu-ray.com/recorders/

Blu ray burners are here

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...-Ray%20Burners

[bmore_ken]

Their latest model is to encourage rental of digital media rather than the actual sale of it. A losing proposition in my view.

Not really, you can buy digital copies of movies via Amazon, Itunes, etc.

[dogstarman]

As far as keeping vs streaming, most folks don't really watch things over-and-over again. Moreover, many films are available for streaming all the time, so it really isn't worth the hassle of storage.

Fios is the way to go if you can get it as DSL is usually too unreliable for streaming (although it is barely workable for netflix).

Since I am in the city, I use comcast "Blast!" service at 50mbps. Just the internet plan, no bundles, nothing else. No problems so far and service is solid. If you cut off cable/direct TV, a fast internet connection combined with a roku (or other device like Apple TV or Boxee) is not giving up a whole lot. If you go for a silent PC, you then get storage capability as well.

[bmore_ken]

Since I am in the city, I use comcast "Blast!" service at 50mbps. Just the internet plan, no bundles, nothing else.

Exactly what I have in the county. With all the online streaming content out there, I don't know why anyone has cable or satellite tv anymore. Sports packages I guess. The cost of my comcast internet has paid for itself many times over

[Eastside Terp]

always a concern about viruses and malware here .......

so what are some of the safer streaming sites ........

what about smashingsports or ustream? .......

when I get google results for them the macafee adviser lights up red ......