India Broadband Forum

just4kix

Of late, I have been buying Blu-Ray discs.

Some discs were advertised as special editions that had something known as a "Digital Copy". I had so far never heard of this. The BDs of "The Dark Knight" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" had the movies on Blu-Ray and the package also contained a DVD marked as "Digital Copy". A pamphlet inside the cover had a Serial Code written on this.

So I wondered what this is all about. The page said:
Since, I have an iPod Classic, I thought that iTunes would be the way to go. But here is the catch:

• Since the disc was purchased in USA, you must have an US iTunes stores account.
• My India iTunes store account does not provide this service.
• I cannot create a US iTunes Store account without a valid US address and a valid US credit card.
  (No idea if it would have worked with a UK/Europe or other countries iTunes Store; I assume that it won't)

So much for the great Apple Inc. and their iTunes.

Hence, I said, 'let me try WMP'. I followed the steps above and it worked like a charm.

But the charm lasted a few moments only. The Digital copy created as .wmv file that is protected by "Digital Rights Management (DRM)". I could not convert it to iPod's MP4 format. After doing a fair bit of research, I found the following:

• A DRM protected file (audio or video) can be played on the same computer. The DRM keys are stored on the computer and cannot be copied to another computer.
• It is illegal to break DRM.
• If I loose my computer, or reformat it, or reinstall Windows, the DRM key will be lost forever and I will no longer be able to watch the video again, even if I save the file.
• The Digital Copy serial number works once only. Once the content is copied, it cannot be reused to create another copy.
• The serial number has a validity period. After the date is past, the Digital Copy is a disc that can be given to Autorickshaw drivers who can then proudly attach them to the mud flaps, etc.

The whole "Digital Copy" is thus a great advertising gimmick. It serves absolutely no purpose.

But some good news. There are shareware software such as Tunebites or Aimersoft Video Converter than can create the DRM-free copy. Note that these software donot break the DRM. As yet the DRM has not been cracked.

What the softwares do is that they allow the movie to play and on the fly they convert the video into a new copy.

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sudu846

Very Informative....Thanks a lot just4kix

Luke Skywalker

Thas why I hate sony & microsoft like richard stallman :Opposing Digital Rights Mismanagement - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)

just4kix

It is not just Sony or MS that is forcing DRM. Everyone is in league.

Now I sincerely believe that piracy is bad and content must be protected. But the DRM on the digital copies of movies is preventing me to see it on any computer other than where it was downloaded. I should have the flexibility to:

• see the movie on any device/computer of my choice
• create a new copy in case my old copy gets deleted/destroyed for whatever reason
• etc. The reasons are quite a lot.

Here is an article that I found that exactly echoes my sentiment.

Digital Copy: A feature that's no feature - Computerworld Blogs

Luke Skywalker

I don't support piracy but I am against protection things which are against the freedom.

Richard M. Stallman

mickey

I am up against piracy of Books and softwares,, but for Music i dont mind even a heck..

Luke Skywalker

& I against those company which support patents & copyrights.


As for books you can read them legally now through google books, Gutenberg, & safari books online.

What is copyright to me?
That yours articles should carry your name always & should be copied legally..

Use flea book market. I have bought books worth 200$ for 2$ from them.

mickey

I have some other things in mind.. suppose you are an enterprenuer.. and you need money...

you are a master of say software making, and you make a software, you go to the door of a software co. which takes your idea, and says "we will patent your dream"....

one may not be able to patent as its costly for many people/r&d...

small companies will ruin if market becomes totally opened up...

Luke Skywalker

Thats is a close thinking. Many company have succeed who have used open source of books & software ( wikipedia & Apache , MySQl e.t.c) List is endless.

Read more of Stallman articles

With close thinking I mean thinking develop by media in support of closed software.

As for starwars : See this: The Completely Unofficial Star Wars Encyclopedia - Version 11.1

Guy who created this got his own character in S.W.

just4kix

No. You are wrong in your argument.

You say you bought costly books from the flea market at dirt cheap prices? But what you purchased is 2nd (or 3rd or 4th?) hand stuff. The book, when new, and hopefully legal publication, was purchased at the published price. The author/company got their fair share of the royalty, profit, etc. In the 2nd hand market, you don't need to pay them again.

Imagine that you were purchasing a used car. You will not be asked to pay the manufacturer a fee again, would you? And neither will you pay the original price.

You are missing the point I am raising. The "digital copy" is not something I get for free. A movie is packaged as normal edition (one disc with movie only) or special (collector's) edition (with special disks, extended commentaries, features + digital copy). The special edition costs more. So I am paying for the "digital copy". And hence I should enjoy the full rights to see it anywhere I want. If I have two DVD players in my home, I will expect the DVD to play on any of the players.

Luke Skywalker

& this is completely legal.

mickey

@web everyone is successful....

@softwares, pr is needed...

Luke Skywalker

That was in response to mickey.

DRM is not restricted to movie. Will continue morrow.

JOIN THE FSF CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE DRM - law - ZEUUX Free Software Community
Can You Trust Your Computer? - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)
R.M.Stallman. Guys have broken the DRM whatever the people might say.
youtube.com/watch?v=8p9IU4zp7mU ( that is a legal link.

Right to communication is a right.

& how are they earning?As for books you can read them legally now through google books, Gutenberg, & safari books online.


Thanks god I am not a music lover.

mickey

even if you are a music lover you never wont do the copy right stuff..

Luke Skywalker

You are right . My definition of copyright is different. It is related to GNU one.

Punch Farce

selective ethics

Luke, can we have a debate without

1. bringing in or quoting Stallman in every other post
2. bringing in or quoting Star Wars in every other post.

thanks
-F

Hey, my position is - Luke if you want to create software, write books
and create music and let everyone else plagiarize it please be my guest
but don't force everyone else to do that.

mickey

jedi knight..~!

Luke Skywalker

I am not forcing anyone to do that. What I am meaning to do is that they know about their rights. Is using linux Plagiarizing? Or writing GNUFDL books?

Also some use wikipedia & I use those.

So it doesn't matter.

Punch Farce

I am not really sure what you mean in the post above.

obviously using freeware Linux is not plagiarizing but
you can't walk in to Fry's and walk out with a DVD of say
redhat Linux without paying ;-)

-F

Luke Skywalker

What are you talking about RHEL is free? Its support cost money for one year:99$Web support, 2 business day response, unlimited incidents


How are CentOS & ubuntu earning? Not by charging for running their software.

Without support RHEl is not available.

Why not use fedora when using for home?

I am not saying to use pirated windows but to use FOSS software .