Hollywood Wins DVD-Copying Case

wired news ^ | 2 21 04 | katie dean

[freepatriot32]

A federal judge ruled on Friday that 321 Studios, a software developer, must stop selling its DVD copying program, delivering a huge win for the entertainment industry.

Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District Federal Court for California sided with the Motion Picture Association of America, which claimed that 321 Studios' DVD-X Copy and DVD Copy Plus software violate copyright law. The company, based in St. Charles, Missouri, must stop "manufacturing, distributing or otherwise trafficking in any type of DVD circumvention software" in seven days.

[freepatriot32]

ha and here you thought you owned your dvd, dvd player and computer after you paid hundreds of dollars for them you just being allowed to have them around by hollywood until you do something they dont personally approve of this sounds like a job for small goverment pro constitution republicans to bad there are none left in washington or the state legislators

[Terpfen]

So much for fair use laws.

[Rodney King]

Well, if the company can't sell the software anymore, I hope that they put it up on the net for free as a big FU to the MPAA.

[dandelion]

If I can't own it, I WON'T BUY IT.

I'm off to the used CD shop...

[Bogey78O]

I guess I best make a trip to Best Buy and snatch up another copy of the software in case I want to put it on another computer.

I already have it installed on this computer.

'During arguments made last May before the judge, Russell Frackman, attorney for the studios, said 321's software bypasses CSS -- the encrypted locks on his client's copyright movies. That is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, he argued. Under the controversial law, any mechanism that breaks a digital lock that protects copyright content is illegal. The judge agreed.'

I guess every manufacturer of DVD players that have any type of output plug-in are screwed.

[ClintonBeGone]

"Well, if the company can't sell the software anymore, I hope that they put it up on the net for free as a big FU to the MPAA."

RK, it's out there. You can get any software on MIRC. Just do a search It blows Kazaa away.

http://packetnews.com/index.php?goto=advanced

[Rodney King]

Thanks.

[longtermmemmory]

I understand it is still available abroad.

[Keeper of the Turf]

What about us that already poses a copy of this software? Too bad for them, I guess.

[ClintonBeGone]

I guess this isn't enough for Jack Valenti.

"321 Studios also announced it is establishing a program to counter piracy while protecting consumers' fair use rights. The 321 Piracy Prevention Program provides an easy mechanism to report digital piracy and misuse directly to 321 Studios. Contact 321 Studios by calling the Piracy Prevention Hotline at 636-720-3769, or email the company at AntiPiracy@321studios.com . Individuals will be contacted and $10,000 reward paid if government authorities successfully prosecute the copyright infringer."

http://www.cryptonomicon.net/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=682

[Windsong]

Movies? Maybe..

How about being able to back-up that shiny new $69.99 PS2 game (i.e. Final Fantasy X, Max Payne 2, Baldurs Gate 2)? Its as easy as 1-2-3, and I will *never* shell out another 70 bucks for a game I am not able to back up first. Its just too expensive to keep buying the same game over and over and over because of scratches. Last Christmas I bought Sim Theme Park (PS2) for a 10 yr old niece, and made a backup copy of it. Two months later I get a call from her.."Uncle, can you please buy me another? Mine is scratched"

[Stentor]

I guess I best make a trip to Best Buy and snatch up another copy of the software in case I want to put it on another compute

Done.

[The Duke]

"Companies have a responsibility to develop products that operate within the letter of the law and that do not expose their customers to illegal activities," said Jack Valenti, chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America.

I find the above statement BREATH-TAKINGLY STUPID!!!

[feedback doctor]

. . .in a related ruling, the court ruled that film makers like Kodak and Fuji must take their products off the market as well. "These products can be used to reproduce copyrighted works without compensation to their owners. Also, all people with highly trained memories must register with the RIAA, and MPAA, as their good memories may allow them to recall sights and sounds of copyrighted material, thereby removing the need to buy the products as they can be remembered at will."

[Tree of Liberty]

There's already free software that does the same thing as DVD-X Copy, and, imo, is as easy to use.

[Bogey78O]

Well for about 5$ you can get it resurfaced.

[Tree of Liberty]

Valenti has never been the epitome of wisdom. This is the guy who considered VCR's to be as dangerous to the film industry as the Boston Strangler was to women.

[Bogey78O]

Yea, DVDXcopy though is like RedHat or Mandrake as they have support behind it and better guides.

I could easily use a ripper then re-encode it and use a commercial DVD making program. though. All shareware of course.

[ClintonBeGone]

"Companies have a responsibility to develop products that operate within the letter of the law and that do not expose their customers to illegal activities," said Jack Valenti, chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America.

I wonder if the MPAA would object to being held to the same standard? I wonder how many laws were broken in the film Pulp Fiction?

[PureSolace]

"Companies have a responsibility to develop products that operate within the letter of the law and that do not expose their customers to illegal activities," said Jack Valenti, chief executive of the Motion Picture Association of America.

Imagine that statement being used against GUNS! :)