You are missing the argument completely and also missing the fact that for every altered version sold there is an unaltered version purchased. No one is suggesting that someone tape a movie off of TV and sell it.
The point is that the unaltered version is purchased and is owned by the end-user who also gets a version made with the edit service he/she requested performed by these companies.
Can I not alter something after I have purchased it?
Thank you. I think we finally get around to the nub of the case. Most of those arguing on the side of the studios seem to concede that you can mark up your own copy of whatever, or even make your own copy for your own use. What we have here are companies that do the editing for you because as it has been pointed out, the companies own one copy of the unedited version for each edited copy rented or sold. So, if they do the editing for me (for a fee)...bad. If I can make my own editied copy from the unedited copy...OK
Can I not alter something after I have purchased it?
Again, the answer is "No". By your own example, someone is doing the altering for you and selling you the service. You are free to tape off the TV for home use, and you can delete the parts you don't want to see, but you cannot purchase the same tape from a third party who sells it to you altered. Not without the owner's permission. That's not some liberal court spin, or movie lawyers talking. That's the plain meaning of our laws.
There are some interpretations of the copyright laws by the record industry and others that are stretching the law and trying to make criminals out of people for simply trying to maintain the integrity of their legal collections. The DMCC has caused some trouble, and will make things worse for people trying to copy DVDs in the next generation of movies. There is some room for interpretation on some of these things. But not on these services that alter the original and then sell it to consumers. That was illegal in 1799 and illegal today.