Welcome to the Future of DRM Media

MrFancyPants writes "'DRM, digital rights management, is quite possibly the holy grail of the music and movie industry, allowing them to control exactly how DRM protected content is used, distributed and above all can be tracked right down to the individual end user.' Hardware Analysis reports on a horror story of someone picking up a DVD recently and having to go through an agonizing process of installing DRM-enabled applications to even get it to play on his computer. If this is what the future holds, you'd better think twice about buying DVDs and other media, as you're basically at the mercy of the producer."

More About DRM

[the_mighty_$]

If you want all the details about DRM, you can find them here:

http://www.dlib.org/dlib/june01/iannella/06iannell a.html [dlib.org]

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_manage ment [wikipedia.org]

Coralized link + Summary

[perlionex]

Coralized link of the article [nyud.net]
Coralized link of the DRM'ed T2 Extreme DVD [nyud.net]

Quick summary for all those too lazy to read the article:
Content needed WMP9 with InterActual Player, which required a license, which could only be retrieved if you connected from US or Canada. And, the content could only be played for 5 days. Author concludes "Shame on you Artisan Home Entertainment Inc. and may this serve as a prime example of DRM at its worst."

RTFA

[Ender Ryan]

Read The Fucking Article. The person complaining wasn't trying to rip anything, and was in fact simply trying to use a product as it was intended to be used.

RTFA

[StateOfTheUnion]

In this case, the solution is to use DVD Shrink and make a copy for yourself without all of that extra bullshit on it. There will ALWAYS be a software solution to this crap.

The buyer already owned a regular copy of the film. He bought this version because it had a HD format copy of the film in WMV9 format, but this version was DRM'ed.

If he DVD Shrink'ed the film, that would defeat the purpose of buying the better quality HD version.

Re:ah, fvck 'em

[Ubergrendle]

You're still supporting Blockbuster's business model.

1. Editing or forcing producers to make Blockbuster-friendly versions of films.
2. Reinforcing the encrypted DVD business model...Blockbuster still pays for the rental DVDs, MPAA keeps producing them.
3. Reinforcing Hollywood's trend of making Bruckheimer-esque crapulescant action films with recycled plots and oneliners.


So even if I could condone a campaign of blatant copyright infringement, I would still oppose your behaviour as it reinforces existing business models which produce CRAP.

Re:agony!

[somegeekgirl]

We just bought a copy of Shanghai Noon. The thing has somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes of previews on it that can't be skipped. What fun.

Re:self-correcting problem

[binaryfinery]

Not strictly true, as I've returned CD's with the reason "Its Crap" and have been given a refund.

Again, with software you cant see the license until to attempt to install the software. If you dont agree with the EULA you cant install, so you are quite within your rights to return for this reason.

All depends how much you are willing to brazen it out and escalate if till monkey doesnt agree

Re:self-correcting problem

[tchuladdiass]

Or, return the "defective" one in exchange for a new un-opened one, then return the un-opened box for a full refund.

Re:self-correcting problem

[alcmena]

When I had to return a DVD that was cracked, the clerk at Best Buy cut open the one they were giving me probably to prevent this very thing.

Deceptive Advertising

[Evil Attorney]

You might be able to make a case for deceptive advertising where they don't clearly disclose the DRM. Consumers are accustomed to DVD's that can play without any restrictions. By greatly restricting what the consumer is getting without clearly disclosing these restrictions, the media companies' omissions are materially deceptive. Actually, if enough people complain to their state's attorney's general, we might be able to at least get some sort of clear warnings on the package.

Re:my story.

[TheSpoom]

CDex [sourceforge.net] can rip both of those CDs out of the box.

*snickers* DRM...

Re:"Buy the movie now." False advertising?

[poot_rootbeer]

If the commercial says "Buy the movie now" but the packaging says you are only licensing the movie, isn't this called false advertising?

Do the commercials say "Buy the movie now", though? Offhand, it seems to me that home video commercials tend to use phrases like "Available now on DVD", or "Bring the movie home for Christmas", neatly avoiding the issue of ownership vs. licensing.

Thunderball

[cyberformer]

There was a big legal battle about who owned the rights, and eventually the new studio was allowed to remake it (as Never Say Never Again) though without the regular James Bond theme music and credits.

But all the legal wrangling does help to prove your point: Copyright is a monopoly.