DVD Forum Approves Download-To-Burn Disc with CSS

Video Business is reporting that the DVD Forum has approved a new format that enables the use of CSS encryption.

“I think this a potentially huge business across all the channels,” Taylor said. “There has always been a big interest in doing short-run and on-demand manufacturing, but you couldn’t because you needed CSS. So I think this could really open the floodgates, not just for all the content the studios have never released on DVD but for non-Hollywood content as well.”

Tidbit from the story: Warner has 6,500 movies and 65,000 TV episodes and is expected to launch a download-to-burn service in 2007.

via Ricklogic in the comments.

Comments

[gir]

Why do they insist on CSS support before they'll allow downloads? Aren't they aware that CSS has been cracked? Seems completely idiotic to me - like insisting that a window with no glass have a lock on it.

[Hunter McDaniel]

Legally, having CSS in place is a "signal" to users that copying is not allowed. In that sense it serves the same purpose as a fence on your property.

I'm not defending them, just trying to explain what I think their motivations are.

[type-cast]

Oh, gir. You must be Netflix Shill, opposing copy protection like that. CSS is right and fair and good. All who oppose it are pirates with entitlement issues. It's illegal to go around CSS. Killing DeCSS ended DVD copying, just like shutting down Napster voided file sharing. It's important to have locks so the casual copiers are thwarted. The big piracy rings will crack whatever they come up with, but casual copiers won't be able to. That's just common sense. CSS is a Suck-CeSS.

[Edward R Murrow]

"Tidbit from the story: Warner has 6,500 movies and 65,000 TV episodes and is expected to launch a download-to-burn service in 2007."

Netflix worst nightmare - in direct head to head competition with the film studios for download. The studios have the content and looks like they will also have the download service.

Does this give Netflix any value add other than to simply continue what they're doing today? Which is DVD through snail mail.

[corey3rd]

the problem with thinking Warners is going to get away with going it alone is that none of the major record companies in the music business has been able to make it with song downloads. Why do they need iTunes if they should be able to offer their vast titles on their own website, why can't they hack it?

[gir]

I have to agree. I don't want to have separate accounts with 15 (or 20, or 50) different providers, especially if we're talking a flat-fee service (and that is what I want).

I don't know who is going to win my download business, but I'm virtually certain the media companies/studio won't.

[Rusty Ramrod]

Interesting they are using CSS. From what I read, that’s the same as nothing anymore. Seems like they would bastardize the files like a lot of the newer DVD’s are said to do.

Anyway, CSS does _nothing_ to prevent copying, IMO. Here’s why, the “professional” pirates can bypass _anything_ they put on a DVD to “protect” it. The “pro-sumer” pirates* can do virtually the same, but typically for non-monetary reasons. Joe average is usually _not_ capable of copying, but I guarantee Joe knows a “pro-sumer” friend who is.

In the end, history proves you cannot stop duplication of any format. Like a poster said above the CSS is most likely in place so that if someone was to be prosecuted, the prosecution could demonstrate they knew that they were breaking the law (That’s assuming you recognize something as f***ed up and unfair as the DMCA as a real law) when they duplicated the disc.

As the powers to be continue to allow the ever increasing restrictions of DRM, the push from the other side will finally reach critical mass. I think most people are reasonable and realize there has to be an exchange of money for goods at some level, but the direction we are pointing is not good. I fully expect to see future generations of DVD’s (Or whatever supersedes DVD’s) to include some sort of pay-per-view feature.

I read an article the other day where the interviewee was proposing a “micro-payment” system be implemented on TIVO type devices. His argument was when someone, for instance, backs up to repeat a section of video, skips across a commercial, etc. that action provides some value to the user and as such should be monetized.

Can you imagine, skip a few commercials, be automatically billed 4 or 5 cents. As far fetched and ridiculous as that sounds to us now, many of the restrictions that are in place and everyday occurrences now would have looked just as ridiculous years ago.

* For my example, I am defining a pro-sumer pirate as a technically adept regular guy, not looking to sell copies for profit. Typically he is motivated by the challenge of beating the protection or perhaps as a grass-roots rebellion against the terribly one-sided DMCA, or possibly just wants his content free of a string of commercials and advertisements.

[Ricklogic]

The studios have a good reason to cut out the middlemen ("disintermediation") - maximize profit, efficiency, and control. Since it will ultimately be commoditized, it will maximize the ability to compete on price, benefiting the consumer.

News Corp is thinking the same way (as probably the other majors are, also):

FROM VARIETY:

IGN pact Drives content

Gaming net bows pic, TV downloads
By STEVEN ZEITCHIK

News Corp.-owned gaming network IGN Entertainment has pacted with a number of studios to offer shows and pics...

Move extends News Corp.'s plan to favor its own network of sites for downloadable entertainment -- a plan that includes a push for shows on MySpace.com -- over sites owned by other congloms.

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117953939.html

[FrankLev]

Hunter said:" Legally, having CSS in place is a "signal" to users that copying is not allowed. In that sense it serves the same purpose as a fence on your property."

Hunter can you cite case law on users breaking CSS? No.

It is not really serious to say something is illegal if there is no case law.

DMCA and De-css issues in the courts have to do with producers of hardware, resellers of hacked firmware, and sellers of software.

The studios are clearly frightened they would lose any case on CSS breaking by consumers for backup or transfer to other device.

Why do you think they have scrupulously avoided bringing consumer decss cases to court despite many opportunities? they do not want another betamax decision -- which is what they would get

[WeaselBuddha]

Typecast or Shill,

Nobody cares anymore, if you aren't shill, we understand that you are both assholes, in the same mold. We know. It is so over.

Instead of his insipid self absorbed rants,

Adhoc CSS, is exactly as I anticipated. And isn't good news, but isn't horrible either.

We have a million ways to bypass CSS...

Though I can't figure out why people need to be able to get a just burned copy some low volume teen slasher flick, when we can't get classics like Becket ( or eight different cuttings of Army of Darkness vs. one cut of Kiss of the Spider Woman )

When the going gets weird, the Weird turn pro
-HSR

[gir]

"Nobody cares anymore, if you aren't shill."

That's the crux of it. For a while I gave his posts the benefit of the doubt, but they were just as opinionated and vitriolic. It doesn't really matter if it's the same person or not - they're still posts I want to avoid.

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