DRM Still Sucks
Engadget HD reports that Apple customers are now experiencing problems playing movies on some monitors and TVs that aren't HDCP-compliant.
Some Netflix customers have experienced a similar HDCP problem with Netflix streaming, all because the studios are worried that pirates will be able to make a copy of the movie, and yet it's easy to rip DVD & Blu-ray movies. No matter what the studios use to protect content, it's typically only a few days before the pirates are able to break it.
I'm having a DRM problem with my Windows XP Media Center PC. It's been my DVR for almost 3 years, and after recent updates I'm now unable to play some unprotected TV shows (and I'm not the only one with this problem). I've spent a few hours trying to figure out what went wrong, and it's incredibly frustrating -- it stops playing the TV show about 10 minutes before the show is over and gives the following error:
Between Netflix and Hulu, most of the shows I want to see are available online or on DVD, but DRM has crippled my Media Center PC.
The only people inconvenienced by DRM are the paying customers, as it doesn't seem to slow the pirates at all.
There is a solution to your HTPC DRM problems. Switch to SageTV or BeyondTV. They don't cripple your HTPC with DRM.
Posted by: brent | November 21, 2008 at 08:39 AM
No son of mine is gonna play any foos-ball, and DRM is the Debil.
Posted by: 'Mama' Boucher | November 21, 2008 at 08:59 AM
No son of mine is gonna play any foos-ball, and DRM is the Debil.
Posted by: 'Mama' Boucher | November 21, 2008 at 09:00 AM
There's a lot of chatter going on over at www.avsforum.com about some of the TV broadcast programs around the USofA are experiencing the CP-flag. People with DVR's (TiVo, DishTV, DirectTV) that are trying to dub to DVD burners are seeing failures during the commercial breaks, usually minutes into the program. This seems very similar to the problem that's reported here. Conspiracy theorists are thinking the RIAA is imposing this form of DRM in the TV realm because of the music used commericals. One thing is known for certain, when the commericals are editted out of the TS, the CP-Flag issue is also removed.
Posted by: dAVe | November 21, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Why don't you switch over to the Silverlight Beta which uses a better DRM? OR did you call tech support?
Posted by: DJ | November 21, 2008 at 06:29 PM
i have the same problem when trying to playback videos downloaded from legitimate teaching websites where a subscription is paid DRM blows wish they would stop screwing it up for those of us who actually pay for these things and only want to view content we pay fees to get
Posted by: cujothetech | December 03, 2008 at 09:23 AM
I HATE DRM....ever since I added a new CPU, there is NO WAY TO WATCH A "WATCH INSTANTLY"
movie...I HAVE TRIED EVERY THING...
What good is a feature you CANNOT access...
AND, YEA, I AM A PAYING CUSTOMER!
phutc7274
Posted by: Phutc7274 | January 02, 2009 at 06:01 PM