Americans Want More Freedom With DVDs

Uhm, not quite!

The argument that "Real Networks, however, claims that only the owners of DVDs can download a copy to their computers" is incorrect. There's absolutely no way to know if the DVD that was inserted was one the user owned or if it was merely rented. And that's what has the studios concerned. Real claims (wink, wink) they don't think anyone would ever do that but concedes there's no way to prevent a "rent-rip-return" scenario.

Also, in order to make RealDVD work, they have to be able to copy discs that have copy protection. Well, guess what? You can't do that. The Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) says you can make backup copies of copyrighted works but not if doing so requires defeating any copy protection. Whether RealDVD's method of copying a copy-protected DVD does or does not amounts to "defeating" copy protection is an issue on which we could certainly disagree, but it's disingenuous to pretend it's not a serious question.

Finally, while surveys may indeed show that consumers would like to make copies of their DVDs, I think it's unfair to report on those surveys but conceal the fact that they were paid for by RealNetworks.

But if we concede that consumers probably would like to make digital copies of their movies, the next question seems to be, who should be allowed to make money off those copies? The movie companies have already stepped up on their own, releasing two versions of their latest movies, one with and one without the right to download a single digital copy. No surprise, they charge a couple bucks more if you also want the copy on your PC. But is it fair for Real to step in and make the copy for you? What right do they have to the content?

DVD

The latest DVD I purchased, "Marley and Me", the Blu-Ray edition included three discs: (1) the Blu-Ray version (2) a standard definition version of the DVD and (3) a DVD called a digital version that can be download to a computer or a portable media player. Maybe the movie industry is waking up. It certainly made the premium I had to pay for a Bi-Ray Disc more palatable. Best Buy charged the same price as any new release on Blu Ray. I is called the “3 Disc Bad Dog Edition.

DVD lease

Consumers do not "buy" DVD's. The RIAA/MPAA allows consumers to "lease" the rights to view the dvd copyrighted material. You only purchased the physical media, not the actual movie. If you scratch it, then buy another one. Brought to you by the people that sue kids and anyone else deemed to use P2P to down load music and movies.

Other's beleive when they

DVD Copy Software

Finally someone is starting to give the consumer a voice. Of course we want to make backup copies of DVDs that we own! Every parent in America has had to buy a second or third copy of Disney and other animated DVDs because kids watch them over and over at home, on trips, etc. etc. We can and should be able to make backup "working" copies of our DVD movies, and keep the original safely stored away. No matter what Hollywood does, consumer will exercise their fair use rights. Thankfully, there are dozens of consumer dvd copying programs that enable us to one-click copy ANY commercial DVD movie. The best dvd copy software programs are listed, ranked and compared side-by-side at: www.dvdxcopy.com

Americans Want More Freedom With DVDs

Perhaps the DVD Publishers could include software on the DVD's to copy one copy of the Movie to anywhere the customer chooses. Use a Unique Serial Number that is included to authorize it.