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Limited-Use DVD Technology

ps_inkling writes: "Two companies are creating different techniques to make DVD discs unusable after a set period of time. SpectraDisc has a patent on a limited-play DVD technology; FlexPlay is currently developing limited play DVD technology. The SpectraDisc technique is to coat the DVD with a film, then wrap the DVD in an anaerobic package. The idea is to sell these 'play-once' DVD movies at a substantial discount to regular DVDs as a way to compete with pay-per-view or movie ticket outlets."

18 of 619 comments (clear)

  1. Nitrogen by 1/137 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wouldn't that make Nitrogen gas illegal under the DMCA as a circumvention?

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  2. One time? Pfft...easy.. by SamMichaels · · Score: 5, Funny

    Once is all I need to copy it :)

  3. Bad by oregon · · Score: 4, Funny

    The next thing you know, they'll be trying to sell us eat-once popcorn to go with our play-once dvd

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    Oregon
    1. Re:Bad by jellybear · · Score: 5, Funny

      I like eat-once popcorn too. The other stuff is shit.

  4. Re:waste by Hal-9001 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Welcome to Dubya's America?

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    "It take 9 months to bear a child, no matter how many women you assign to the job."
  5. Biodegradable by sgtron · · Score: 3, Funny

    How about DVDs that disintegrate after a period of time? Maybe after subjected to the heat of a DVD player or something. Then you have no waste. Like those packing peanuts made of starch. They disolve in water so you don't have to worry about styrofoam waste from packing material anymore.

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    No todo lo que es oro brilla
  6. OK, This is IT! by ekrout · · Score: 1, Funny

    OK, This is IT!

    If I hear one more "didn't they try this with DIVX", or "I thought Circuit City...", etc., I'll inflict harm upon someone in this lab I'm currently sitting in! Inflicting harm is kinda like DIVX, isn't it, but instead of "play once and it's done" it's "punch once and they're done"?

    Sorry, too much caffeine today :-/

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    1. Re:OK, This is IT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      hey... didn't circuit city have some divx thing that didn't turn out too well? ;-)

    2. Re:OK, This is IT! by ryanr · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yes, I noticed that too. I have to wonder if there aren't some market research people out there saying this to each-other:

      "Hey, you don't think consumers and retail establishments will associate this with DIVX, do you?"

      "I dunno, let's put out a press release, and see what the reaction is..."

  7. This technology was already pioneered... by Xpilot · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... on Mission Impossible. Jim sticks in those shiny discs in and it self destructs after it plays once...

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  8. Re:Poor 'ittle planet... by dangermouse · · Score: 2, Funny
    That was my first thought, too. The last thing we need is to take something that's currently distributed electronically and distribute it on truckloads of instant trash instead.

    Talk about your giant step backward.

  9. Re:Why Would I Buy This?-reuse. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "But if I buy a product, I damn well want to use it more than once! (Well, a data-carrying product, anyway. Food is a different story...)"'

    How about toilet paper?

  10. Re:I thought this had been done with DivX... by OO7david · · Score: 2, Funny

    So rip a DivX to DivX ;-)? My brain hurts.

  11. Re:waste by Safety+Cap · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...they will actually result in a net benefit to the environment.

    Kind of like how all those AOL DVDs are a net benefit to the environment, huh?

    It'll be a net benefit, alright, when no one buys it!

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  12. 2003: Nail Polish producer arrested under DMCA by saikou · · Score: 2, Funny

    Evening news:
    Today an undeground nail polish producer was arrested for making illegal substance to protect limited-play discs from limiting the play. Ever since limited play discs were adopted by movie studios all legal make-up companies stopped manufacturing of clear nail polish, as a thin layer of it, applied to the surface of the disc, prevents it from expiring. Last week authorities confiscated 20 gallon clean nail polish liquid from illegal alien, trying to smuggle it in through Mexican border, and today an undeground lab got busted.

    In Entertainment news: Britney Spears new video release "My Smashing Songs" on limited play dvds have to be unlocked first by bathing th disc in diet pepsi. Dr. Pepper claims it can also be washed in diet Dr. Pepper, though quality of playback is not guaranteed...

    p.s. as usual -- everything above is made up :)

  13. An Application by rlp · · Score: 5, Funny

    How 'bout a copy of Battlefield Earth that self-destructed before you watched it. I'd pay some bucks for that ...

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  14. Re:DivX by telecaster · · Score: 5, Funny

    (AP) - Hollywood Exec's have filed a lawsuit against... All of Mankind.

    Hollywood Executives today have filed a lawsuit and a motion to stop all
    of Mankind from infringing on what they calling "long-term memory copyright infringment".

    It seems that Hollywood fears that Mankind might actually retain copyrighted
    material in long-term memory -- which Hollywood claims is a violation of the
    digital copyright laws.

    Tom Werner has been quoted recently as saying: "We've suspected for a long time
    that most people retain what they see on television or in a movie for months, and we
    believe that we are losing millions and maybe billions of dollars of revenue
    because of this phenomenon. What we'd like to see is that all of Mankind simply
    forget what they just saw within in a reasonable time frame, or atleast until
    AFTER a show goes into syndication, and NOT steal copyrighted material by holding
    it in memory."

    The Holywood heavyweight and creator of Friends, a popular televion show which
    airs on NBC, has been working closely with lobbyists to try and move a
    bill into congress that would mandate all of Mankind to simply erase what
    they watched on televsion or saw in a theatre within in a "reasonable time frame" before
    they are in a 'copyright violation situation'.

    Opponents of the law are having problems the language, mainly around the
    terms "reasonable time frame". But insiders believe that eventually Hollywood
    will be succesful in moving this law through congress and by doing so it will
    require all of Mankind will to eventually forget anything that has been
    copyrighted or trademarked. If Mankind does not do so in a "reasonable timeframe",
    they (we) could stand to pay another "rental or transaction fee comparable to
    the original fee."

    The Artist Formally Known As Prince, has issued a
    press release by saying, "The System is broken and now they need to find another way to
    make more off the work of the actor, artist and musician. The artist is the
    real loser in this situation. Now company's want to collect on copyrighted material
    that you've remembered? Where and how does the artist get paid for this?
    And what if two people want to swap memories? How do they handle that?
    I think this will only force more artists to move towards a 'lifetime
    memory subscription model', this way it will cut out the middle man and ensure that
    the artist gets what he or she deserves."

    ...hey, its friday

  15. Re:waste by arazor · · Score: 2, Funny

    >Two words:

    >Kyoto Treaty

    >If anything has demonstrated the American President has no interest in preserving the planet for future generations then it is t

    FYI Enron wanted Bush to support Kyoto take that and smoke it...