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Spielberg Bitten by DVD Encryption

diodesign writes "The Guardian newspaper has reported that 5000 DVD based preview copies of Spielberg's 'Munich' sent to reviewers in the UK can't be played due to the copy protection system involved. Human error at the laboratory where the DVDs were encrypted lead to the wrong region code being set, plus the reviewers use special players from Dolby that prevent the pirating of 'screeners'. An ironic twist in the on-going battle of DRM and media vs. consumers."

28 of 453 comments (clear)

  1. He'll have to by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

    go over to the lab and club them with his oscar.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  2. Well obviously... by Bin_jammin · · Score: 5, Funny

    it was region encoded wrong, Munich is in Germany, not in the UK.

    1. Re:Well obviously... by shani · · Score: 5, Funny

      All of Europe is Region 2.

      We just need to convince 60 million Brits that the UK is in Europe...

  3. At least... by darthservo · · Score: 5, Funny

    At least it wasn't Jaws.

    --

    Prove it.

    1. Re:At least... by Gryle · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're gonna need a bigger DVD player...

      --
      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not entirely sure about the universe - Einstein
  4. Screeners can't see movie? by chunews · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, if only Aeon Flux had been so lucky!

  5. Re:ouch by Flammon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Spielberg Bitten by DVD Encryption

    Did it hurt?

    No, but I heard something crack.

  6. Re:For one that didn't RFA by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Guardian newspaper has reported that 5000 DVD based preview copies of Spielberg's 'Munich' sent to reviewers in the UK can't be played due to the copy protection system involved.

    Oh, well - they'll just have to download the torrent, I guess.

  7. Re:Not a Terrible Blow to Copy Protection Really.. by SatanicPuppy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not a blow? Of course not! It is the culmination of DRM technology! Now they have a DVD that is perfectly secure!

    Many heads will rest easy, tonight.

    --
    ad logicam Claiming a proposition is false because it was presented as the conclusion of a fallacious argument.
  8. DVD - Don't View Dis by digitaldc · · Score: 3, Funny

    In other news, the VHS tape is making a huge resurgence in the video market for its low price, high duplicability, and general ease of use.

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  9. Let me be the first to say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Ha ha!"

  10. And ricjy freeway ... by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... is obviously not in a state of humor this morning.

  11. Re:ouch by Daedala · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, it didn't hurt. But in a few weeks, Spielberg will transform into DRM-Man, a superhero who can crack DES keys in his head, spin thousands of times a second in place, and spoof anyone's biometric credentials! He is dedicated to wiping out piracy everywhere in the world!

    ...Thus increasing global warming. The next chapter has a battle between DRM-Man and the Flying Spaghetti Monster!

    --
    What I say does not represent the views of my employers, my friends, my cats, or myself.
  12. Re:Special players? by Orne · · Score: 4, Funny

    If only we lived in a world where they included that information in the article, and there was some sort of reference that could allow us to read that article...

    "Developed by Cinea, a subsidiary of Dolby, the players permit their owners to view encrypted DVD "screeners", but prevent the creation of pirate copies."

  13. No, no, no ... by Ihlosi · · Score: 2, Funny
    "Someone pushed the wrong button,"



    No, no, no. Everyone knows there is only one correct region code, "1". Countries with other region codes are either figments of imagination or simply way too backwards to even know what a DVD is.

  14. question? by acroyear · · Score: 2, Funny

    are there really 5000 "reviewers" in the UK to start with? I didn't think there were *that* many newspapers left on the planet, much less great britain.

    --
    "But remember, most lynch mobs aren't this nice." (H.Simpson)
    -- Joe
  15. Re:Not a Terrible Blow to Copy Protection Really.. by xappax · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's like those Barbies that got shipped out with G.I. Joe voice boxes a few years ago.

    Actually, it would be pretty awesome if it was like those dolls, because that would mean that the Barbie Liberation Front (BLF) had somehow swapped a bunch of screener DVDs with "subversive" versions before they were sent out. And hey, I guess it's possible (though unlikely) that some disgruntled anti-DRM employee did decide to throw a monkeywrench into the gears...it's happened before.

    If I were going to do something like this deliberately though, I'd take it over the top - like insert an opening error screen which complains "This DVD media has not been registered with your retinal print. In order to view it, please submit a DNA sample and a government background check to the MPAA. You will be given a code good for a one-time viewing of this media. Thank you for your cooperation."

  16. Thanks to this, in the UK... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...nobody will want the Director's Cut.

    Thanks, I'll be here all week.

  17. Re:Not a Terrible Blow to Copy Protection Really.. by 10Ghz · · Score: 2, Funny

    One word for that: HA-HA!

    --
    Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
  18. It turned out okay by jpsowin · · Score: 3, Funny

    They just downloaded the torrent and were able to watch it.

  19. OT: Everyone In The UK Has Region ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or more importantly why, on these special encrypted DVD's, they would bother setting a region encoding!

    (In other words... Did you read the post you relied to?)

  20. Re:Why use region coding? by Eil · · Score: 5, Funny

    If they're using specially encrypted DVDs meant to only be played back on specially-made DVD players, why are they even bothering to region code them? This just reeks of stupidity...

    Hi, I see you're new to the film industry...

  21. Re:Linux users by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    These hollywood types probably also get laid on occasion.

  22. Re:bad luck? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Unfortunately, I live in the real world and have to live with the consequences of my negligence.

    Coming from username "BushCheney08", this is perfect.

  23. Re:Not a Terrible Blow to Copy Protection Really.. by operagost · · Score: 2, Funny
    It's like those Barbies that got shipped out with G.I. Joe voice boxes a few years ago.
    I would have turned lemons into lemonade and repackaged the faulty dolls as "Militant Lesbian Barbie." Or maybe "Incomplete Transgender Modification Barbie."
    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  24. Munich the film = ridiculously flawed facts by Jackie_Chan_Fan · · Score: 3, Funny

    The Palestinian terrorist (Black September) did infact use guns, and not walkie talkies.

    F'n Speilberg, leave your movies alone! ET phone home. :)

  25. Re:Region Code is not Copy Protection by Noehre · · Score: 5, Funny

    That, my friends, is quality ownage.

  26. Re:Not a Terrible Blow to Copy Protection Really.. by ZachPruckowski · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now, what'd be funny is if they turned to BitTorrent to get it by tomorrow.