Slashdot Mirror
A Chip on DVDs Could Prevent Theft
Dieppe writes "A simple chip added to a DVD disk could prevent retail theft. According to the AP article at MSNBC, the chip would be activated at the register to make a previously dark area of the DVD clear, and therefore readable. Could this help to stem the tide of the approximate $400 million dollars in losses from brick and mortar stores? Game console DVDs could also be protected this way too. Could this help to bring the prices down on DVD games and movies?"
Have you ever walked out of a store, and had the security alarm go off because the idiot at the register failed to deactivate the security device? Now picture this: you get home with your new DVD. Three days later, you and your SO finally have a block of time in which to watch this new DVD that you've been wanting to see. It won't play (see above idiot). Now, not only is that evening 'blown', but you have to go back to the store (you kept the receipt, right?), and ask them to activate your disc, while they try to figure out whether your DVD is stolen (even if you have the receipt, it might not be for this copy of that title).
Yes, this will inconvenience hundreds of thousands of customers. Why does this industry insist on making their product harder to use for legal customers?
Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it. --Mark Twain
It wont realy help, there just trying to push some new Tec. Also how much money with theis tec cost them when it doesn't work and starts screwing up peoples dvds. Sony BMG comes to mind.