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Copy Protection Backfires on Blu-ray

Posted by Zonk on from the won't-wait-two-minutes-for-a-movie dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The first two Blu-ray releases to hit the market encrypted with BD+ (an extra layer of protection designed to stave off hackers) are wreaking havoc on innocent consumers. As High-Def Digest reports, this week's Blu-ray releases of 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' and 'The Day After Tomorrow' won't play back at all on at least two Blu-ray players, while load times on other players (including the PS3) are delayed by up to two minutes. 'The most severe problems have been reported on Samsung's BDP-1200 and LG's BH100, which are both said to be incapable of playing back the discs at all. Less catastrophic issues (error messages and playback stutter) have been reported for Samsung's BDP-1000. The discs appear to play back fine on all other Blu-ray players ... Calls placed to both Samsung and LG customer support revealed that both manufacturers are aware of the issue, and that both are working on firmware updates to correct it. Samsung promised a firmware update within 'a couple' weeks, while LG said an update is expected in 3-4 days.'"

22 of 378 comments (clear)

  1. Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The players are probably programmed not to play shitty movies

  2. Only the RIAA could match this stupidity by nrich239 · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the head of the MPAA: "I KNOW! Lets put so much protection on the new discs that people can't even watch the movie! That'll stop those pesky pirates..."

    1. Re:Only the RIAA could match this stupidity by cstdenis · · Score: 5, Funny

      Excellent. Now we know anyone watching one of our movies is a pirate and can sue them more easily.

      --
      1984 was not supposed to be an instruction manual.
  3. This just in by MyNameIsEarl · · Score: 5, Funny

    This just in: Sony now says playing a Bluray disc you just purchased is pirating. More to come.

    1. Re:This just in by Necreia · · Score: 5, Funny

      You just have to close one eye... both open is considered double-viewing.

    2. Re:This just in by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      That's what the eyepatch is for.

    3. Re:This just in by Terrasque · · Score: 5, Funny

      But.. Wouldn't seeing it with one eye be considered pirate-viewing?

      --
      It's The Golden Rule: "He who has the gold makes the rules."
  4. Intelligent chip! by jacobcaz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Obviously Blu-Ray DVD owners should have bought an Intelligent Chip and this wouldn't have happened. The "quantum material" would have upgraded and fixed all of their problems! :-)

  5. This is a problem? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Preventing people from having to watch Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer should be commended as a public service.

  6. thanks by syrinx · · Score: 5, Funny

    this week's Blu-ray releases of 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' and 'The Day After Tomorrow' won't play back at all on at least two Blu-ray players

    That's awfully nice of them. Maybe they'll extend the service to the complete works of Uwe Boll next.

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
  7. Re:hollywood's perfect anti-theft technique by Cecil · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's true, it works. I doubt anyone pirated E.T. the game... although anyone who bought it probably wished they had...

    --
    Random and weird software I've written.
  8. The First Step... by morari · · Score: 2, Funny

    Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer' and 'The Day After Tomorrow' won't play back at all[...] Wow, how awesome is that? I really hope that Sony continues to deliver this level of customer service. Now that they've begun blocking such "films", they need to work out how to make watching the worthwhile ones mandatory.
    --
    "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
  9. Only a two minute wait? by hansamurai · · Score: 3, Funny

    Geez, it's at least ten times that at my local theater!

    --
    Reviewing just the first hour of video games.
  10. Re:Couldn't a hacker... by jon287 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yep, welcome to the brave new media world. Each and every new disc will require a firmware update just to play. Think of it as a kind of 2 factor authentication, only it sucks.

    --
    To boldly use to and too two times and get it right too! They're not gonna believe their eyes when they see it there!
  11. Re:this is really turning me away from HD movies by TimothyDavis · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is excellent! To get HD content, you can just download it from us! No need for a disk! The only reason we backed HD-DVD is to keep the market split until we could deliver our technology. Love, Microsoft

  12. Re:Question by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Maybe I'm behind the times here, but how the hell do you flash an appliance to update the firmware? First of all, make sure to close the blinds and get all of the children out of the room.
    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  13. Its A Feature! by target562 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Those players contain a new feature which keeps you from playing movies that suck.

  14. Re:That's the real test by GreyPoopon · · Score: 2, Funny

    BD+ was one of their main selling point to the studios. If it fails it can't be fixed, and they could lose studio support.

    All in favor of calling a moratorium on cracking BD+ say "aye"! If we convince the studios that BD+ is better, we'll end the "format wars" a lot quicker. Once we only have one viable format, we can always end the moratorium.
    --

    GreyPoopon
    --
    Why is it I can write insightful comments but can't come up with a clever signature?

  15. Ding.... by Z-Knight · · Score: 4, Funny

    Every time a DVD (Blu-Ray or other) fails, a new Pirate gets his wings.

  16. Re:hollywood's perfect anti-theft technique by pjt33 · · Score: 4, Funny

    As Roy from the I.T. crowd put it: "Man, these anti-piracy ads are getting really mean."

  17. Re:Obligatory -- offtopic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny
    When I tried to do it I wasn't allowed to, so perhaps that's an update to iTunes that wasn't out at the time. The problem though is that I shouldn't have to wait, or it should be easy and seamless to understand.

    No, I suspect your iPod was "bound" to your iTunes on your computer. Your iPod has no way to know you'r married to the person on the other computer (or possibly the same person if you bound one to your work computer and one to your home computer). What you are asking for therefor is "Why can't I plug my iPod into anyone's computer and copy all their music to my iPod?". I have three iPods on my iTunes w/o a hiccup, two for me an my girlfriends shuffle. Never had an issue.

    If I take a CD and I stick into my computer, it plays. That same CD plays in my truck, on my portable CD player, in my TV's DVD drive, on my various consoles, etc...

    Really? You have a magic CD that plays without a CD player? Or are you playing it like a cymbal?

  18. Re:hollywood's perfect anti-theft technique by Michael+Wardle · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's like the crew that put the DVD's together said "Ok, let's cut the bollocks, we're talking about some movie magic here. Let's not put in anything to detract from it."


    Either that or there was no room left on the disc. ;-)