Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MPAA Chases Uploads, Ignores Open Sales of DVD-Rs?

Posted by Zonk on from the maybe-they're-just-lazy dept.

rbrander writes "Go to TVBoxSet.com and find a remarkable sales site for box sets of TV shows, including not only surprisingly cheap deals, but offerings not found elsewhere. For example, they have a set with all ten seasons of 'JAG'. The problem is that the production company is only up to season 4 so far. Google "tvboxset" and find every link below the first is to a complaint or news website complaining of the scam. Those who do shop at the site get a product that appears to be a DVD-R recorded off of cable. The really odd thing? They're still in business! A story at the Montreal Gazette about the scam is six weeks old. Now what's in it for the content industry to beat up private citizens with $220,000 judgements or scrambling to get DeCSS sites shut down within hours, while corporate scammers openly sell pirate DVDs for months on end, unopposed?"

10 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. They are just selling instant DVDs by Zarhan · · Score: 5, Funny

    "There's been a new venture in home video market - instant DVDs. They are out in stores before the movie is finished!"

    1. Re:They are just selling instant DVDs by trickyrickb · · Score: 5, Funny

      What the hell am I looking at? When does this happen
      in the movie?

    2. Re:They are just selling instant DVDs by Merls+the+Sneaky · · Score: 5, Funny

      You're looking at now, now.

    3. Re:They are just selling instant DVDs by RasputinAXP · · Score: 5, Funny

      But when will then be NOW?

    4. Re:They are just selling instant DVDs by ThePengwin · · Score: 5, Funny

      Soon!

    5. Re:They are just selling instant DVDs by Dark_Lord_Prime · · Score: 5, Funny

      Um.. yeah. That was the point of this series of posts/replies.

      Not the brightest color in the Spaceballs: The Crayons® box, are ya?

      --
      Come hear me sing!
  2. Wrong purpose by speaker+of+the+truth · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If the purpose was to go after infringers in order to recuperate lost sales, they wouldn't be going after housewives or children who pirate for personal use, they'd be going after commercial pirates. Y'know, the people that the ridiculously high penalties were created for?

    Instead the MPAA's purpose is to create an environment of fear. This is presumably so people will forget their fair use rights and give them up so the MPAA studios can put even more DRM on their products.

    --
    Using openSUSE instead of Windows since 9th of October, 2007 and liking it.
  3. microsoft too by ClippySay · · Score: 5, Funny

    / This is a home pirated version of       \
    | Clippy. Please turn to your local       |
    | Clippy retailer or a professional Jolly |
    \ Roger-compliant pirate.                 /
           \     ____
            \   / __ \
             \  O|  |O|
                ||  | |
                ||  | |
                ||    |
                 |___/

    --
    cpu0: Microsoft Clippium ("GenuineClippy" ChromedMetal-Class). Paperbinding, lockpicking, fish-hook-hack support.
  4. Re:Wow! by ShaunC · · Score: 5, Informative

    Anyway, perhaps the reason they aren't being pursued is that they may not be in the US. If they are in, for example, Russia, allofmp3 has shown how much fun suing them can be.
    TFA makes it fairly clear that this operatiion is based in Canada.
    --
    Thanks to the War on Drugs, it's easier to buy meth than it is to buy cold medicine!
  5. Re:Wow! by irc(addict) · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ah. THAT's why they are still going then.

    We all know Quebec isnt subject to Canada's laws.