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MPAA Plans To Launch Movie Links Site
eldavojohn writes "To combat piracy, the MPAA's latest idea involves a site that would allow users to search for a movie and then provide links to legit legal downloads or ticket purchases for it. Why are they doing this? Because their research showed 'many users have a hard time differentiating between legal and illegal content online.' And all this time I thought people pirated movies because it was cheaper to do! Turns out they were just confused."
The complaint that FairPlay requires specific software is a) hardly unique, since just about every DRM system does, and b) effectively false.
I don't claim that iTunes is perfect - the downloading of extra software is particularly troublesome - but it's a pretty decent piece of jukebox software.
Besides, Apple at least has shown a history of at least appearing to listen to customers' requests. Witness, for example, the advent of "iTunes Plus" songs on the iTMS.
So you can laugh all you want to...
Apples and oranges. We're talking about DRM here, not rootkits. Compare iTunes to Sony Connect, not to their CD rootkits. Else you might as well drag in the copy protection on Apple II 5.25" floppies too.
The distinction's not as clear as you seem to think. With the iTunes/FP setup, I install media, know my options with regard to said media, and I choose to continue using the software regulating those rights.
Sony's solution", however, meant I didn't get to know my options, didn't get to make any decisions regarding what went on my box, etc.
There's a clear contrast, and an important one, as far as I'm concerned. With one, I'm fully aware of what's happening - even if I disagree with it - while with the other I'm duped for just attempting to play a CD.
Now, I don't know if you really wanted to compare FairPlay to this defunct service, but it's a no-brainer to me. As long as I keep a local copy of my AAC files & iTunes (or de-FairPlayed AAC files and any of a number of options) I get to keep listening to my music. Connect managed to come through with instructions on how to avoid the fate that customers of other fee-based services have endured, but why go with such a service in the first place? Gimme a local copy any time.
So you can laugh all you want to...
A year ago I was working on a PDA based Media PC controller. I could, from work, on my wifi-enabled PDA, pull up the week's line up for all of my local cable channels, set up reminders, flag shows for recording, change the media PC's channel, start up DVD's, change the volume, etc... on the media PC sitting in my living room.
For anyone who's interesting in doing this for themselves, check out MythTV. You can log into a web interface and see your lineup, schedule recordings, etc. There's also a web-based remote, so you can sit on the couch with your PDA and use it to change channels over Wifi.
Plus, if you're using it to record stuff from your cable connection, there's nothing illegal about it. At least, not yet.
"Anyone who [rips a CD] is probably engaging in copyright infringement." - David O. Carson
Yeah, that's why since iTMS has been up, more people are buying their music opposed to using p2p networks to grab it.
The fact is, most people will buy something if it works, is cheap and convenient enough. The fact is, charging as much for a DVD copy for a sub-dvd quality, and none of the extras is BS... If you got at least DVD quality, and had the program ability to burn the movie to a DVD, then that would probably sway a few.. charge 25% less than the hardcopy DVD with those features, and sales would probably go very well...
Me, I go to the movies about 2-3x a month. I don't watch too many shows, and usually DVR those I do watch. The series I like, I buy on DVD... I spend maybe $500-1000 USD a year on DVDs... This has been a bit less this past year since DVD series have been going down in price. Do I do torrents of these same series? yes.. why, because ripping/re-encoding takes time, and it's sometimes just easier to download it already done. Why? because I have an MCE computer in my living room, and like to just choose a movie without fussing with disks.
Once people can get a hardware player that hooks to their TV with 1TB+ of drive space, for
The trouble with DRM is you are stuck with whatever scheme is in place for checking the DRM... if it relies on a 3rd party service to validate, what happens in 5-10 years, or if the service goes out of business. DRM'd media won't work in the long run. It pisses customers off, and pissed off customers == lost future sales.
I still have yet to buy anything from Sony in several years now after the CD DRM crap they pulled... I don't buy/play games with DRM after the BS of trying to get some of them to even install. I put my money where my mouth is, and don't buy the crap. I was about ready to buy an HD-DVD player when the pricing approaced $200, but then Sony got some MPAA and other movie execs laid or something and the bottom fell out...
Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
Otherwise, you might as well ban ski masks because so many robbers and terrorists use them.
Actually, it's my understanding that you are not allowed to wear ski masks inside public places, nor at public demonstrations... for precisely these reasons. About 10 years ago, I was accosted by a convenience store clerk as I entered the store, and told that I had to remove my ski mask or they would call the police. It was approximately 20 degrees Farenheit outside, and this was before the 9/11 fiasco.
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10 - Plays on everything (no DRM)
9 - No DRM
8 - No need for an internet connection (no DRM)
7 - My 4 yr old wont scratch it
6 - I don't have to rewind (or put it back in the case)
5 - No trailers (I bought the movie, why do I need to watch trailers?!?)
4 - No DVD menus (I don't want wait 2 minutes to watch a mandatory intro to the movie I'm about it watch)
3 - I can't even choose what commands work on my remote (looks like they blocked the Menu button here, or I can't fast forward this part, etc)
2 - I can find nearly any movie in DVD quality in under 30 seconds.
1 - No FBI warning