DRM Group Set To Phase Out "Analog Hole"

eldavojohn writes "In yet another bid to make your life a little more annoying, our DRM overlords at the AACS Licensing Authority have released a new AACS Adopter Agreement. The riveting, 188-page PDF will inform you that — in the name of Digital Rights Management — there will be new limitations set on devices that decrypt Blu-Ray discs. HDMI already has the awesome encryption of HDCP between the device and the display unit. But Blu-Ray still has the Achilles heel of analog players that allow someone to merely re-encode the analog signal back to an unencrypted digital format. So if you have an analog HDTV, hang on to those analog decoders and hope they never break; by 2013 you won't be able to buy a new one. Ars points out the inherent stupidity in this charade: 'Particularly puzzling is the fact that plugging the so-called "analog hole" won't stop direct digital ripping, enabled by software such as AnyDVD HD. And even the MPAA itself recommends using a camcorder pointed at a TV as a way to make fair use copies, creating another analog hole.' And so the cat and mouse game continues. On that subject, DVD Jon's legit company just brought out a billboard ad for his product doubleTwist next to Apple's San Fransisco store. It reads, 'The Cure for iPhone Envy. Your iTunes library on any device. In seconds.' So while he's busy taunting Apple, I'm certain there are others who might have some free time to look at Blu-Ray and the 'uncrackable' AACS."

Comments

Re:BluRay?

[cjsm]

Yeah, HD DVD was actually better implemented then Blu-Ray. Blu-Ray had more storage capacity, but the HD DVD menus and interface were better designed and had more features, at least up until last year at the point in time when HD DVD expired. But Blu-Ray will keep on improving as time goes on.

Re:DRM

[AK Marc]

Not if they've restricted their property such that you cannot do so. Keep in mind what they are offering for sale is such a restricted product, and you're free to accept the restrictions or not to purchase it.

That does not compute. Did they sell it to me, in which case it's mine, and not "restricted" or did they not sell it to me? Ford sells a "restricted" car in that it comes with cheap tires, but they don't sue me if I replace them with better ones and tell others where to go to buy tires. Is it mine, or isn't it?

Actually, distribution may be permissible under fair use in some cases.

Excuse, me. Fuck you. You aren't arguing a point. You are arguing a fight. You take one stance in one sentence, and a different one in another. What good is "fair use" if you have a restricted product that removes all allowable fair use capabilities?

I think you have to understand that a person at the start of life (whenever you define that to be, that's another sticky topic altogether) has zero rights.

Not according to the people that granted them to us. We are endowed by the creator with inalienable rights. That makes you wrong. I don't know who you are arguing with, but you seem to be taking the law as the basis one one side (fair use is a completely arbitrary legal construct you argue from) and the philosophical stance on the other, ignoring law and precedent. Are you just bored? What is your point? You just tried to tear my statements apart, but used directly contradictory premises and logic to do so. You argued against yourself much more effectively than you argued against me. "Whenever you define that to be"? What the hell is that? Another attempt to not say anything, but instead get someone else to say something so you can attack it again? Next time, try saying something. You just came across as a bittle whiny little bitch this time. What are rights, and what are the rights regarding creative works for both the creator and the people the creator shares them with?

Re:DRM

[AK Marc]

There is no difference and if you think there is go back to 4th grade do not pass go do not collect your adult card.

You are funny. You are asserting that "society" and "a single person" are exactly the same thing. Perhaps you should grab a dictionary sometime and see what it says.