Warner Bros. Embarrasses Self, Everyone, With New “Disc-to-Digital” Program

[teh603]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

It's about companies wanting to seize control over what you do with a product after you buy it, wanting you to basically pay over and over again for the same thing. A bizarre form of planned obsolescence.

To me, modifying something you already own is no different than baking your own chocolate chip cookies instead of buying them from the store. If I am doing something myself, I don't need the service.

I own the thing, it's mine, the original seller can just buzz off.

You've already forgotten the original implementation of DiVX? You buy a movie disc, and every time you play it, the player bills your credit card if you haven't bought an expensive non-transferrable Gold Pass for that movie. Its a technology that mostly went the way of the Betamax, for obvious reasons. No matter what the movie houses released as DiVX, retailers preferred to stock DVDs and customers preferred to buy them.

You also don't technically own it; you're bound by a contract of adhesion to not do certain things from the moment you open the wrapper. I wouldn't be surprised if you've missed your date to report to the Gates mansion as a towel boy.

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by Catlady

The reason I'd pay a nominal fee is that I DO value my time--I'd have to first teach myself how to strip the DVDs--I don't know how to do that. So I see the system as a way to save some time, if it's priced low enough.

Seems like it's the same as paying for a paper book to e-book conversion--I'd weigh the price of the service against the time it would take to do it myself.

The only reason you have to spend time learning to do it is that companies are not allowed to provide an integrated product that's as seamless as ripping a cd to mp3/aac like iTunes.

If it wasn't for the added DRM, we'd likely have numerous products out to allow you to create a digital home library of all your DVDs and BluRays much like an iTunes library. The annoying part of that is that the DRM isn't doing its job, it's not stopping people pirating movies (and technically can never do so).

If those products existed and a service was still offered, then I doubt anyone would be against it. I can see a reason behind the paper book to ebook services too, it does take time to OCR a book on your own and if someone else is willing to do it cheap enough then it worth weighing up the time/cost involved. However for movies, it's pretty much an automated process with the correct software and annoying that DRM/DMCA is the reason behind useful products been taken off the market.

I'd have no issues with companies selling multiple versions of the exact same movie if it wasn't illegal to convert your existing copy to a new format. Got the dvd and want an ipod version, rip/convert it. Can't be bothered, buy it from iTunes. Want a higher quality version, buy/rip the BluRay and down convert to ipod versions. There's ample opportunity to charge customers again to buy new versions of a film where the new version actually offers a change in quality eg DVD -> BluRay -> 3D. However trying to sell you a lower resolution version just because it's illegal to rip and convert your DVD or BluRay is nothing more than a scam imho (even if it's a legally enforced scam).

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by teh603

You've already forgotten the original implementation of DiVX? You buy a movie disc, and every time you play it, the player bills your credit card if you haven't bought an expensive non-transferrable Gold Pass for that movie. Its a technology that mostly went the way of the Betamax, for obvious reasons. No matter what the movie houses released as DiVX, retailers preferred to stock DVDs and customers preferred to buy them.

You also don't technically own it; you're bound by a contract of adhesion to not do certain things from the moment you open the wrapper. I wouldn't be surprised if you've missed your date to report to the Gates mansion as a towel boy.

I am going to have to google DiVX. I haven't bought DVDs for years, but the ones I do have I have been able to play without a credit card being billed.

Edited: DiVX is something I have neither used nor experienced. So yes, I've already forgotten it But seriously, that is an absolute rip off to those who have! And people wonder why I borrow DVDs from the library?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by JoeD

The only reason you have to spend time learning to do it is that companies are not allowed to provide an integrated product that's as seamless as ripping a cd to mp3/aac like iTunes.

If it wasn't for the added DRM, we'd likely have numerous products out to allow you to create a digital home library of all your DVDs and BluRays much like an iTunes library. The annoying part of that is that the DRM isn't doing its job, it's not stopping people pirating movies (and technically can never do so).

We DO have numerous such products. Do a Google search for "DVD ripping software".

[teh603]

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

Edited: DiVX is something I have neither used nor experienced. So yes, I've already forgotten it But seriously, that is an absolute rip off to those who have! And people wonder why I borrow DVDs from the library?

I get mine from the used book stores. *shrug*

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by teh603

I get mine from the used book stores. *shrug*

That too

[catsknit]

Originally Posted by GreenMonkey

But thanks to DRM and the DMCA we have none of the convenient, easy programs or devices that we have for music and for CDs.

I'm willing to bet money, though, that if someone had figured out how to add DRM to CDs long ago, they would have. It just never occurred to them until something like Napster took off, and by then the horse was out of the barn. So now they've gone overboard on ebooks and DVDs as a knee-jerk reaction.

[Namekuseijin]

I vote for eternal copyright and licencing between interested parties, i.e. to discuss usage of classic character in new settings, say, "Sherlock Holmes and the case of the rabbid Star Trek fans".

And hungry mouths always eager to pay for new old bread everyday.

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We DO have numerous such products. Do a Google search for "DVD ripping software".

Yes I'm aware of the products that can break the protection and rip to disk, however they're still skirting the law, see the RealDVD case as an example. In fact, I'll be watching the BluRay of Harry Potter the Prisoner of Azkaban later tonight and having to use one such program in order to do so, since the Mac has no officially licensed software players available

Then consider that ripping and playing back a bluray/dvd from your home library is becoming harder due to audio watermarking. It's now mandatory for all future bluray players to check for the watermark as well. Whilst it's still possible to playback on a home PC, it's getting harder with streaming/playback on dedicated devices. For example, playback on the PS3 of watermarked content is no longer possible (unless you get into firmware hacking or use an older firmware version and accept the issues that can bring with regards to being banned from online play)

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by HarryT

We DO have numerous such products. Do a Google search for "DVD ripping software".

Are you sure that this software is legal in your region of the world? A popular option in the States, AnyDVD, is based in the West Indies because of legalities.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by JoeD

In fact, I'll be watching the BluRay of Harry Potter the Prisoner of Azkaban later tonight and having to use one such program in order to do so, since the Mac has no officially licensed software players available

What about http://www.macblurayplayer.com/ ???

My Mac has no BluRay drive so I have no idea if it's good software or not.

[JoeD]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

What about http://www.macblurayplayer.com/ ???

My Mac has no BluRay drive so I have no idea if it's good software or not.

My gut reaction tells me that's more likely to be a scam than legit. I could be wrong, but when I first heard about it and googled it there were more than enough people posting that it doesn't work, freezes or crashes on various films.

There's been a few cases where the current free method of decoding bluray's has been re-packaged by various people and sold as though it's a new/full product. Not saying that's the case with the above, but until I see a reputable site with a full review (and not just a repackaged press release style review) of the product and know the company making it is officially licensed I'll stay clear of it.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by MovieBird

Are you sure that this software is legal in your region of the world? A popular option in the States, AnyDVD, is based in the West Indies because of legalities.

I don't know if it's legal and, to be frank, neither do I care. It's silly to have laws which restrict format conversion of legally-purchased media.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't know if it's legal and, to be frank, neither do I care. It's silly to have laws which restrict format conversion of legally-purchased media.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I don't know if it's legal and, to be frank, neither do I care. It's silly to have laws which restrict format conversion of legally-purchased media.

While that may be true, we're once again back to there being the "paid, legal version" of format-shifting versus the "free, illegal version".

Which is what many people in this thread object to: these companies (attempting to) spend tax money to hunt "criminals" who are only 'criminal' in the sense that they want to do the things they deserve to be able to morally do with the entertainment they've already bought.