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Warner includes downloadable extras with latest Harry Potter DVD

10 October 2007 19:58 by Rich "vurbal" Fiscus | 11 comments

The Warner Home Video DVD release of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will include a feature that allows viewers to download the movie in a format suitable for PC or portable device playback. This is the second such offer from the studio. Superman Returns discs were sold at Wal-Mart with a similar feature for downloading that movie.

The move is interesting because it seems to represent at least the beginnings of a dialog with consumers regarding fair use. Besides including a second copy of the movie suitable for playback on a different device than the original DVD, it also theoretically removes technical barriers for making decent quality copies for format shifting for computers, mobile players, and other devices.

Of course the flip side of that arrangement is the continuation of DVD's DRM farce known as CSS. Instead of addressing what rights consumers should have in their own homes, this approach seems to simply switch from one false dilemna of copy protection vs. fair use for a less draconian situation where the studio graciously gives consumers what they could already get on their own in exchange for an unspoken agreement not to complain about DRM.

As the entertainment industry embraces the idea of recordable encryption like the new CSS implementation for DVD they will need to tread carefully on consumer rights. If cracking encryption to exercise fair use rights becomes a common practice among the general public, who knows what the courts are likely to say in the future about the authority of laws like the DMCA or EUCD to restrict otherwise legal copying.

Source: Video Business

Permalink to this article

Disney adds digital copy to new version of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (30 May 2008)

Latest Die Hard DVD to include a portable copy (16 October 2007)

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ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 10 October 2007 20:36
wouldn't it be faster to rip the bloody thing? [ + quote]
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 10 October 2007 20:38
double post! [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 10 October 2007 20:44
ZippyDSM (AfterDawn Addict) 10 October 2007 20:44
double post, again, the forum was having a fit last night 0-o [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 11 October 2007 5:10
nobrainer (Inactive) 10 October 2007 23:42
*Originally posted by ZippyDSM:* wouldn't it be faster to rip the bloody thing? imo, the one you can download is going to be in some sort of propertarian format zippy probably wmv or one of sony's delights, (joke) with reduced quality, which is good for your iPod but sucks for your notebook! i think everyone on these forums know as countless others do that css and macrovision is easily bypassed with tools like: DvD-Decrypter: http://www.dvddecrypter.org.uk/ anydvd: http://www.slysoft.com/en/ DVD Region+CSS Free: http://www.dvdidle.com/dvd-region-free.htm so the studios still not allowing you to do what you want with media you own still shows how conceited these corporations view is, in regards to your rights, your rights! Track What Companies Have Edited Wiki http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/ (very heavy load atm) [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 11 October 2007 0:34
chaos_zzz (Junior Member) 11 October 2007 5:23
can you imaignea police officer checking your ipor psp whatever on the subway "u got transfomers, lock this dude who does he think is " , since that's false who cares who is gonna know plus those rules are for the us here in latin america a copy of a dvd is $.90 of a dollar can you imagine the same movie you bought for 20 plus tax is here .90 they think they are losing moeny over the better take a look over here [ + quote]
emugamer (Member) 11 October 2007 7:57
I wouldn't want to use up bandwidth to download a copy of a movie that I can easily back up with DVD Decryptor. Thank you, but I'll create my own xvid with AutoGK with the quality that I want and no stupid protection, and get on with my life. I'll also mess around with the AVI, extact clips for avatars and use stills for signatures or posting on forums if I'm feeling creative. *Originally posted by nobrainer:* so the studios still not allowing you to do what you want with media you own still shows how conceited these corporations view is, in regards to your rights, your rights! I agree. Such conceit! [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 11 October 2007 7:59
Krmnnghia (Newbie) 11 October 2007 8:43
*Originally posted by chaos_zzz:* can you imaignea police officer checking your ipor psp whatever on the subway "u got transfomers, lock this dude who does he think is " , since that's false who cares who is gonna know plus those rules are for the us here in latin america a copy of a dvd is $.90 of a dollar can you imagine the same movie you bought for 20 plus tax is here .90 they think they are losing moeny over the better take a look over here WHAT!?!? [ + quote]
westbrom (Member) 11 October 2007 8:53
dont bother with extras anyhow [ + quote]
ydkjman (Junior Member) 11 October 2007 13:41
My question is are they going to offer this in more than one formart? Or just stupid WM format. *Are they going to charge me more on top of what I paid for the DVD to get this movie so I can play it on my iPod? If I want it that bad on my iPod then I will just rip it and convert it myself. [ + quote]
nobrainer (Inactive) 12 October 2007 6:01
*Originally posted by ydkjman:* My question is are they going to offer this in more than one formart? Or just stupid WM format. Are they going to charge me more on top of what I paid for the DVD to get this movie so I can play it on my iPod? If I want it that bad on my iPod then I will just rip it and convert it myself. what needs to happen is the drm to be removed altogether as a reduced quality video on your notebook running from the hard drive to increase battery performance is not going to change anything but until the disc is released we won't know 100%. if they are marketing this for the mobile video community (ipod smart phone ect) it will be have to be in mpeg4 so you can put it onto your ipod not just wmv. as i suspect will happen. hopefully i will be eating my hat, but i doubt that. Track What Companies Have Edited Wiki http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/ (very heavy load atm) [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 12 October 2007 6:03*
borhan9 (AfterDawn Addict) 22 October 2007 17:44
The fact of the matter i see this as a move in the right direction however i tend to agree with zippy :) [ + quote]