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RealNetworks sues Hollywood over RealDVD

30 September 2008 13:32 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 12 comments

Earlier this month we reported that a legal DVD ripping application was coming from RealNetworks by the end of the month.

The software, RealDVD, has now successfully launched today and with the launch RealNetworks has also announced they have filed a lawsuit against the major Hollywood studios hoping to have the court rule that the program "fully complies with the DVD Copy Control Association's license agreement."

The suit names the DVD Copy Control Association, Inc., Disney, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, and Twentieth Century Fox among others.

RealNetworks claims that the software "allows consumers to securely store, manage and play their DVDs on their computers" and "does not enable users to distribute copies of their DVDs." It also mentions that RealDVD adds another layer of DRM to the ripped movies which makes it much harder to move to films off the computer that has the program installed.

"We are disappointed that the movie industry is following in the footsteps of the music industry and trying to shut down advances in technology rather than embracing changes that provide consumers with more value and flexibility for their purchases," RealNetworks said in a statement. "For nearly 15 years RealNetworks has created innovative products that are fully legal, great for consumers, and respectful of the legitimate interests of content creators and rights holders. RealDVD follows in that tradition. We expect to successfully defend our right to make RealDVD available to consumers and consumers' rights to use it."

Permalink to this article | Topic: Lawsuits & Legislation

Hollywood suit against RealDVD meant to stifle innovation, says EFF (11 October 2008)

Restraining order on RealDVD stays in place (8 October 2008)

RealDVD taken down temporarily (6 October 2008)

Legal DVD ripping now available from Real (8 September 2008)

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13thHouR (Inactive) 30 September 2008 15:35
Not that real is a role model, but good for them to pursue this as it shows just what the movie industry thinks about users being able to freely move media they have legally purchased across devices and make a back up. even with their drm intact it's still not allowed unless you purchase it from them. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has in fact filed suit today against RealNetworks. *Quote:* "RealNetworks' RealDVD should be called StealDVD," explained Greg Goeckner, MPAA Executive Vice President and General Counsel. The RIAA - BPI - IFPI - CRIA - Ect - Ect Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI. The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX. Dont allow them to hide behind the trade body names, name and shame em. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 30 September 2008 15:51
1bonehead (Senior Member) 30 September 2008 17:07
This is unreal [ + quote]
ddp (Moderator) 30 September 2008 19:24
but it is real. [ + quote]
DXR88 (Member) 1 October 2008 0:35
Unrealplayer Ver. 2.0a. Dog eats Dog. [ + quote]
1bonehead (Senior Member) 1 October 2008 0:48
*Originally posted by DXR88:* Unrealplayer Ver. 2.0a. Dog eats Dog. Ain't that the truth ! The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI. The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI. The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above! The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX. [ + quote]
duke8888 (Junior Member) 1 October 2008 9:41
This goes to show you its all about the money, big companies corporate greed. [ + quote]
13thHouR (Inactive) 1 October 2008 9:54
*Originally posted by duke8888:* This goes to show you its all about the money, big companies corporate greed. 5 Innovative Ways Hollywood Is Screwing You Over *Quote:* 5. Double-Dipping DVDs More often than not, though, studios will rerelease for any goddamn thing, often tacking on just enough "extras" to give them an excuse to slap on a new cover with a gold or silver bar at the top. A prime offender is Sony Home Video, which apparently can't be bothered to rerelease classic films like The Shop Around the Corner or His Girl Friday but are more than happy to crap out four different editions of Resident Evil. 4. Ads in Front of Movies 3. Hollywood Squeezing Theaters for Every Dime 2. The MPAA By handing out movie ratings, the Motion Picture Association of America controls the entire movie industry. Seriously. You want an example of a dark conspiracy controlling a major American industry? This is it. Right here. The MPAA decides what you'll see in movie theater and video chains, and just as importantly, what you won't. 1. Video on Demand As much money as Hollywood makes on DVD (and now, Bluray), there's one thing about it they still hate. Namely, the fact that you get to watch your copy over and over again without paying them again each time. It's not fair, dammit! Even worse, you can loan your disc to a friend, without your friends paying to see it. Or, you can sell it back to some record store that deals in used DVDs. It's like highway robbery! You might as well leave these studio execs bleeding in an alley, you cold-hearted bastard! They hate it so much that they've been trying to devise a system that will lure the consumer away from, you know, actually owning movies and watching them when it's convenient, to a system where the consumer pays, every single time, to watch the movie, at Hollywood's convenience. The first attempt was that venerable cable staple, pay-per-view. Remember when you were a kid, how PPV got "all the hot Hollywood movies FIRST"? Remember also how it cost about four times what it cost to rent a video? Remember how you laughed in their face? Most of the info was omitted as i didn't want to cut and paste it all but it makes an interesting read, visit the hyperlink for the full story The RIAA - BPI - IFPI - CRIA - Ect - Ect Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI. The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX. Dont allow them to hide behind the trade body names, name and shame em. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 1 October 2008 9:55
JRude (Junior Member) 1 October 2008 23:16
Real is good for d/l'ing YouTube's...thass about it. Why should I pay them for what I do free? With no DRM....DOH! [ + quote]
noncomjd (Newbie) 2 October 2008 13:58
The one and only reason every dvd isn't $25 or $30 is piracy. These companies have been forced to come to grips with the fact that they had to make movie more reasonably priced or every person would download or rip them free. Piracy will force them to come to grips with the fact that people not longer have to wait from them to produce a dvd of older material. These companies react rather than take the lead and are still trying to hold back technology which is not only inevitable but is here already. [ + quote]
Shegax (Junior Member) 3 October 2008 4:29
I've never bought a movie online. I've either rented and ripped them to my ipod, or bought them and ripped them. I don't have time to sit in front of a tv, But I'm on the subway all the time, and love putting all my classic dvds on my ipod with me. I just bought iron man, and am almost done encoding it for tomorrow morning. I already bought the damn dvd from them, let me put it on what ever i want to put it on dammit! [ + quote]
miltex (Member) 3 October 2008 23:26
*Originally posted by noncomjd:* The one and only reason every dvd isn't $25 or $30 is piracy. These companies have been forced to come to grips with the fact that they had to make movie more reasonably priced or every person would download or rip them free. Piracy will force them to come to grips with the fact that people not longer have to wait from them to produce a dvd of older material. These companies react rather than take the lead and are still trying to hold back technology which is not only inevitable but is here already. Not entirely true. The reason dvd prices are not higher is that the consumer refuses to pay more. When the chips are down, you can count on miltex ! [ + quote]
dbminter (Member) 9 October 2008 23:37
Last I remember a case where a software company sued the major motion picture studios was 321Studios and most of should remember how that little lawsuit turned out. [ + quote]