James Delahunty
10 Jan 2009 0:12
Speaking in an interview at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, RealNetworks Inc. Chief Executive Rob Glaser revealed he is confident that the company will emerge victorious from a lawsuit brought against it by the major Hollywood studios. The target of the lawsuit is a software title developed by the company called RealDVD, which allows a user to copy a DVD movie, which can then be watched on up to five computers.
Hollywood's position on the software is predictable; it enables piracy and so should be illegal and not sold by RealNetworks. A San Francisco judge halted sales of RealDVD back in October 2008. Glaser said the company is willing to make small changes to the software if it has to, but does not expect that to be the outcome.
RealNetworks claims that RealDVD does not remove the CSS (Content Scrambling System) copy protection mechanism at all. He said Friday he expects an injunction hearing will be held in San Francisco in March. Other products in the past have been successfully taken from the market by Hollywood, including the once-infamous DVDXCopy software products.