Some Vista Media Center Q&A...

[flashbacck]

From the blog of a program manager at Microsoft:
http://mediacenter.mattgoyer.com/arc...ate/2006/07/28

Some parts I found interesting:

Q: There were lots of questions/statements around DVD ripping, DVD streaming, etc.
A: DVD ripping is illegal in the United States. Enough said.

Q: Will I be able to buy a cablecard reader off the shelf, a video card off the shelf and be able to playback [OCUR] content?
A: No.

[JasonJoel]

1. Correct, technically. It IS illegal in the US, but a lot of software will do it. MS is just following the letter of the law.
2. That has been known for a while. Have to buy an entire certified PC (for now, it will change) to get OCUR support

Jason

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by JasonJoel

1. Correct, technically. It IS illegal in the US, but a lot of software will do it. MS is just following the letter of the law.
2. That has been known for a while. Have to buy an entire certified PC (for now, it will change) to get OCUR support

Jason

Highly doubt it is illegal to rip an encrypted DVD that you have the rights to do so. Then again, the laws are wacko here, so maybe it is.

[heffe2001]

No, it's definitely illegal, under the DMCA. You are using a program to break the encryption (protection). You don't have the rights to do that with any dvd, unless it's un-encrypted content (say something you did yourself).

[AngelofDeth]

Oh well, yeah, like I said the laws are wacky, and the DMCA corrupt. DVD offers no protection as far as anyone should be concerned.

[dbfresh23]

FYI - During a Bill Gates Keynote on MCE he did say that MCE would have the ability to store HD DVDs on it's hard drive. They will obviously still be encrypted though. I'm also not sure if it'll work with regular DVDs - I don't think he mentioned it. Being that it'll still be encrypted - it just gets it to the hdd and bypasses the ripping/decrypting process.

[heffe2001]

Originally Posted by AngelofDeth

Oh well, yeah, like I said the laws are wacky, and the DMCA corrupt. DVD offers no protection as far as anyone should be concerned.

This is actually a very irresponsible statement to make. With the current laws in place, you can get into some very serious trouble following it.

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by heffe2001

This is actually a very irresponsible statement to make. With the current laws in place, you can get into some very serious trouble following it.

You are telling me you have never decrypted a DVD before? I suppose all the DVDs Sage is being used to stream over a network were never encrypted either...

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by AngelofDeth

You are telling me you have never decrypted a DVD before? I suppose all the DVDs Sage is being used to stream over a network were never encrypted either...

I dont think that was his point. Merely discussing ways to circumvent copy protection is a violation of the DMCA. Congress had their collective heads where the sun doesnt shine on that one.

[dbfresh23]

Congress had their heads in front of the bank tellers as they were cashing their payoffs.

[heffe2001]

I never said I had or hadn't, but making a broad statement like that on the forums here (especially where discussion of circumventing copy protection are verboten), is pretty irresponsible.

I'm not saying you can't do it, not saying you shoudln't do it, just saying you shouldn't treat it like the law is wrong, and you can do what you want. Just realize that it IS illegal to bypass the CSS encryption on a DVD. If someone is renting, copying and then returning, then that person is outright stealing, plain and simple (and to head off this argument, I never said anyone was doing that, just stating fact).

Read the license on the DVD's you've bought, your rights are pretty lmited really as to what you can do with them.

[AngelofDeth]

Originally Posted by Kirby

I dont think that was his point. Merely discussing ways to circumvent copy protection is a violation of the DMCA. Congress had their collective heads where the sun doesnt shine on that one.

Well, in my own defense (hehe), I never mentioned anything about how to do it... only that DVDs offer practically no protection. Just a declaration of fact.

It will be interesting to see how Hollywood reacts when/if the HD formats are broken...

[Kirby]

I dont think you need the "if" in that statement!

[mayamaniac]

I think the answers to both questions in the first post were obvious.

Of course its illegal to rip DVDs. But lets not make a big deal about AngelofDeath's dvd ripping comment. He didn't point to links where to download decrypting softwares or links to how to do it or anything like that.

[flashbacck]

well, I'm sorry to derail the DVD decryption conversation... But I wonder if it'll be possible to buy OEM components to get OCUR support and to build your own system. Anyone know?

[dbfresh23]

Originally Posted by flashbacck

well, I'm sorry to derail the DVD decryption conversation... But I wonder if it'll be possible to buy OEM components to get OCUR support and to build your own system. Anyone know?

No you cannot, you will need to buy an entire PC that has been certified by CableLabs.

[JasonJoel]

Correct. At least at first, later it will likely change.

[Halstead]

Originally Posted by JasonJoel

Correct. At least at first, later it will likely change.

I wouldn't count on that. CableLabs is very conservative about these licenses, and I think it's likely that they never allow DIY solutions.

[JasonJoel]

It will open up. Just wait.

Not only ATI and 'large' manufacturers are going to build the OCUR devices. As soon as the next tier of amnuafacturers start making them, there will be ways to get them legally.

Guaranteed.

Jason

[dbfresh23]

I was going to say the same thing as Halstead but was feeling too lazy to type. This isn't a matter of manufacturers being able to make it - it's cable labs not wanting us to be able to build our own dvrs. Even if you can get them legally via retail stores, that doesn't mean that your cable company will activate it - it would likely be just to add another tuner to your already certified system. The only way I can see custom build systems getting cable card is if the FCC steps in and forces it - and that's not going to happen. The one thing that could hurt cable companies and force changes is DirecTV. If I can build a custom system and just hook a DTV receiver up to it via usb then cable companies could be looking at losing customers as the HTPC market expands - probably not very soon though as most people don't even know what an HTPC is.