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Court Temporarily Bans RealNetworks From Selling RealDVD
The temporary ban lasts until Tuesday to give the judge a chance to review filings made by six major movie studios to decide if the ban should be extended.
RealNetworks had this case moved to a Northern District of California court from a Central District court, where the movie studios operate.
Here is a statement from the company Web site:
Due to recent legal action taken by the Hollywood movie studios against us, RealDVD is temporarily unavailable. Rest assured, we will continue to work diligently to provide you with software that allows you to make a legal copy of your DVDs for your own use.
RealNetworks faced legal issues as soon as RealDVD became available last Tuesday. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) recently filed a lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order against RealDVD, saying "RealNetworks’ RealDVD should be called StealDVD."
RealNetworks has filed a suit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, asking the court to rule that RealDVD "fully complies with the DVD Copy Control Association's license agreement."
RealNetworks' RealDVD is a PC application that lets consumers copy their DVDs — with encryption intact — to a hard drive.
DVD Ripping: The Whole Picture
 | Kaleidescape vs. DVD CCA: Judge Rules Against Movie Servers Tentative ruling in landmark DVD-copying case says Kaleidescape knew its movie servers might be in violation of DVD CCA licensing agreement that prohibits copying of DVDs. DVD Ripping: The Latest on the Legal Front This compilation of articles on the legality of DVD ripping, and related fair-use cases, will be updated continuously. Understanding the Kaleidescape, RealDVD Cases What have the courts really decided on DVD copying, and what are the implications for the future? We debunk the myths about the the two lawsuits and clarify the current legal state of DVD ripping. Is DVD 'Ripping' the Same as 'Archiving?' Is the term "ripping" generally understood as the "illegal" form of copying a disk? Likewise, is "archiving" known as the bit-for-bit "legal" way of doing it? Can You Be Sued for Helping Clients Rip DVDs? EFF attorney Fred von Lohmann explains some of the legal issues involved in selling and installing products that enable users to copy DVDs. Is Your DVD Server Legal? Manufacturers Say Yes! Developers of movie-ripping products insist their products are legal. Here's how the manufacturers justify their solutions. Copy Protection Group Sues Kaleidescape (2005) Kaleidescape has a license from the DVD CCA to employ CSS decoding in its media servers, which it does. Now, DVD CCA is suing Kaleidescape for breach of contract. Would Studios Rather We Buy DVD Ripping Products Offshore? As studios work to quash legitimate products like RealDVD, offshore providers of DVD ripping software -- like AnyDVD developer SlySoft -- are reaping the rewards. Industry Insider: DVD CCA Is an Innovation-Stifling Cartel (2005) The DVD Copyright Control Association (DVD CCA) is a bunch of bullies. The organization manages to coerce all manufacturers of DVD players to sign away their rights to innovation. | |
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5 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Shh, Jason! You don’t want the goons from the DVD CCA showing up on your doorstep!
I assume that this could have impact on devices in our world that use similar methodologies?
I am thinking primarily of the Escient Vision server, which (as I understand it) works in a similar way to RealDVD.
There is, in my opinion, a great risk in specifying a product that *may* have to change in the near future (and go back to it’s original method of getting data onto the system (i.e. nothing to do with Escient - rip the disc on a PC with third-party software and then move the data onto the server)).
What are people’s thoughts on products using similar methodologies? Is now a good time to be specifying them or not?
What alternatives are there - K-servers obviously. Do people think the ReQuest looks reasonably litigation-proof with it’s ‘archiving’ methodology and verification of the physical media etc.?
Interested in people’s thought on the risks at the moment.
MArcus, there have been no REAL determinations about the legality of DVD ripping. In the next couple of days I’ll post a compendium of “where we are.”
In the meantime, please see the linked stories at the bottom of this one, especially:
zero risk using/selling these products. the waters are so murky now with kscape winning, any integrator brought before a court would have reason to counter sue for harassment. the studios deserve the profits they make, but making a backup copy of media you own is fully legal. this has been the case made before with VHS and even cassette tapes.
waging war on customers is not a great PR campaign. studios should instead be making friends at Apple and Vudu to ensure their profits are kept at an all time high.
Good thing I already got a copy of it.