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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.
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Sep
11

By Julie Jacobson
Filed in: News, Digital Rights, Legal, Media Servers
Comments (4), Ratings (0/5)

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09.11.2008 — The issues surrounding DVD ripping are downright dumbfounding.

What's legal and what isn't? Who is potentially liable for copyright offenses – manufacturers, installers, end users?

Is it better to have a CSS (Content Scramble System) license from the DVD CCA (Copy Control Association), or does that just open you up to litigation as in the case of Kaleidescape?

If the DVD CCA can't catch you, can you be prosecuted under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?

Can manufacturers create DVD-ripping solutions, as long as they keep the copyright "wrapper" intact? What if their solutions prohibit transferring protected content off of their proprietary network? Does that help their cause?

Is "ripping" a DVD the same as "archiving" it?

Realizing the tremendous benefits of disk-less movie libraries, a slew of manufacturers and software providers are testing the legal waters when it comes to storing protecting DVDs on a hard drive.

How do Manufacturers Justify their DVD Servers?


We've collected FAQs from a variety of vendors. In their own words, here's what they have to say about copyright and licensing.


DVD Ripping: The Whole Picture
 
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.
Latest on DVD Ripping: RealNetworks, Control4, Crestron, Kaleidescape
 RealNetworks may be the first big-name brand to offer DVD ripping software, as Kaleidescape case is appealed; Escient, Crestron, Control4, Request take different approaches.
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.
Kaleidescape Prevails in DVD Ripping Case (2007)
Manufacturer can continue to make video servers, but Judge did not rule on copyright issues in general.
DVD CCA Appeals Kaleidescape Decision on DVD Ripping (2007)
Organization claims, "The trial court erred in its interpretation of the CSS licensing agreement."
With RealNetworks introducing DVD ripping software, the legality of the practice is on the forefront. How are integrators affected?
 



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Comments

Posted by Jeffrey  on  09/11  at  11:46 AM

I get the feeling that since the manufacturers are pushing this with dubious justification, this issue will be heading for a massive courtroom showdown in the near future.

Posted by Loren Roetman  on  09/12  at  08:58 AM

How do Manufacturers Justify their DVD Servers?

My question is, How do Manufacturers Justify their HDD pricing?

Posted by Jeff Hall  on  09/12  at  09:17 AM

Loren: Pricing of HDD’s? Easy, these are not your run of the mill Best Buy 1TB junk stacked drives that will fail in a year. Most are RAID 5 or 6 12+TB(6 usable and rated) enterprise data center grade devices capable of multiple simultaneous 1080P signal streams. Unreal data throughout that NAS drives can’t do. They have hot swappable drives etc… Most use propitiatory interconnects and have performance reporting systems on-board. Your basically setting up a mini private data center that could run a fortune 500 company in a residential home. Don’t confuse these for what people put their pictures and mp3 files on from the junk on Dell’s website.

Posted by G.Kingston  on  11/25  at  06:57 PM

In Australia,Queensland. Is it legal to show a DVD movie from a video hire shop or a purchased movie to residents in a community hall in a retirement village. No monetary charges to residents

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