Banning DVD Copying

321 vows to appeal ruling banning DVD copying

Excerpt:
On Tuesday, the Librarian of Congress made some exceptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which prohibits bypassing technology that controls access to copyright material. However, those exceptions did not include the legal copying of DVDs in case of damage or loss.

We need, in the U.S. atleast, people who know about these technologies make laws that are practical. Although its not like the DMCA or the police are watching over your shouder, but its still illegal to make "ethical" copies of DVDs.

I wont even comment about the copyright protection on some DVDs (like Dysney disks) that make you watch the trailors before you get to the good stuff.

I wouldn't worry too much. It's technically illegal to record TV shows on a video recorder, but every VHS machine you buy will have a record capability, and blank tapes can be picked up anywhere. Same with CDRs, many computers now come with the burning software already installed, and I have a theory that a few people who use that software do so to copy 'illegal' music....

Unless they replace it with another format soon, it's only a matter of time till a DVDR facility starts to become standard on DVD players, wether the law says copying is illegal or not.

see its going to be really hard to make this illeagal just based on the fact that there is legal stuff you can do with it. for one you have the right to back up your stuff as long as you own it. also what if you want to create your own stuff.

Now its not the fact that it is illegal to use your dvd burner for backing up your data, but when it comes to decrypting a dvd movie you own to repair a sound problem or whatnot is considered illegal, because you have to crack the copyright encryption decode the dvd properly.

Exceprt from the article:
The studios and the Motion Picture Association of America claim 321's software violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a portion of which makes it illegal for anyone to sell software used to bypass encryption codes

This also affects any software and hardware that might bypass the encryption for dvd movies. The heart of the problem is the DMCA really. Which could also infringe on people who even own hard disk recorders such as tivo

The idea of making "ethical" copies illegal is complete horse#. I don't buy many movies or cds, but when I do, I generally back them up and use the backup so I don't have to worry about my original getting trashed. Easier to replace a $1 backup than a $20 original.

as long as you don't sell copies they won't be looking for you.

I do what I please and ill copy what I want.
The government is just retarded, thats all.

You cant stop piracy. Just as you cant stop freedom.

As someone who makes a living in the music industry, trust me, Napster and Kazaa are piracy. Or Bootlegging if you like.

I do not know the in's and out's of the DVD aspect of this thread, but I think that my experience in the music industry has some relevant similarities.

First off, downloading music without the artist's or copyright holder's consent is illegal.

I agree that people making back up copies for personal use or making a mix CD for friend is fine, but putting someone else's music up on Kazaa or whatever to share with 300,000 or your closest friends is very wrong. I depend on CD sales for my livelyhood and I just wish people could respect that. Instead, I usually get some simple and narrowminded explanation like, "screw the man" or "screw the record compainies." Musicians put alot of money, time and hard work into what they do. It is a service like any other service.....you pay the plumber when he fixes your pipes? You pay the mechanic when he fixes your car? Well, you should pay the musicians when you use their music.

I have no problem with filesharing. I do however have a problem with UNREGULATED file sharing.

The Metallica example is not the norm. 90% of everyone in the biz is not that high profile or wealthy. So the"They are so rich, it will not hurt them" argument falls short there.

I am pleased to see iTunes catching on. I do however think 99 cents per song is a little steep. But it is at least a step in the right direction.

Now I agree that most record companies charge way too much. But the prices are just going to go up the more there is bootlegging.

On the positive side, I think this trend is going to force the entertainment industry to look at itself and correct a lot of wrongs. ie, high prices being one of the issues.

If you truly support the artists you like, then you should at least pay for what they have put out. It allows the artist to continue making their music, their movies or whatever idiom they work in.

rant over

I agree with you facefisrt but I also disagree. I believe that there is such a thing as consciencious downloading. This mean that you preview a cd before you buy it. The way it works for me is that If I truly like the cd I will buy it. But I am not going to waste 17 bucks on a cd that has 3 good songs.
It also seems like the only people bitching about it are the well established bands and pop stars. What ever happened to touring to make money. My example is the Gratefule Dead. Im not a big fan but I applaude them for touring for so long and allowing for free taping at their shows. They seem to being doing just fine.
I also feel like I deserve my money back being that there was a price fix during the 90's.
Lastly, the past four albums I bought were becuase I downloaded some of their songs first.
Lets face it, not every person can be successful at music. Chances are that if your band is not making money than your band probably sucks. I know a ton of bands that made it by just being DIY. work hard, practice and know your fans and you will make it.

Its also disgusting to sue a 12 year old girl for downloading a song.

Copying DVD 's has been banned for a long time here in Hong Kong but the gangsters still do it.

I do a lot of CD audio copies from my mates, but I don't sell them - and if I like the album, I usually go out and buy it - if I can find it cheap, lol.

I don't know the exact rules on backups/copying CDs (or any other media), but I understand that as long as I don't sell them for profit, I am OK - but that may be wrong.

I don't think you are going to be able to stop DVD copying - like other people have said, recording films off the TV is supposed to be illegal, but every VCR comes with a recorder function - so people do it.
It's the same with HiFis that come with 2 Tape decks - what other use is there apart from copying tape to tape? Well, I suppose you could mix music if your HiFi supports that.

I even heard that the new PS3 (some sort os PS version anwyay) was going to have a CD-RW built in.

Thebeagle,

I agree with you that you should be able to "preview" music before you make a purchase. That is starting to become the norm and I applaud it. (at least here in the US) Amazon.com does it online, Tower Records and a few others do it in store. Barnes&Noble now has a system in their stores where you can put any CD in stock under a scanner at a listening station and listen to 30 to 60 sec previews of multiple tracks of the CD in question. It's a start.

As for touring to make money.....unless you are selling out everywhere you go and it is above 1500, 2000 people a night, you are not going to make much at all. I have personally done about 10 tours of the US and unless you are Metallica, Elton John or on that level, there is not much left after expenses. (crew, bus, hotels, per diems for crew and band, flights, gas, insurance, taxes etc, it all adds up quick!)

The Grateful Dead are not the best example, because they were in a situation that was an enigma in the biz. The only other musicians I have seen with that kind of situtation has been Phish and Ani DeFranco. A rare and coveted situation, I might add.

Also, you cannot generalize all bands by, "if you are not making money, your band probably sucks." There is a plethora of things going on behind the scenes that most music fans really do not know much about. I have known more than one great band that despite all of their positive efforts, were never given their fair shot. PAYOLA still exists. Albiet in different forms than the Dick Clark days, but it still exists. Another problem is politics. I have seen that first hand. I played on a major label album(as a merc) in 2002 that the label just decided not to put out. The poor bastards never even had a shot in the first place because their shot was taken away from them. And I must add that it was a pretty good sounding record. I got my money, but what about those kid's dreams of touring and playing?

I do agree that suing 12 year olds was idiotic. A desperate act by record execs who got nervous and did not know how to deal with the new technology. Just goes to show the intelligence of alot of the execs and lawyers out there.

What are we to do? All I can say is that iTunes is the first step I have seen in the right direction. You can preview single songs and download them for a price if you choose. (too high a price I say, but that is not for me to decide)

sorry for my long winded rant. I am very passionate about music and as an insider, I want to let as many people know the truth about what really goes on. Not the VH1 behind the music BS.

~Face

I think that sharing helps artists just as much as it hurts them...for me personally, I have started listening to lots of new bands/musicians by downloading their songs, and then if I like it I usually buy a couple CDs. I know lots of other people do this as well. People are afraid of going out to buy some new CD based on one hit single, then getting a full cd of junk, excluding one song they liked from the radio...and as for DVD copying, the writers won't be banned..just software using DeCSS. But of course you can't ban software, realistically...just like trying to ban filesharing. DeCSS is open source, so you can simply write your own anyway...

[Edited on 5-3-2004 by Shoktek]

hey face first,
Thanks for replying. I think your right on some points. The whole grateful dead thing was partly because of the scene and not the biz. I also agree that payola is far from dead. When it comes down to it I am a fence sitter. I want to defend bands and consumers. I hope you didnt take too much offense to that "if your not making money then your band probably sucks" statement. Sometime I type faster than I think and sometimes I drink then type and dont think. Its just that when I hear these factory made pop groups lash out at downloading I get angry. The fact is that this isnt the first time tech has changed the biz. The only outcome is the one that will happen and only time will tell what that is.

Im glad we both agree that suing a 12 year old is wrong.
Later dude.

facefirst what do you do in the music industry?

Ilovepizza,

I am a professional bassist. I have played on several major label albums and have toured all over north america many times.

I will not go into specifics here as I want to maintain my anonimity on this board.... You will have to take my word on faith and I know that is tough to do on this board with so many people making so many outlandish claims.

But I think you guys will see that I do have a perspective on the biz that should obviously show I am for real.

~Face