AfterDawn: News

Macrovision sues 321 Studios

Macrovision, the company who develops copy protection mechanisms found on most of the DVD-Video discs and commercial VHS tapes, has sued 321 Studios, software company who has developed various DVD backup tools, most notably DVD X Copy series.

Macrovision charges that 321 Studios' DVD X Copy tools infringe with Macrovision's patented copy-protection technology and also violates the DMCA law. The charge under DMCA legislation is interesting as DMCA states that circumventing "effective" copy protection measures is illegal. But when most of the world is buying perfectly legally (not U.S. though) "modded" DVD players that circumvent Macrovision's bit code copy protection (and of course region codes as well, but they don't relate to this lawsuit) and virtually every school kid knows how to use any freely-distributed DVD ripper to get rid of the Macrovision, the claim that their weak bit setting copy protection mechanism could be considered "effective" is bit misleading.



"321 Studios infringes Macrovision's intellectual property by offering products that enable users to make unauthorized copies that contain our patented process and sometimes illegally bypass our copy protection system," says Macrovision CEO Bill Krepick.

Source: San Jose Business Journal

Written by: Petteri Pyyny @ 7 Jan 2004 14:50

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• 4 comments

• Cman

  you have to wonder what makes these rich bastards think they can first sell you a product, then tell you what you can or cannot do with it and then even sue you if you dare to protect YOUR investment? If they want to make their customers into outlaws, that's exactly what's going to happen. For every measure, there will always be a countermeasure and the MPAA will simply drive honest people underground but copying will be with us for a long, long time to come..Maybe Mr. Sony and Mr. BMG will have to get buy with one less island since we all know its not the musicians getting the lion's share of the profits. I wonder how many musicians would go the direct distribution route if they could?

  7.1.2004 15:59 #1

• A_Klingon

  This is utter bull----.
  
  I wonder _why_ they're singling out 321? Because of their high profile? Because of 321's burgeoning success? Why aren't they suing the other xx software products out there doing exactly the same thing????
  
  This lawsuit, if eventually successful will not change a thing. There is SO much software out there _already_ that gives anybody, anywhere, anytime, the concrete ability to knock the macrovision flags out of dvd backups from now until eternity, and no amount of suing is going to alter that fact.
  
  If worst came to absolute worst, 321's backup products (as well as everyone's else's) could be modified to allow the macrovision "trigger bits" to go through unmodified, and although this might prevent vhs copies of dvd backups, what's the point? I, along with millions of others already HAVE macrovision-busting software. Who is going to take what's already out there away from us???? Further, VHS as a format is fading. I don't really _care_ if my dvdbackups contain those stooopid bits because I watch my backups directly.
  
  Macrovision: A desperate technology clutching at desperate straws.

  7.1.2004 20:02 #2

• Nephilim

  Baseball is dead. Litigation is Americas new favorite pastime. I think it would be easier to post news about who's NOT suing somebody.

  12.1.2004 19:00 #3

• A_Klingon

  Oh yes, suing everyone is high on the list. But don't forget about 'amalgamation'. (Otherwise known as hostile buyouts to you 'n me). Every major company will be buying out every other slightly-weaker major company, until there are very few independent entrenpreners left, and everything will be owned/controlled by international conglomerates. Every second employee will be a trained attorney.

  13.1.2004 03:31 #4