DVD licensing body responds to anti-trust threat

DVD licensing body responds to anti-trust threat
The DVD Copy Control Association may have reason to reconsider a proposed amendment to the CSS license which would force media server manufacturer Kaleidescape to stop selling their premier product.

Kaleidescape's attorneys sent a letter to the association threatening to sue on anti-trust grounds if the amendment gets approved.



In a letter to Kaleidescape’s attorneys dated Aug. 6, DVD-CCA attorney Perry Johnson called the threat “unfounded” and accused Kaleidescape of attempting to “derail DVD-CCA’s fair and open amendment process.” However, the response didn't go so far as to say that they'll push the amendment forward.

The amendment, originally sponsored by Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Co. and two companies each from the consumer electronics and IT industries, would moot a judgment in favor of Kaleidescape by a California state court in a breach-of-contract claim brought against Kaleidescape by DVD-CCA.

The earlier litigation claimed Kaleidescape violated the CSS license by allowing its home media servers to copy DVDs to a hard drive for streaming across a network.

The judge in that case ruled that the CSS license did not legally prohibit Kaleidescape’s design. The ruling is now under appeal, giving the DVD-CCA even more reason to wait before taking action to amend the license, potentially exposing themselves to legal action.

If an anti-trust case ever goes to court, backers of the ACSS protection on next-gen formats will certainly be watching closely as it may affect the future of that protection as well.

Source: Video Business

Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 18 Aug 2007 22:36
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  • 14 comments
  • mspurloc

    Does not this very action by DVD Copy Control Assn. prove the merit of the argument against them?

    1. They are the sole plaintiff;
    2. They are the sole arbiter or claim to be;
    3. They are engaging in RICO behavior to stifle the industry.

    That's a monopoly, folks.

    19.8.2007 10:56 #1

  • sciafb

    They suck.

    19.8.2007 11:15 #2

  • Unfocused

    Quote:All past oligarchies have fallen from power either because they ossified or because they grew soft. Either they became stupid and arrogant, failed to adjust themselves to changing circumstances, and were overthrown; or they became liberal and cowardly, made concessions when they should have used force, and once again were overthrown. They fell, that is to say, either through consciousness or through unconsciousness.

    George Orwell - 1984
    This seems to be a forshadowing of what is to become of the DVD-CCA, MPAA, and the RIAA.

    19.8.2007 13:03 #3

  • ZippyDSM

    my god why not sue the home computer market and get it over with ><

    19.8.2007 15:18 #4

  • Unfocused

    Careful Zippy. They might just do that. Then you could sue and claim it was your idea all along.

    Even though I notated the source of my quote, does that classify as copyright infringement? I'll probably post that quote again on a more populated RIAA/MPAA thread.

    19.8.2007 19:00 #5

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by Unfocused: Careful Zippy. They might just do that. Then you could sue and claim it was your idea all along.

    Even though I notated the source of my quote, does that classify as copyright infringement? I'll probably post that quote again on a more populated RIAA/MPAA thread.
    I think it would be IP infringement..mmmmm


    I mean really let them go full court press over PC users and all of the video editing market and see how quickly they would be laughed down as being insane.

    19.8.2007 19:05 #6

  • morguex

    Maybe I'm missing something here, But isn't there dozens of programs now that rip movies from dvd's to your hard drive already.
    Are they gonna sue them to?

    Peace all

    20.8.2007 08:43 #7

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by morguex: Maybe I'm missing something here, But isn't there dozens of programs now that rip movies from dvd's to your hard drive already.
    Are they gonna sue them to?

    Peace all
    No the thing in question is hardware player/recorder than hooks up to a network that is licensed though the DVD-CCA and they are havign a fit over it.

    20.8.2007 08:54 #8

  • Mr-Movies

    I'm surprised that the judge ruled in Kaleidescape's favor the first time around. If I can setup a video streaming server why can't I backup my DVD? Two copies are two copies, yet it isn't legal to purchase DVD Backup software in the US that gets around the CSS and other protection schemes. Now I know there is some grammatical issue here but really if we had fare use, and I don't mean the Millennium Act, they wouldn't be able to take our rights away by just writing it in a disclaimer or other agreement. I would venture to say that DVD-CCA will probably win their appeal, I hope not!

    20.8.2007 08:55 #9

  • morguex

    Ahhhh, Ok I got it now, I guess I did miss something. LOL
    Thanks ZIppyDSM

    20.8.2007 10:50 #10

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by morguex: Ahhhh, Ok I got it now, I guess I did miss something. LOL
    Thanks ZIppyDSM
    its my crude understanding of it,the device is a DVR/DVD player that lets you copy a DVD right to the HDD and then can pipe/stream it out over a home network.

    the DVD-CCAis shting brinks.

    20.8.2007 13:14 #11

  • borhan9

    This is going to be a long battle going for over this year and some time to half of the following year.

    21.8.2007 22:30 #12

  • RNR1995

    Since when is a hard drive permanent?
    And how many times can you watch the same movie?
    I think 3 is the max for any flick no matter how good it is
    Unless of course your senile!

    24.8.2007 15:46 #13

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by RNR1995: Since when is a hard drive permanent?
    And how many times can you watch the same movie?
    I think 3 is the max for any flick no matter how good it is
    Unless of course your senile!
    you can always stick it to something and watch it again later instead of renting it again
    >>
    <<
    >>
    <<
    >>

    24.8.2007 15:51 #14

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