Judge blocks sale of DVD chips

[Roundabout]

From CNET:

Judge blocks sales of unlicensed DVD chips

A California judge has ordered a multimedia chipmaker to stop selling versions of its products that were used in DVD-copying devices.

The Motion Picture Association of America said Monday that it had found chips from ESS Technology, based in Fremont, Calif., inside a device that allowed DVDs to be copied. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis issued an order Friday that blocked the manufacturer from selling its chips to any other device maker producing similar products.

"By selling chips to unlicensed manufacturers, ESS was effectively enabling wholesale piracy," Dan Robbins, the MPAA's chief technology counsel, said in a statement.

The case is part of Hollywood's ongoing battle to keep DVD-copying technology off the market and the Internet, despite widespread availability of underground software that will break through the discs' copy protection.

Earlier in the year, the MPAA successfully stopped the sale of 321 Studios' DVD X Copy, which had sold nearly 1 million copies online and in retail outlets like CompUSA. Previously, it had sued to stop the distribution of DeCSS, code that can be used to work around DVD encryption.

Any hardware manufacturer that makes DVD players needs to have permission from a Hollywood technology group called the DVD Copy Control Association in order to be able to decrypt the information stored on DVDs. ESS' customer, unnamed by the MPAA, did not have that right, the group said.

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I don't know which device they are talking about here, but it seems to me that with the low price of DVD players these days, you could probably buy an entire player for what the chip costs (some players are as low as $29 or so) and just remove the chip and install it wherever you need it.

Looks like the MPAA has people running around taking apart devices looking for "unlicensed" chips now. Just what we need, the Chip Police (CHiPs) :P

Maybe they can get Erik Estrada to be their spokesman, he hasn't done much since those Jenny-O turkey commercials

[Nilfennasion]

"By selling chips to unlicensed manufacturers, ESS was effectively enabling wholesale piracy," Dan Robbins, the MPAA's chief technology counsel, said in a statement.

Right, and next thing we know, there'll be a terrorist strike funded by pirate DVDs. When is the MPAA going to learn?

If they wanted to stop piracy, they'd stop the sale of DVD±R drives and media. Their copy-protection schemes turn into a joke the second you place their discs into a drive.

[ViRaL1]

Still leaves VCDs.

[Laddydaddy]

Nilfennasio wrote;

If they wanted to stop piracy, they'd stop the sale of DVD±R drives and media.

.

Don't put it past them. I wouldn't be suprised if they tried to outlaw DVD media and their drives.

[Capmaster]

Nilfennasio wrote;

If they wanted to stop piracy, they'd stop the sale of DVD±R drives and media.

.

Don't put it past them. I wouldn't be suprised if they tried to outlaw DVD media and their drives.

They've done it before. Remember DAT (Digital Audio Tape) that would have allowed perfect copies of songs? The RIAA convinced the industry to squash the format before it ever got off the ground. Damn shame - I was all ready to buy one :P

[Laddydaddy]

capmaster wrote;

They've done it before. Remember DAT (Digital Audio Tape) that would have allowed perfect copies of songs? The RIAA convinced the industry to squash the format before it ever got off the ground.

.

But now that the DVD genie is out of the bottle I doubt if they will be able to kill it. There is too much money to be made by Sony, Pioneer, TDK, etc for the MPAA to effectively outlaw it. But from what I've seen of the MPAA and their stupidity, I wouldn't be suprised if they try.

[Capmaster]

capmaster wrote;

They've done it before. Remember DAT (Digital Audio Tape) that would have allowed perfect copies of songs? The RIAA convinced the industry to squash the format before it ever got off the ground.

.

But now that the DVD genie is out of the bottle I doubt if they will be able to kill it. There is too much money to be made by Sony, Pioneer, TDK, etc for the MPAA to effectively outlaw it. But from what I've seen of the MPAA and their stupidity, I wouldn't be suprised if they try.

I completely agree. They missed their chance to squash it back in 1996. It's way too late now. All they can do is try to crush the DVD follow-ons like blu-ray and HD-DVD. Still, now that the public has had a taste of the digital world, I think it'll be an exercise in futility. At least I hope so

[handyguy]

Roundabout, where is your article link?

Best dvd backup software ever made= XP Hope they don't go after MS next.

[The village idiot]

Maybe they can get Erik Estrada to be their spokesman, he hasn't done much since those Jenny-O turkey commercials

[lordsmurf]

I can actually see the logic in this.
I'd have to side with the judge on this one.

[ViRaL1]

I guess this is the same ESS that makes sound chips, modems etc. Didn't know they were in that market.

[lenti_75]

when they gonna learn ? you can't stop anything........

[chas0039]

I'll bet the chips are for the Archos AV320. It is a portable media player with a hard drive that is supposed to store and play DVD with no copy block.

[ViRaL1]

How do you get the DVD data on there without ripping?

[Roundabout]

Roundabout, where is your article link?

Best dvd backup software ever made= XP Hope they don't go after MS next.

Sorry, forgot to include the article link.
Here it is: (LINK)

Apparently no company is immune, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if MS winds up in court too, since WMP9 can rip CD's, etc.

Cap: I still have two DAT's and a bunch of blank tapes that I never opened. But, at the same time, I didn't buy them, I got them free when I worked at S**Y. They were throwing them out and I rescued them from the trash. Fixed them and they still work today. Not much use for them, though.

[Nilfennasion]

The government organisation here that oversees competition basically released a report declaring Region Coding to be anticompetitive and a detriment to the consumer. I doubt any government group will same the same about these constant "this is MY trademark" lawsuits, but wouldn't it be nice?