Is DVD Decrypter Legal?

[mbaker_jr]

I am just curious, is DVD Decrypter legal? I have been doing some research on legality issues related to DVD in the wake of the recent ruling against 3-2-1 Studios and I am curious as to why there are no lawsuits pending against whoever makes DVD Decrypter.

From what I know of the DMCA, DVD Decrypter perfectly fits the model for illegal software as its express purpose is to break the encryption on DVDs.

[jonas more]

From what I understand, the injunction is only against 321 Studios so they cannot manufacture, distribute or traffic their software programs containing a ripper.

Retailers that have 321 Studios products on the shelves right now can continue selling them indefinitely... until their stock is depleted. Once they are out of stock, they can only offer the ripper-free version only because 321 Studios can no longer manufacture software containing a ripper.

In other words, the injunction was against 321 Studios... not rippers in general.

[mbaker_jr]

I already knew that the recent litigation was only against 321 Studios. My question was more general. Is DVD Decrypter legal under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act?

[Colindale]

Probably not in America!.

Thier balance of payments are in such a crappy state, they are attempting to protect thier industries by maintaining high prices and reducing piracy.

[sacajaweeda]

The scope of the 1996 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Geneva conference treaty signings that are implemented in the DMCA reach well beyond the boundaries of the United States, I believe.

But that's just a guess.

[adam]

Under the DMCA DVD Decryptor definitely isn't legal. I'm guessing the programmer lives in England since he goes by Lightning UK. Maybe he has somewhat of a shelter because of this. I'm sure he's not safe from litigation, it just may be prolonging it.

I think the main reason that DVD Decryptor hasn't seen any legal problems is because its freeware. I don't doubt that movie execs and MPAA representatives are sincere in their belief that we shouldn't be allowed to make DVD backups, but at the same time I bet they are genuinely scared that if they go after a freeware program that the judges may be more sympathetic to the idea of Fair Use backups.

[Murp0s]

atleast we can spell '"their" correctly in America.
How long till we have to come bail your butt out of a jam?

they are attempting to protect thier industries by maintaining high prices and reducing piracy

Spoken like like a true cheap azz scammer, warez, leet dood. Damn protecting our industries, what a novel idea. We should just let everyone steal from us, yeah that's the ticket.

Go download a virus from irc, u aussie 1337 h4x0r...

[gravyonmychin]

Does it matter? Do you want to pay £20 and watch the kids destroy your treasured film or do you want to back-it-up with Decrypter and relax in the knowledge that its now only 60p if they ruin it.
When Hollywood greedy asses stop ripping us off and sell-em for a quid(which still gives them about 50% profit) then who'd use ripping tools eh?

[Marco33]

Does it matter? Do you want to pay £20 and watch the kids destroy your treasured film or do you want to back-it-up with Decrypter and relax in the knowledge that its now only 60p if they ruin it.
When Hollywood greedy asses stop ripping us off and sell-em for a quid(which still gives them about 50% profit) then who'd use ripping tools eh?

I agree. If it costs us (USA) $5 to back it up, it costs them pennys to make it yet, they rap us on the price. Just like cd's... oh, don't get me started on that.

[mbaker_jr]

Does it matter? Do you want to pay £20 and watch the kids destroy your treasured film or do you want to back-it-up with Decrypter and relax in the knowledge that its now only 60p if they ruin it.

Don't get me wrong, I think that DVD Decrypter is an amazingly wonderful piece of software and if anyone wanted to take it from me they'd have to pry it from my cold dead hard drive.

I asked the question of legality out of mere curiosity. Since then it has been answered and I do appreciate the feedback.

[andydd]

I think the fact that 321 ran into trouble was because it was/is the only DVD copying software that was actually sold in stores and wasnt freeware. There are numerous versions of free DVD copying software around and Im pretty sure that it would be impossible to stop them so they dont even bother.

[jntaylor63]

They can take my DVD Decrypter when they pry it out of my cold, dead hard drive.

This little jewel (along with DVD Shrink) has saved me over 100.00 in would-be replacement costs. My kids love to play the cases, try to load the disk, ect. When I buy kid DVD's, the first thing that happens is that it gets a back-up. After that, the back-up is watched, and the orginal is put in the closet.

I understand that the MPAA doesn't like priacy, but there is a lot more going on over seas in China (and making money at it) than Joe Consumer could ever do. I own this disk. As long as I don't give copies away or I don't own a orginal, I should be able to do whatevere the hell I want to with it!

[MeTaLgEaRsOoTy]

yeah,i have to agree with you regarding the kids and their ability to be able to destroy dvds,cases,booklets,and the attempted loadings of dvds in players.
i backed up all the disney movies that we own for them,and theyve gone througha few,with there uncareful childish ways.so if companies lowered there prices,i might have bought a replacement,but as disney is one greedy ass pig of an organisation,they can kiss my ass,if they think im gonna pay up to £25-£30 for a cartoon from them.
and before i hear that disney dvds arent that price and i can get them cheaper,check out the disney stores over inflated prices for there products.when a trip to asda can reap a saving of a few £$.

[dicktheprick]

i think that dvd decrypter is legal in that it isnt being sold, its freeware, now as i understood it, if the auther were to try and proffit from the software, then it is illegal, doesnt matter anyways, Anydvd eliminates the need to even use DVD Decrypter and save about 20 min of ripping.

[adam]

The DMCA does not make any distinction between freeware and commercial software. There is no doubt that it is illegal under US law at least, it just may not be profitable for any of the interested parties to prosecute the creators of freeware. I would have said it would be a bad public relations move in the past, but its obvious now that the MPAA doesn't really care about that.

[sacajaweeda]

Pandora's box has already been opened with the RIAA's botched attempt to shut down filesharing networks like Napster to control the corporate bleeding. Just let them try to stop the distribution of freeware decryption software.

HA!

[Noek]

have the same problem with my kids, but Im finding that not only do I need to backup my DVD's from getting destroyed, I need to find a way to backup my standalone DVD player now and Im all set