Macrovision now owns DVDDecrypter, orders removal

[BSpielbauer]

According to a a release from AfterDawn, Macrovision has "acquired" the intellectual property rights to the DVDDecrypter program, and the company has apparently begun to demand that it be removed from some hosting sites.

http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/7056.cfm

According to the first paragraph of the article:

"DVD Decrypter to be removed
24 November 2005 7:48 by dRD

"Macrovision Corporation recently acquired the intellectual property rights in all versions of DVD Decrypter from its author, Lightning UK!. As the current owner of the intellectual property rights in DVD Decrypter Macrovision has contacted us to inform that 'any license granted by Lightning UK! to AfterDawn for the distribution of any version of the Software [DVD Decrypter] is hereby terminated with immediate effect.'"

[painkiller]

"Hey, Pa. Why do I have to close the barn door if there's no horses in it?"

[redwudz]

Then the next question would be: 'How long will DVDFab Decrypter last? And any others?"

[celtic_druid]

Wouldn't the new license only take effect for new versions? Then again I don't remember what the original license was.

[yoda313]

Wouldn't the new license only take effect for new versions? Then again I don't remember what the original license was.

There aren't going to BE anymore versions of dvddecrypter from what I understand. Wasn't it shut down for good????

[celtic_druid]

Well if Macrovison own the rights, I guess they could create a new version. License protection to the studios and then sell a tool to us consumers to remove said protection. So, no I guess that there there won't be a new version.

I guess the fact that DVD Decrypter was never GPL or equiv might mean that they can change the license to effect older versions. I guess it all comes down to the original license.

[Noahtuck]

Like it matters.... seem's kind of stupid seeing as he (as in the program because he is going ImgBurn) was shut down a long time ago and the last 2 diff. copy protections could not be defeated by DVD Decrypter anyways
I love using it all the time for demuxing streams from dvd's & it has a ton of good use's besides trying to defeat any kind of copy protection.

Oh well, i have the last 8 versions of DVD Decrypter archived/backed up anyway's 8)

Oh $H!T.. there are some guy's knocking at my door in black suit's

Then the next question would be: 'How long will DVDFab Decrypter last? And any others?"

Now this is not for sure or gospel, but i thought this was discussed awhile back and it depends on the country where the program is made and distributed from, and i thought DVDFab Decrypter was from somewhere "Macrovision" "sony" or whoever could not touch them ?
Because it depends on the law's of every diff. country.
Otherwise i would think they would have tried way before now

[lordsmurf]

I love using it all the time for demuxing streams from dvd's & it has a ton of good use's besides trying to defeat any kind of copy protection.

It would have been a lot easier if Macrovision would pull their head out of their ass and let the program survive WITHOUT decryption. That's really all they needed to do.

I use DVD Decrypter daily to demux DVD recorder streams and transfer to the hard drive.

I wish Lightning UK! would make a stream rip software for DVD recorder owners. If I had money, I'd pay him for it. I know I'd at least donate, and I'm sure others would too.

That and the burning API were great things to have.

[Noahtuck]

It would have been a lot easier if Macrovision would pull their head out of their ass

Is'nt that kind of an oxymoron ??

I use DVD Decrypter daily to demux DVD recorder streams and transfer to the hard drive.

Oh man!!! it's a great program for all kinds of things most prob. don't have a clue about!!

I wish Lightning UK! would make a stream rip software for DVD recorder owners.

For real!! I was kind of disapointed when i installed ImgBurn, although i'm SURE it's a great burning program, that goes without saying, guess i just expected or hoped for more after being so used to all the options DVD Decrypter has and everything you can use it for

[vhelp]

I don't get it..

Why not just use another dvd rip sw, like the many others
that are floating around ??

-vhelp 3656

[handyguy]

Or just rename DD.

[Seeker47]

. . . but i thought this was discussed awhile back and it depends on the country where the program is made and distributed from, and i thought DVDFab Decrypter was from somewhere "Macrovision" "sony" or whoever could not touch them ?
Because it depends on the law's of every diff. country.
Otherwise i would think they would have tried way before now

Yes, quite so. (The principle. I don't know where FabDecrypter comes from.) For example, they are very resistant to the concept of intellectual property in Russia, and many of the countries it used to control. Any banned s/w will continue to be distributed there. You might not believe some of the things I've seen there. Lots of search time, dead links and the like. The available page translation engines like Babelfish are laughably inadequate. And expect plenty of concealed computer infections among the downloads you'll find. But this stuff never completely disappears.

Not to mention P2P and the newsgroups. But sites like this won't have much choice . . . .

[Jeremiah58]

I wish Lightning UK! would make a stream rip software for DVD recorder owners. If I had money, I'd pay him for it. I know I'd at least donate, and I'm sure others would too.

Hm. I don't think that Lightning UK! would give a sh** for the donation, now when Macrovision unloaded cash to buy the intelectual property for the software (if the story is true).

[CubDukat]

Well if Macrovison own the rights, I guess they could create a new version. License protection to the studios and then sell a tool to us consumers to remove said protection. So, no I guess that there there won't be a new version.

I guess the fact that DVD Decrypter was never GPL or equiv might mean that they can change the license to effect older versions. I guess it all comes down to the original license.

That's typical Macrovision strategy. When they patented the process, they also patented all the ways to defeat it so that they could go after any company that produced a box to take the signal off for copyright infringement.

That's why there don't seem to be any boxes to defeat ColorStripe reliably. To make one would be to open yourself up for a lawsuit you'd definitely lose.

[BJ_M]

i wonder how they are going to remove it from the 900,000 pc's that have it on p2p -- or on the 1000 irc channels for dl or on ngs for that mater ...


it is kinda like trying to remove sand from your ass while still seated on the beach naked ..

[BJ_M]

Well if Macrovison own the rights, I guess they could create a new version. License protection to the studios and then sell a tool to us consumers to remove said protection. So, no I guess that there there won't be a new version.

I guess the fact that DVD Decrypter was never GPL or equiv might mean that they can change the license to effect older versions. I guess it all comes down to the original license.

That's typical Macrovision strategy. When they patented the process, they also patented all the ways to defeat it so that they could go after any company that produced a box to take the signal off for copyright infringement.

That's why there don't seem to be any boxes to defeat ColorStripe reliably. To make one would be to open yourself up for a lawsuit you'd definitely lose.

macrovision is not really defeated on a dvd - it is still 'there' , you are just changing the menu structure and dvd authoring attributes ...

[leebo]

I think what everyone is missing is that Macrovision makes it's money selling it's technology to the movie studios.

It's in their interest to create the "illusion" that their technology is effective. Remember, they are dealing with people who think they can sue the entire world. People who have proven themselves not to be the sharpest knives in the drawer.

The heads of the record and movie studios are human , therefore resistant to change - any change. That includes changes in thinking.

Look how long it took them to learn they could actually sell songs on the Internet (which I still believe isn't the most effecient way for them to make a profit from all the people with Internet connections). They waited too long, yet they're now patting themselves on the back about it.

Macrovision is just trying to create the illusion that one more program that can "defeat" their technology has been removed. If they did nothing there is a chance the perceived value (to the Einsteins running the studios) of their product would be lessened.

[classfour]

Downloaded version 3.5.4.0 from free-codecs.com. Will save a hard copy on disc.

The only good news would've been if LightningUK had been paid an astronomical amount for his efforts.

[adam]

We have no idea how much Macrovision paid to "acquire" DVDDec. It obviously wasn't much use to LightningUK anymore, Macrovision certainly has alot of leverage, and under that wacky 9th Circuit ruling DVDDec actually infringes on at least one of Macrovision's patents. For all we know, they didn't have to pay a dime.

Being the owners of the program now, it is extremly simple to get it removed from websites. All they have to do is notify the webhost and they are legally required to remove the site until the program is removed (all within reasonable amount of time). Macrovision can effectively shut down mass distribution of the program via webhosting. Yeah irc and ftp and torrents and such will still be wide open avenues for distribution, but the average person looking to learn how to rip a DVD probably doesn't use these.

Even if all of this policing of the program does nothing more than put a chink in the armor, like I said they still probably didn't have to pay much for the acquisition.

[paulw]

We have no idea how much Macrovision paid to "acquire" DVDDec. It obviously wasn't much use to LightningUK anymore, Macrovision certainly has alot of leverage, and under that wacky 9th Circuit ruling DVDDec actually infringes on at least one of Macrovision's patents. For all we know, they didn't have to pay a dime.

Being the owners of the program now, it is extremly simple to get it removed from websites. All they have to do is notify the webhost and they are legally required to remove the site until the program is removed (all within reasonable amount of time). Macrovision can effectively shut down mass distribution of the program via webhosting. Yeah irc and ftp and torrents and such will still be wide open avenues for distribution, but the average person looking to learn how to rip a DVD probably doesn't use these..

You are of course assuming that all these hosting web sites are located in the US??

[thecoalman]

You are of course assuming that all these hosting web sites are located in the US??

But if hosted elsewhere it would be located on website that most would be unwilling to visit let alone run an executable from. That's providing they can find it to begin with.

[ROF]

Well at least now we know it wasn't Sony who shut this software down.

[adam]

You are of course assuming that all these hosting web sites are located in the US??

Nope. If in the us the isp can be held liable under the DMCA if they do not comply. If anywhere else in the world you can ceize the domain through ICANN or force them into arbitration. If they lose then they have to sue you in your country.

No internet site is ever fully protected regardless of where in the world it is hosted, all due to the fact that domains are registered through a centralized entity in California. But depending on the country, the person behind the site may be protected.

[ROF]

I remember reading recently that the United Nations was trying to pull the domain naming game out of California. Anyone read that? What happened?

[Jikchung]

Well at least now we know it wasn't Sony who shut this software down.

We knew that within the week following the shutdown of DVDDecrypter.

[ROF]

Well at least now we know it wasn't Sony who shut this software down.

We knew that within the week following the shutdown of DVDDecrypter.

Maybe you did but most people were blaming Sony, the RIAA, and others to include Macrovision.

[dphirschler]

Nobody that read that thread blamed Sony after the first day or so. It was clearly Macrovision.


Darryl

[mbellot]

Maybe you did but most people were blaming Sony, the RIAA, and others to include Macrovision.

Why would anyone blame the RIAA for the takedown of DVDDecrypter?

Surely your addled mind meant MPAA, but its so fogged over with blind love for the big shills you forgot which master you were defending.

[MozartMan]

Maybe you did but most people were blaming Sony, the RIAA, and others to include Macrovision.

Why would anyone blame the RIAA for the takedown of DVDDecrypter?

Surely your addled mind meant MPAA, but its so fogged over with blind love for the big shills you forgot which master you were defending.

ROF probably smokes too much crap.

[BJ_M]

ROF has a right to his/her opinions also .... just like everyone else ...

please do not be derogatory in your response to him