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Copying HD DVD and Blu-ray discs may become legal |
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Under a licensing agreement
in its final stages, consumers may get the right to make several legal
copies of HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc movies they've purchased, a
concession by the movie industry that may quell criticism that digital
rights management (DRM) technologies are too restrictive.
The agreement, if supported
by movie studios and film companies, could allow a consumer to make a
backup copy in case the original disc is damaged, and another copy for
the user's home media server, said Michael Ayers, a representative of
an industry group that licenses the Advanced Access Content System
(AACS) copy-prevention system...
AACS is used on HD-DVD and
Blu-ray discs, the new high-definition DVD formats, to prevent
unauthorized copying of the discs. The concept, called "managed copy,"
would undercut one of the strongest arguments against DRM technology,
which critics say deprives buyers of their legal right to fair uses
such as moving their content to other digital systems and devices.
The idea is that the content
companies could charge a premium according to how many copies are
allowed, Ayers said. It remains a possibility that consumers, if given
the chance to make three copies of Spider-Man 2
could give those copies to their neighbors, which technically would
qualify as low-volume piracy. But AACS LA believes that movie studios
will see higher sales with the managed copy option, even with the
chance it could be abused, Ayers said.
"Studios will have to take that
into account when they select pricing," Ayers said.
AACS LA is now working out
what rights studios and film companies would have under the complex
licensing agreement. "We are optimistic that the studios will see this
as a benefit that will drive sales," Ayers said.
Source: IDG News
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