New DVD-ripping DRM scheme ripped apart

Rob Beschizza 12:20 pm Fri Mar 16, 2012

Here's Molly Wood on UltraViolet, the harebrained new scheme whereby people take their DVDs into stores to pay for them to be ripped to region-locked, time-limited DRM-laden streamable formats:

It is appalling to me to hear John Aden, executive vice president for general merchandising for Wal-Mart, say that this move is about helping consumers enjoy their own DVDs into the Digital Age. "We've all recognized that consumers have sunk lots and lots of money into these DVD libraries," he said. Really? But clearly not enough money, right? Or Hollywood wouldn't be trying so hard to get them to replace those libraries with new! better! Blu-ray! discs!, or trying to charge them a fee to access digital copies of content they already bought that they should have a fair use right to rip for free at home.

It's interesting how all this relies upon the suggestion the that DVD ripping is prohibited in any meaningful sense. The industry claims this in the vain hope anyone is stupid enough to believe it or care, these hucksters do it because they sell worthless services to stupid people, and critics do it because it highlights how stupid the industry is. [CNET] Thanks, Glenn!

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