Apple Refused to Build Copyright Filters for iPod

[MacRumors]

The New York Times reports on NBC's recent decision to publish their television shows on Microsoft's video store for use on their Zune media player. NBC was once a content provider for Apple's iTunes but after months of negotiations, NBC and Apple parted ways last August. Apple had claimed the split was due to pricing but NBC later said it also had to do with Apple's unwillingness to "take concrete steps" to prevent piracy.

NBC Universal's president of digital distribution J. B. Perrette provided some clarification about what these "steps" were and how Microsoft has agreed to add software to their Zune to prevent playback of pirated materials:

Mr. Perrette said the plan is to create “filtering technology that allows for playback of legitimately purchased content versus non-legitimately purchased content.” He said this would be similar to systems being tested by Microsoft, Google and others that are meant to block pirated clips from video sharing sites. NBC is also working with Internet service providers like AT&T to put similar filters right into the network.

The software would attempt to block playback of content downloaded illegally through filesharing networks, and remains in development at this time. Perrette acknowledged that the steps would meet resistance but insists it is necessary to sustain their business over the long term.

Article Link

[zap2]

How would you tell?

Mp3 from NiN sites, would look the same as Mp3 off P2P network, right?


I smell something fishy...

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by zap2

How would you tell?

Mp3 from NiN sites, would look the same as Mp3 off P2P network, right?


I smell something fishy...

I'm sure my DVD encodes are non-legitimate as well.

[arn]

Originally Posted by zap2

How would you tell?

Mp3 from NiN sites, would look the same as Mp3 off P2P network, right?

well, sounds like this is for video, but yeah, the issue of false positives is going to be a big one. Including personally ripped video.

arn

[Mykbibby]

People won't stop pirating... they'll just buy an iPod!

NBC will be crawling back soon. Wait and see...

[jawzzy]

Go Apple!

I find it amazing how hard the content distributors are working to try to prop up such an antiquated business model. A new age of distribution requires a new age model!

I can see this system on the Zune causing nothing but problems...

[Mykbibby]

Originally Posted by arn

well, sounds like this is for video, but yeah, the issue of false positives is going to be a big one. Including personally ripped video.

arn

I can't wait! Hopefully every Zune user gets screwed over...

Am I a fanboy, or what?

[slffl]

Well thumbs-up that Apple told them to get bent,

but thumbs-down that Microsoft bowed to their wishes.

[HyperZboy]

Once consumers get wind of this "secret DRM scheme", the same thing that has happened to every other DRM scheme will happen, NBC U's content will go unnoticed and the Zune will just sink like an even bigger rock in the marketplace.


Will the stupid suits EVER LEARN what consumers want??


Apparently not.

[dejo]

Originally Posted by jawzzy

I can see this system on the Zune causing nothing but problems...

Yeah, but it'll only affect the two or three people that actually own a Zune, so no big whoop!

[DMann]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

Microsoft has agreed to add software to their Zune to prevent playback of pirated materials:The software would attempt to block content downloaded illegally through filesharing networks, and remains in development at this time.

This is sure to drive sales of the Zune way up - and a real cash cow for NBC. Now, this is a match made in heaven.

[Povilas]

Stop piracy? Just an excuse to mask something else and that's all.

[NEiMac]

NBC seems to be acting rather anal about this to me. Kinda sounds to me like Microsoft and NBC deserve each other.

[bmonzing]

I'm sorry, but hasn't there always been DRM on Videos + TV shows purchased through the iTunes store? I don't get this.

[monke]

I'm kinda lost here.

NBC wants DRM on their videos, the same kind of DRM that everyone is trying to get rid of on music?

[raggedjimmi]

I hope Apple don't build these filters. In the UK it's legal to download a TV show provided it's not on DVD yet. Comes under some recording/backup law or something, but as soon as the show is on DVD or some kind of official distribution network the torrent has to be removed. All above board like.

I've done this with a few TV shows. Download them as either original streams or DIVX and use a convertor. Only when EyeTV messes up on the recording times mind.

[zap2]

I'm very happy Apple told to be piss off


But I'm more sad that MS took the deal....MS is a huge company. They could stand for something, but they folded.


Hopefully Google and AT&T will tell them to piss off


Edit---Wait, Wait....it seems perhaps MS did stand for something here!

i sure hope so!

[nyquist11]

This feels fishey;
Microsoft must have paid them to do this.
It could be the first Zune add that I see more than once.

[babyjenniferLB]

Now never mind all the kinda legal and kinda not legal situations.

What happens to pops when he finished editing his video of his grand daughter playing in the garden on imovie and encodes it with h.264 in quicktime to "download" to his iPod for watching for the memories wile he sits twiddling his thumbs in the board room counting the months till retirement.

Dose that video he got need to be sent for processing then sent back to him once it is DRM encrusted or it wont work on his iPod?

[arn]

Originally Posted by bmonzing

I'm sorry, but hasn't there always been DRM on Videos + TV shows purchased through the iTunes store? I don't get this.

Originally Posted by monke

I'm kinda lost here.

NBC wants DRM on their videos, the same kind of DRM that everyone is trying to get rid of on music?

No, NBC wants the Zune to refuse to playback TV shows that people download over the internet through filesharing methods. This also means if you copy a TV show or Movie yourself from the DVD (rather than buy an official digital copy), it will not play on your Zune (once this software is in place).

arn

[dukebound85]

Originally Posted by arn

No, NBC wants the Zune to refuse to playback TV shows that people download over the internet through filesharing methods. This also means if you copy a TV show or Movie yourself from the DVD (rather than buy an official digital copy), it will not play on your Zune (once this software is in place).

arn

wouldnt that violate fair use if you bought the dvd but not a digital copy?

i mean what makes dvds any different than cds in terms of digitizing it yourself. what you explained is akin to ONLY itunes songs and other "official" vendors music is allowed to be played on a mp3 player and not physical cds that you bought

doesnt seem well legal to me and sad that this is what corporations want

[skillz1318]

even if microsoft creates this technology, a few months later hackers will create a software that will convert your entire "illegal" library to a "legal" one that the ipod or zune would recognize. i am very surprised if they really think this would have any impact on piracy.

[Don't panic]

Originally Posted by raggedjimmi

I hope Apple don't build these filters. In the UK it's legal to download a TV show provided it's not on DVD yet. Comes under some recording/backup law or something, but as soon as the show is on DVD or some kind of official distribution network the torrent has to be removed. All above board like.

I've done this with a few TV shows. Download them as either original streams or DIVX and use a convertor. Only when EyeTV messes up on the recording times mind.

but of course...

[LordJohnWhorfin]

I guess it's time for him to look into tattoo removal.

[arn]

Originally Posted by dukebound85

wouldnt that violate fair use if you bought the dvd but not a digital copy?

"Fair use" is not a law. They don't have to allow you or make it easy for you to do. They just can't sue you for it.

arn