[kelliot]

I am posting this just to show how ludicrous the argument provided by the MPAA is with regard to piracy of videos and the need for encryption.


Any professional pirate can do this. It only stops being fair use when one makes copies for commercial use as opposed to the normal fair use.


Step 1)

Get a state-of-the-art digital projector with encryption technology built in. Yes, I know they don't exist, but if you are a rich pirate, you'll be able to buy a JVC QXGA with all the decryption stuff. It will help if you get a Firewire machine that is capable of control with frame-by-frame.


Step 2)

Get a state of the art HDCAM camcorder. Don't forget, you are a rich pirate. Also, its realistic to expect HDCAM in the next five years in the sub-$1000 range.


Step 3)

Design an optically perfect relay lens and use neutral density beam splitters to couple the two and attenuate the output of the projector to prevent saturation.


Step 4) Step frame-by-frame (using a computer) and record the image using the camcorder.


This is easily recognized as a high tech version of the go-to-the-movie-theater-with-a-camcorder technique popularized in a Seinfeld episode.


There are many variations on this theme. One for example could tediously use a digital camera.


My point is that it doesn't circumvent decryption and its pretty obvious to any pirate. In the mean time the DMCA is used to control information flow. Control of information flow is the scary Orwellian aspect of the DMCA.



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Ken Elliott


[This message has been edited by kelliot (edited 08-17-2001).]

 

[Michael St. Clair]

With good circuitry, an equally clean approach would be to buy an upcoming DVI/HDCP CRT RPTV (since they are generally cheaper than FPTV), and tap into the amplified video signal going into the guns. 3 A/D convertors with enough (one each for R, G, and B) and the right logic and you can capture the whole 1920x1080i or 720p image if you have a set with 9" guns. Maybe next the MPAA will sue Philips for having sets with too much analog resolution.


I know people who could do this and get at least as good of quality as analog component outputs.

 

[jackmay]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelliot: My point is that it doesn't circumvent decryption and its pretty obvious to any pirate. In the mean time the DMCA is used to control information flow. Control of information flow is the scary Orwellian aspect of the DMCA.

They have already stated in one meeting that was attended by a friend of mine that they don't care about pirates. They will make their money off of product placement in countries where they can't stop pirates.


For pirated video that get on the Internet, they plan on flooding the Internet with mostly unwatchable copies. People stealing the video, ala Napster, will have to download many large video files to find one that actually contains the movie.


I think their main goal is to stop Napster type theft not pirate type theft.

 

[kelliot]

Once there is one decent pirated MPEG copy on the internet, it will be a mute point. All the copy protection will be gone.


People who use pirated copies won't care if its 1080i vs. 480p quality.


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Ken Elliott