[Leaplist] my DVDs have Sony corruption!

[Steve Litt]

On Tuesday 24 April 2007 21:05, pberry2 at cfl.rr.com wrote:
> "Sony, one of the companies that brought you the Sony-BMG
> "rootkit" copy protection system for CDs, has once again
> used DRM to inflict inconvenience on its legitimate
> customers.
>
> New Sony DVD releases like "Stranger Than Fiction" and
> "Casino Royale" come with copy protection technologies that
> makes the movies unplayable on some DVD players -- including
> reportedly at least one Sony machine!
>
> Along with the DRM locks typically used on DVDs, Sony is
> using a system called ARccOS that is supposed to make
> copying more difficult by hiding corrupted data on the
> disc. But while plenty of DVD copying software is
> sophisticated enough to bypass the corrupt data, many
> players are not.
>
> It's bad enough that content providers like Sony use DRM to
> intentionally limit legitimate uses. These sort of
> arbitrary, bizarre compatibility problems make matters even
> worse, and they're becoming more and more common
> consequences of DRM. After initially reacting to complaints
> by telling customers to update the firmware on their
> devices, Sony is now promising to send a replacement DVD to
> any unsatisfied customers.
>
> This is yet another example of the ways in which DRM is not
> only useless against "piracy" (DVD ripping software defeats
> ARccOS), but actually works against the interests of
> content owners. After all, if a movie fan has legitimately
> purchased a DVD, only to find it unplayable on her DVD
> player, she now has yet another reason to go looking to The
> Pirate Bay for a copy that works.
>
> For this post and related links:
> <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005208.php> " End Quote
>
> So, I suppose my recourse is to buy the DVD, copy ONLY the movie parts (in
> Linux, to find and avoid DRM crap!)  to my Hard Drive and then BURN a
> genuine, clean, uncorrupted version?  What a RIP OFF!
>
> I think I will simply have to continue my avid boycott against ALL SONY
> products! We need to beat Sony into submission.

Since the attempted introduction of SSSCA back in 2001?, I've boycotted 
commercial music, commercial videos, and Disney. Here's the explanation:

http://www.troubleshooters.cxm/tpromag/200111/200111.htm

Over the last couple years I've lightened up a bit and have bought some video 
DVDs and VHS tapes (mostly at seriously reduced prices), but I'm still 
basically boycotting all this stuff, because as far as I'm concerned, these 
DRM guys are not only making things difficult, but they're trying to outlaw 
Linux. Oh, and you can get some real bargain music at garage sales, and not a 
cent goes into the record companys' pockets, because the music was already 
purchased once.

SteveT