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Harry Potter and the Magical DVD of Fair Use
I just got done watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on DVD. Well DVD and MPEG-4 video.
I watched the first half of it Wednesday on my iPod when I was at the mechanic shop while my car was getting serviced and I just finished it on my DVD player and LCD TV.
I legally acquired my copy of the DVD and the Hollywood conglomerate and the artistic creators got their fair share of my money. I then ripped it and made a nice MP4 version for my iPod, and external big ass hard drive and a DVD+RW version for my girlfriend Kymberly to watch this weekend.
Now technically Hollywood does not like tools that disable copy protection but since it is with in my fair-use right of the material to do with what I wish as long as I don't distribute it and do anything illegal. Technically the DVD+RW version could be considered a distribution but since I consider my girlfriend watching it is sort of an extension of my fair use to the material and next week I'll wipe the disc and fill it up with other video material for her to watch I am not ethically or legally worried about it. Besides no one would ever know if I didn't write about it on this website. It is more like time shifting really. God Save Betamax.
I might watch the MP4 version on my notebook on a upcoming trip or ferry ride since it uses less battery power and is a good trade off quality and file size. I can take a screen shot or make video clips if I was so inclined. I could also put it on my PSP if I had a larger memory stick and it is pretty future proof for additional media devices with out having to worry about a DRM permission system restricting my use of the material that I paid for.
Technology can be a dreamworld of magic and the use of DVD video has gotten as convenient and flexible as VHS, vinyl and cassette tape.
I have purchased three shows off the iTunes music store but since it uses the Apple iTunes DRM system I can't remix or watch it on non Apple approved hardware platforms. That means no DVD+RW copies, No PSP, and no remixing or video sampling. If you ask me the perfect DRM system should be one that you never notice it is there. I don't think I'll buy much more content since I would be buying into a limited use on limited platforms.
Over the next couple years we are going to see movies on Blu-ray discs and HD-DVD both using new DRM systems that take the rights and usage of the video content out of your hands and the final say is owned and dictated by the corporate Hollywood giants and their lawyers. The quality of the new video format are much better than the current generation of DVDs but since you and I don't get the final say in how we use the video content I don't think I'll be buying movies on HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. If you ask me the current generation of DVD movies still looks perfect on my players and screens and I can do exactly what I want with it while not worrying about the DRM content fascist robots and Hollywood MPAA fat-cats and bending down to kiss their ring and ask permission to watch a disk that I paid for on the device that I want to. There is also the possibility of the DRM system revoking your usage content and forced upgrades to newer restrictive DRM systems by including a DRM upgrade on a newer batch of disks.
I love the fact that by using tools like Mac The Ripper and Handbreak the ultimate choice on how to use my content is up to me and I would not want it any other way.
I don't think I'll be lining up to get a Blu-Ray drive and the whole Blu-Ray DRM systems is a massive negative for the PS3 if you ask me. I think that we have a responsibility as digital citizens and purchasers of digital content to only support media formats that do not insult your rights and treat you like a criminal instead of giving you the benefit of the doubt and trusting you to be responsible with the digital content that you pay for.
You can have my normal DVD content when you pry it from my cold dead hands.
Jake at March 24, 2006 
Nerd
Comments
If these new Super DVD players won't play burned discs I'm going to be very disappointed. I downloaded some episodes of Lost from the iTunes store and found a way to get them onto a DVD-R. First you use a program aclled Snapz that records it off your screen and then put the resulting Quicktime movie onto a disc with Toast or iDVD.
Posted by: BBQ at March 24, 2006 12:41 AM
Personally I dont like Mac the Ripper. Handbreak does the Job for me.
Posted by: Brandon at March 25, 2006 10:38 AM
I use both of them since they do different things. I use Handbreak for when I want a MP4 file and I use Mac The Ripper when I want a burnable and playable DVD image that I can burn back onto a DVD or keep on my external hard drive.
Posted by: Jacob Metcalf ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 25, 2006 5:43 PM
