AACS is better than CSS for consumers
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Mar 22nd 2006 4:45PM
posted Mar 22nd 2006 4:45PM
Bashing
the latest DRM is all the rage, I hate DRM as much as the next guy, but I supposed I have already dealt with the
fact that it is a necessary evil. Part of the reason I don't mind it that much is because most DRM is cracked fast enough that it doesn't bother me too much. CSS is the encryption used to protect DVD content and has been cracked since 99, which is only two years after it was released. The funny thing is that CSS is actually more restrictive than the latest DRM; AACS. Among other features AACS supports managed copy and over 480i output via analog. CSS didn't support either of features and this is a major reason that people were motivated to crack it. It seems that content providers are starting to get the hint when it comes to DRM, they realize that DRM that is too restrictive will not be adopted. With any luck a new bill will be passed that will allow us to bypass DRM when it violates our right for "Fair Use".
One of the biggest fallacies about AACS is the requirement to "phone home". This may have been considered early in the AACS development, but it didn't make the final cut. According to a AACS rep an Internet Connection will never be required for normal playback. On the other hand it MAY be required to utilize the "Managed Copy" feature. The Managed copy feature is the part of the AACS that is up in the air until all the details are worked out. In the end managed copy will probably require a connection to the clearing house. This is not cool, but worth the price. We will be able to put a AACS protected disc into our PC and save it to the hard drive to playback later or watch it in another room. If they didn't require a connection to the clearing house, how else could they tell I just didn't rent the movie and copy it to my PC?
The real issues are device locking (ie. can't fast forward, skip the MPAA trailer) and down scaling. As consumers we must never ever allow them to dictate to us, how are content will playback within our home and certainly degrade a product that we paid full price for. There must be full grand fathering of component playback at full resolution.
Thank you. I'm sick of DRM bashing. In the end, is it REALLY that bad? Sure, plenty of people are annoyed by it, but I've never had a DRM stop me from doing something I'm legally allowed to. (Tryed to transfer rented DVD to VHS, didn't work.) DRMs are put in place so that movie studios WILL want to release movies. If Blu-Ray (and HD-DVD) were DRM-free, then the [major] movie studios would stick with SD-DVD. I won't ever need to do anything with my Blu-Ray Discs but put them in and press play. Maybe I'll copy a few to my hard drive, considering I'm legally allowed to.
The real unfair DRM was Broadcast flag. Anything that would have been flagged "copy never" is unfair to the consumer. TV is not on your schedule, it's on the networks'. Copy Never would have stopped time-shifting, which is not right. Thankfully, that was stopped.
"If they didn't require a connection to the clearing house, how else could they tell I just didn't rent the movie and copy it to my PC?"
Can they tell I bought a used copy from [Enter your rental store here](already in rental circulation)?
Can they tell I bought a used copy from you? my brother?
Can they stop me from using managed copy if I wasn't the original owner?
Is there a registration process when you use managed copy on a purchased disc? Can it be transfered with a sale/trade?
Will [Enter your rental store here] get copies that are flagged for non-managed copy use?
Get back to us on those issues.........
Blu-ray's site specifically states that an internet connection will be absolutely required for MMC.
http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/#bluray_connection
This interview with an HD-DVD rep states a way other than internet access that they will be able to tell you actually own the movie:
http://dvd.consumerelectronicsnet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=37429
:)
TV,
I don't think anyone has the answers to those questions which is exactly why AACS is in a interm state.
I am sure we will know the answers before too long.
I should hope that they figure out a way to deal with the used DVD market. Hell they may just sell rental companies discs that are marked as such and they won't support managed copy at all.
As for the casual copying from friends or family I doubt they will do too much to stop it and will probably be more interested in tracking it. I can see how the information would be valuable to them.
Here's a question:
Sonce you guys were mentioning TV, do any of you know of a way to get HD content from a TV source now?
I have JVC's DVHS deck and a Dish 921, which I bought with the express purpose of wanting to record HD content. But, I have yet to be able to record any HD content from Dish receiver to my DVHS deck. Any suggestions?
If this isn't possible, does anyone know of any way to transfer that content from my Dish to something else?
It's been my quandry for a while. Just thought I'd ask.
***JMac***
For whatever reason neither Dish or Directv have ways to record. If you had cable you could connect a 1394 enabled stb to your DVHS and record but not from Dish or DIRECTV.
At one time dish had a 1394 port on one of their boxes but they never enabled it and eventually stoped making the boxes with it altogether.
You can however get a HDTivo with DIRECTV and hack it to enable show extraction.
"DRMs are put in place so that movie studios WILL want to release movies."
I disagree.
DMRs are put in place to limit the customers rights in order to extract more money from customers.
Be it by limiting a second hand market, forcing new purchase in case of defect media, forcing multiple purchases for multiple devices (mobile, ipod, TV).
Don't be naive and think that movie studios create content to customers because they are nice.
They create content to generate a maximal return to their shareholders and will keep finding ways of extracting more money from us until they reach a point where they are told off.
They will then stay at that point.