AACS managed copy? We got yer managed copy right 'ere
By Ryan Block 
posted May 24th 2007 12:03PM
posted May 24th 2007 12:03PM
Remember managed copy? Aw c'mon, it hasn't been that long! Managed copy is / was the answer to people's desire to do totally reasonable things like rip their movies to a portable device, or to a central home server for streaming around the house. Basically the provision in AACS DRM allows users to legally rip however many copies the studio specifies, but those legal rips will still be heavily encased in dark, slippery DRM-goo. You know, just in case you should have friends over with a laptop and sticky fingers. Well, Blu-ray and HD DVD have long since landed, seemingly without any plans for managed copy; shocker, the studios didn't take advantage of the provision. But seeing as how AACS is crackable by a single, simple hex key, the high def DRM obviously wasn't able to cut the mustard in keeping users from doing with their content what they please. The AACS LA's solution? Let them eat cake. The DRM-maker's new plan to distract people from the fact that they can already rip their HD movies to DRM-free formats is simply to pressure and ultimately convince the studios to take advantage of managed copy, and all will be well. (Except for the still-present DRM vestiges.) Will they turn these studios' opinion of managed copy around? Um, what do you think?
All this makes my head spin... are you saying that the current DRM has provisions for purchased content to be "ripped" a certain number of times for personal use, backup, networking, etc.? Or are you syaing that a new DRM will allow this?
Either way... good news, right?
From the article: "The idea is that the content companies could charge a premium according to how many copies are allowed"
So, wait... They want to charge me more for something I have a legal right to do?