Former Apple exec calls for HD boycott
tech industry
02/24/2006, 10:10am, EST
Friday, February 24th
"Former Apple exec calls for HD boycott"
Apple's former director of video product marketing Mike Evangelist is calling for a boycott of next-generation HD video products--including HD-DVD and Blu-ray--claiming that the industry is trying to take away "fair use" from customers. In a new blog post, Evangelist says said that the industry is moving to taking away content ownership from end-users "I really want you to understand what?s going on with the video industry?s push towards HD. They are engineering a complete removal of the concept of fair use. They are setting up systems that will completely control how, when and where you can use content that you buy. Even worse, they can retroactively change the rules!" The post points to an AAC (Advanced Access Content System) announcement that notes an "analog sunset"--an agreement to end support for traditional analog playback after a certain date.
02/24/2006, 10:10am, EST
Friday, February 24th
"Former Apple exec calls for HD boycott"
Apple's former director of video product marketing Mike Evangelist is calling for a boycott of next-generation HD video products--including HD-DVD and Blu-ray--claiming that the industry is trying to take away "fair use" from customers. In a new blog post, Evangelist says said that the industry is moving to taking away content ownership from end-users "I really want you to understand what?s going on with the video industry?s push towards HD. They are engineering a complete removal of the concept of fair use. They are setting up systems that will completely control how, when and where you can use content that you buy. Even worse, they can retroactively change the rules!" The post points to an AAC (Advanced Access Content System) announcement that notes an "analog sunset"--an agreement to end support for traditional analog playback after a certain date.
Comments
Both HD DVD and Blu Ray have measures that prevent even basic Fair Use rights like backing up your disc. In the case of Blu Ray they take it even further by incorporating another layer called BD+ and ROM Mark.
While our Government in the US should be focusing on developing an Entertainment Bill of Rights they instead are fielding requests from the E Industry on how to add copy prohibit flags to every stream out there. Something tells me that things are vastly wrong when there is no proportionality between consumers rights and content provider rights.
Fat chance that Apple or anyone else involved will boycott. It is really and issue that Governments should be taking up but then again why fight for consumers? They're not adding to campaign funds.
I'm constantly amazed at how content providers think just because something is new they can apply different ways of dealing with data. For instance
1. 30 second skip was a feature that was on VCRs for years before DVRs. Yet Tivo still doesn't have this as a standard feature. You have to hack your player to do it.
2. Commercial Skip VCR existed long before ReplayTV but ReplayTV was sued into compliance.
3. The ability to "Space Shift" your recordings is under fire with products like Sling Media (lets you access your home recording on the road)
4. Recording off the radio was something we ALL did as youngsters. Now they want Copy Prohibit flags inserted in everything.
It's pretty disgusting. When Governments get cozy with Big Business nothing good comes from this.
People will still buy their PS3s, even after the Sony rootkit fiasco.
People with HD sets will still buy Blu-Ray or HD-DVD so they can get the best picture they can.
In fact I'd be more upset about HDCP and downscaling the video output if you don't have a supported device. Most sets don't HDCP now so pretty much anything buy today is already outdated.
Originally posted by hmurchison
Entertainment Bill of Rights
The government has more pressing issues to contend with than wether you can watch recorded episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
This is the whole link
A while ago, it seemed like I was the only one quoting the possibility that neither HD-DVD or bluray winning. That heavy-handed DRM and purposeful backward-incompatability would make neither appealing enough to replace DVDs. Now it seems that this possibility is finally being at least considered by the masses. We'll just use something else until they get their heads out of their asses.
And don't even get me started on the dropping of component video support. I don't intend on replacing all my hometheater gear and remodeling to support different cords to my projector.
Fuck hollywood, the MPAA, the RIAA and any other DRM-toting asshole.
Yes, I'm pissed. Really pissed. I don't intend on replacing my media library and hometheater just to line their pockets.
Sony has issues but there are too many fanboys out there that let them continue doing what they are doing.
Originally posted by Xool
People will still buy their PS3s, even after the Sony rootkit fiasco.
Not if they are taught about it, to more than the 2nd grade level dribble that passes for newspaper journalisum today.
Case and point: A lot of people ask my advice before buying tech gear because...well...I am the "uber geek" in their circle of friends. I always tell them not to get sony, for two reasons: first, their quality is not near what it once was, this isnt the sony of the 1980s any more. AND the rootkits, when I take just 2 minutes to explain in simple terms what it is, they freak out!
People dont want this sort of thing, the problem is they dont realise it is even happening.
Originally posted by Xool In fact I'd be more upset about HDCP and downscaling the video output if you don't have a supported device. Most sets don't HDCP now so pretty much anything buy today is already outdated. [/B]
Ding Ding!
I want the MPAA to puck up the tab on ALL upgrades for us early adopters to bring our HD systems up to spec. I already dropped $8000+ and I'm not about to re-buy a single damned thing! I would rather hack/download/rip to circumvent this crappy restriction than shell out more money to these greedy *&^$%#$^%!