Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear. (HD-DVD DRM)

[Agent]

http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/14/s...nydvd-hd-beta/

It seems that DRM just can't catch a break these days. First the all-important processing key required to unlock and decrypt HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs was discovered, now just days later comes news that the folks at SlySoft have updated their AnyDVD "backup" software utility to allow for "on the fly remastering" of HD DVD discs, although not Blu-ray discs. As you might expect, they aren't exactly spilling the details on exactly how they achieved this considerable feat, although those that have tried out the beta software are reporting that it works as advertised, with copying HD DVDs a matter of a simple drag and drop. While the software is available as a free beta download for now, SlySoft's existing AnyDVD software is far from free, meaning you'll likely have to fork over the same fifty bucks (or $100 for SlySoft's complete bundle of apps) for the new HD-ready version once they've gotten all the kinks worked out.

Wonder how they are doing it?
Maybe they are using the newly found processing key to dump the disk contents? - If so, when new disks are updated it wont work for them....untill the processing key for those is found anyway.

Or perhaps another way?

[Sinizter]

If only they had a version which made BD discs effectively region free ... It would then be time to go out and get myself a blu-ray drive. HD-DVD can be done my the XBox HDDVD drive which I already have.

[TheAnimus]

PS3 for blu-ray?

The reason i find this anoying, is because I'm having to pay for this flawed DRM. Yes the studios should be able to stop piracy, but not by using something which is obviously flawed by principle, very costly, and pass it on to the home users!

[Agent]

Its been proved time and time again, the best way to combat piracy is to charge a fair price.
If they took all the money they had "invested" in DRM and knocked it off the price of disks to the end user, I wonder how much difference it would make? [R&D / Licencing / Hardware needed in players / Other corporate BS]

[Norky]

Originally Posted by Agent

Its been proved time and time again, the best way to combat piracy is to charge a fair price.
If they took all the money they had "invested" in DRM and knocked it off the price of disks to the end user, I wonder how much difference it would make? [R&D / Licencing / Hardware needed in players / Other corporate BS]

Indeed, I have bought all my HD-DVDs from American stores (~£12 each) as I will not pay £20 or so over here for the majority of titles. I would also be interested to know how much of that price is for useless gaff.

[TheAnimus]

Not really.

The console model isn't used for HD.

You buy a player, you pay the price it cost to make.

Now as much as i have distain for DRM, it hasn't cost the consumer much in any way with regards to film costs, as the cost of developing the DRM really isn't that much in the grand scheme.

You'd be lucky to see a 50p shift on a title.

What gets me is why they are charging so much more for an HD title, £16 for a film that is only £5 on DVD? DRM is nothing to do with that high tag, but as this proves is going to do nothing to stop the pirate copies.