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DVDDecrypter was the main tool used to remove protection off of DVDs, so that their contents could be stored onto computers. They were served a “Take-Down” notice; essentially a “if you don’t do this, we will sue your ass off until you’re broke” threat.

This is unfortunate, as I used that application (plus AutoGK) to get my DVDs to be watchable onto my PDA for my travels; and as a means to store movies onto my computer for quick access. In essence: to use property I bought for legitimate uses.

The beauty is that no actual copyright infringements were involved. It was the threat of possible future copyright infringements that sparked the legal barrage. Kind of a crazy world when lawsuits are not dictated by rights/wrongs, but a sort of Orwellian “pre-crime” system of shutting down entire technologies that could possibly lead to something being right/wrong.

The Announcement:

Hello world,

I”ve got some good news and some bad news.Let’s start with the good…. (tumble weed passes by)Ok, and now onto the bad: DVD Decrypter 3.5.4.0 is the last version you”ll ever see.We hoped this day would never come, but it has, and I can promise you, nobody is more gutted about it than I am.

What started as a bit of fun, putting a GUI around some existing code, turned into something that I can only describe as ‘part of me’ – yes, I know that’s sad 😉 As I”ve recently been made aware (by a letter, hand delivered to my door, last Tuesday), due to some law that was changed back in October 2003, circumventing copy protection isn”t allowed.

Ok so it has taken a while (almost 2 years), but eventually “a certain company” has decided they don”t like what I”m doing (circumventing their protection) and have come at me like a pack of wolves. I”ve no choice but to cease everything to do with DVD Decrypter.I realise this is going to be one of those “that sucks – fight them!” kinda things, but at the end of the day, it”s my life and I”m not about to throw it all away (before it has even really started) attempting to fight a battle I can”t possibly win.

If 321 Studios can”t do it with millions, what chance do I have with £50?! As I”m sure most of you have already noticed, the site has been down for a few days. That surprised me as much as the next person (slight breakdown in communication), or I would have issued this statement on it directly.

So anyway, from this point forward, I”m no longer permitted to provide any sort of assistance with anything that helps people infringe the rights of “a certain company”.That means, no more emails, no more forum posts, no PM”s, no nothing! END OF STORY.The domain name will be transferred over to the company by the end of the week (9th June, according to the undertakings I have to sign) so don”t email it thinking “Oh, I”ll just ask LIGHTNING UK! for support on this”. You”ll not be getting the intended recipient and could be landing yourself in sh1t!

With 3.5.4.0 being the last version, it makes sense for everyone to disable the “check for new versions” feature, as obviously there won”t be any. Of course what I really mean is that you should all stop using the program out of respect for the company’s rights.

Anyone hosting DVD Decrypter is advised to cease doing so immediately. I”ve the feeling they won”t stop with just me. I”m having to contact anyone I know of that is (at the very least, the “mirror” sites), and tell them to stop. Copies of those emails must also be sent to the solicitors so they can check I”m doing everything I”m supposed to. If I don’t, I die.

It is of course down to the owners of those sites to react how they want to. It”s not my job to force you to do anything you don”t want to, I”m just giving you some friendly advice. Maybe it”s just me, but I see this as a bit of an “end of an era”. I realise there are other tools, but there”s no telling how much longer they”ll last, and not only that, mine was the oldest! I”ve met loads of great people over the years and I want to take this opportunity to wish them every success for the future – yes DDBT peeps, that includes you lot! : “(I hope you”ve all enjoyed my contribution to the DVD scene and maybe I”ll see ya around sometime.

LIGHTNING UK!
(Author of the once “Ultimate DVD Ripper”, DVD Decrypter)

I’ve come up with the basic outline and script for the Piracy Film. Now onto the research!

Microsoft and the entertainment industry’s holy grail of controlling copyright through the motherboard has moved a step closer with Intel Corp. now embedding digital rights management within in its latest dual-core processor Pentium D and accompanying 945 chipset.

Officially launched worldwide on the May 26, the new offerings come DRM-enabled and will, at least in theory, allow copyright holders to prevent unauthorized copying and distribution of copyrighted materials from the motherboard rather than through the operating system as is currently the case.

DRM for those who aren’t familiar is a scheme to control the use of legitimately downloaded media. It is what prevents you from putting music you bought onto your CD player; what prevents you from listening the music on MP3 players; or putting it on any hardware other than that specified by the manufacturer. Its implementation kills legitimate online music sales. However its also insisted as a requirement by the Music Industry (who later cry foul… go figure).

But this isn’t all:

Conversely, Intel is heavily promoting what it calls “active management technology” (AMT) in the new chips as a major plus for system administrators and enterprise IT. Understood to be a sub-operating system residing in the chip’s firmware, AMT will allow administrators to both monitor or control individual machines independent of an operating system.

Additionally, AMT also features what Intel calls “IDE redirection” which will allow administrators to remotely enable, disable or format or configure individual drives and reload operating systems and software from remote locations, again independent of operating systems. Both AMT and IDE control are enabled by a new network interface controller.

In other words, anyone from the outside will also be able to utterly destroy your computer. Without your assistance. Personally, I’ll just continue to stick with the arguably better and cheaper AMD Chips.

Update: Intel has dismissed the original article from Computerworld Today Australia. Full story here.

From BMGs [Record Label] own mouth:

“The casual piracy, the school yard piracy, is a huge issue for us,” says Thomas Hesse, president of global digital business for Sony BMG. “Two-thirds of all piracy comes from ripping and burning CDs, which is why making the CD a secure format is of the utmost importance.”

That means that the biggest piracy of them all by far isn’t filesharing according to this particular Record Label; its the ripping/burning CDs. The same kind of “piracy” that has been executed ever since the release of the tape deck.

Suddenly, my fears that filesharing could of actually damaged legitimate sales in any significant manner completely dissipated.