Warner Bros: New Program To Digitize Your DVDs

shoutingloudly writes "Warner Brothers has just announced a new 'Disc-to-Digital' program to convert your DVDs into digital files that you can play on your internet-connected computers. As the helpful Public Knowledge graphics demonstrate, all you have to do is find a participating store, drive there, pay again for your movie, wait while it's ripped for you, drive home, and hope it works. This will surely have tech-savvy movie fans saying, 'Brilliant! I've been looking for an excuse to uninstall this free, 1-step DVD ripper that I can use in the comfort of my own home. This is much better than DMCA reform.'" In exchange for paying a bit more you might get a higher resolution copy (DRM encumbered and stored in "the cloud"). The launch process is absurdly cumbersome, but: "Later on, Internet retailers like Amazon.com will email customers to offer digital copies of DVDs they previously bought. Eventually, consumers will be able to put DVDs into PCs or certain Blu-ray players that will upload a copy, similar to the way people turn music CDs into MP3 files." Will the video distributors ever offer DRM-free files that you own? The music industry doesn't seem to be any worse off than they were when they insisted upon DRM.

Wait a minute.

[Hatta]

There are analog DVDs?

If I buy a DVD

[eternaldoctorwho]

then why am I allowed to watch it as many times as I want? It seems like being able to have unlimited free viewings of the movie would infringe on some sort of DRM protections. I'm surprised they are not arguing that I need to pay per viewing as if I kept going back to the theater. After all, those who own a DVD of a movie will not go back and buy more copies, thus taking business away from movie producers the MPAA studios honest hard-working people.

Re:Wait a minute.

[Oswald McWeany]

Are those the black CDs that are read by a vibrating needle?

Re:For only a small fee I can watch my own movie?

[Samantha Wright]

Don't be silly; obviously this is the most exciting revolution the film industry has ever seen! Can't you see how cutting-edge and novel this technology is? Why, I'm sure absolutely everyone will line up to use this revolutionary and convenient service before you can blink! The future is today!

...now wait for them to kill it, and whine about how it's obviously impossible to capitalize on digital distribution.

Re:For only a small fee I can watch my own movie?

[elrous0]

...now wait for them to kill it, and whine about how it's obviously impossible to capitalize on digital distribution.

No, like that one incompetent ninja who only got in because his dad was a ninja, they'll find a way to blame pirates for all their screw-ups.

Re:For only a small fee I can watch my own movie?

[interkin3tic]

Wow, what a deal.

MPAA: I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

Us: Uh, you're not Darth Vader, and we don't need to take the deal. We're going to continue ripping our movies for backup if we want.

MPAA: I FORCE CHOKE YOU! [extends hand]

Us: This is almost as painful to watch as episode one.

Re:Already have some

[Lumpy]

I accidentally installed AnyDVD and it fixes that problem

well why didn't you say it was so easy!

[Anonymous Coward]

Here all this time I was using handbrake and clicking the encode button!

Re:For only a small fee I can watch my own movie?

[gstoddart]

Arrr, there's always a choice, matey. When bowing and scraping to the king's men becomes too hard for ye, mayhap you'll sign articles with us?

Well, I get sea-sick, have a slight phobia of parrots, and I'm not surrendering the booty under any circumstances. But I'll keep you in mind.

The wenches, rum and singing sound fun, however, as do the cool hats.

Re:For only a small fee I can watch my own movie?

[flyneye]

But wait, there's more.
If you act now, we'll throw in a coupon for a free waterboarding.

Re:For only a small fee I can watch my own movie?

[JWSmythe]

    Sorry sir, you damaged the license. You'll need to purchase a new license at full retail value.