HD-Fury sued by Warner Brothers

[LadyOfGifts]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/01/warner-bros-sues-hd-fury-over-boxes-that-can-copy-4k-video/

Warner Brothers has launched a lawsuit against HD-Fury over a device that can copy 4K video.

The lawsuit claims that this device violates the DMCA, to quote the article:

The complaint quotes the HD Fury website, which states: "To the letter of the law (the DMCA that is), a black box that removes the HDCP encryption to allow you to use a monitor that does not support HDCP is illegal.

 

I'm actually in agreement with WB, I see no real use for this besides piracy, and from what I've read so far it does seem to actually violate the DMCA. I'm curious however to find out what everyone else thinks about this.

(As of writing this HD-Fury's website is down.)

Edited January 4, 2016 by Godlygamer23
Put article quote in official forum quote.

[Overkilled]

what is hd fury?

[SansVarnic]

You may want adjust your post to meet the posting requirements before this thread gets locked by a mod.

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/11724-read-before-posting-in-this-section/

[Fetzie]

what is hd fury?

 

 

It's like a box that allows you to send HDCP protected content to non-HDCP compliant devices. So you could run your TV box through a PC with a capture card to record the TV show, movie or sports match and then either live-stream or distribute it online post-broadcast.

 

A legal use case would to be able to archive the footage and watch it on your own devices.

 

However, the DMCA bans the removal of DRM or encryption to circumvent copy-protection, and that is legal reason that Warner Bros is suing.

[SansVarnic]

It's like a box that allows you to send HDCP protected content to non-HDCP compliant devices. So you could run your TV box through a PC with a capture card to record the TV show, movie or sports match and then either live-stream or distribute it online post-broadcast.

 

A legal use case would to be able to archive the footage and watch it on your own devices.

 

However, the DMCA bans the removal of DRM or encryption to circumvent copy-protection, and that is legal reason that Warner Bros is suing.

 

Best buy them up before they are pulled from the shelf!

[Tagiau]

Didn't hauppage also have something like this?

[Nineshadow]

I understand where they are going with it but...what does DMCA have to do with it?

Getting rid of DRM is something that the DMCA covers? And it's illegal?

[Fetzie]

I understand where they are going with it but...what does DMCA have to do with it?

 

The DMCA bans the removal of DRM or encryption to circumvent copy-protection

[Snickerzz]

HDCP protection is dumb

I use a HDMI extender since my Roku doesn't get a good enough signal where it's at. But since I use that some Netflix content won't stream, like courage the cowardly dog >:C

[Sauron]

I'm actually in agreement with WB, I see no real use for this besides piracy, and from what I've read so far it does seem to actually violate the DMCA. I'm curious however to find out what everyone else thinks about this.

 

I can see multiple legitimate uses for this. What if I want to use my blu-ray on an old crt? Do I have to buy a separate copy of the movie? And don't tell me I shouldn't buy a 4k bluray for a crt, because I might have a 4k screen and need to play it on a crt somewhere else. Even a modern screen won't play a blu ray if it has a vga or composite cable, and I may not want to buy a new cable specifically for watching a movie I bought.

 

What about backing up your movie, so if the disc dies you don't have to drop another 30 bucks on a movie you already own? What about having a digital copy that you can carry with you in a hard drive instead of needing to bring a reader and a disc around with you everywhere? What if you want to add subtitles to it?

 

Maybe this does break the DMCA, but the fact stands that the DMCA and HDCP are complete and utter bullshit. There are plenty of ways a pirate can rip a blu ray through software, no need of custom hardware or anything. Hell, I can rip one of my blu rays for the legitimate uses I listed above in less than 20 minutes through a wonderful piece of software called anydvd hd by slysoft. They even sell a dedicated bd ripper and cloner. If I wanted to upload one of those backups it would take me no time. All the DMCA does is provide a worse experience for those who paid for the movie compared to pirates.

[Nineshadow]

The DMCA bans the removal of DRM or encryption to circumvent copy-protection

Oh well...it's kinda bad for a few reasons. After looking online , I've found a few cases in which it was used against cryptoanalists , even professors . Heck , one Russian guy made a software program that allowed him to strip usage restriction from restricted eBooks, which is legal both in Russia and in the US. Ironically , it is illegal to provide such a tool in the US , and when the programmer came to a presentation there , he got arrested for a month. That's a little bs. It's illegal to provide a tool which can be used only for legal means? Kinda contradictory .

[LadyOfGifts]

Basically it's kind of a similar case of ISO's. It's not inherently illegal to burn an ISO from a disc to use for yourself, but it can also be used for piracy. However in this case removing HDCP, a form of DRM, is in fact made illegal by DMCA.

[Fetzie]

All the DMCA does is provide a worse experience for those who paid for the movie compared to pirates.

Just like pretty much all DRM.

Basically it's kind of a similar case of ISO's. It's not inherently illegal to burn an ISO from a disc to use for yourself, but it can also be used for piracy. However in this case removing HDCP, a form of DRM, is in fact made illegal by DMCA.

From what I understand, you can rip yourself an ISO for personal use by copying the data as-is, but you can't (legally) remove the copy protection itself from the content.

[Sauron]

Just like pretty much all DRM.

 

Well, some things do have benefits - steam for example. But the vast majority is garbage.

 

-edit-

by the way, technically speaking this isn't "removing" anything from the disc as it is read only... maybe that's a loophole they could exploit?

[Fetzie]

Well, some things do have benefits - steam for example. But the vast majority is garbage.

If you get a steam ban though, you lose access to your (possibly hundreds of euro) library.

[Sauron]

If you get a steam ban though, you lose access to your (possibly hundreds of euro) library.

 

Yep, it has disadvantages too but then again it's not that easy to get banned

[Fetzie]

Well, some things do have benefits - steam for example. But the vast majority is garbage.

 

-edit-

by the way, technically speaking this isn't "removing" anything from the disc as it is read only... maybe that's a loophole they could exploit?

If the content becomes playble by non-HDCP devices, then you committed an offense under the DMCA.

[Belgarathian]

I can see the uses of this, but I can see why they're being sued (other than because it's 'MERICA). 

 

On the other hand, HDCP is dumb. I bought a movie from iTunes store and it won't play on my rMBP because it's not compliant - That's legitimately what the error says. I'm hoping it's a glitch somewhere. 

[Panda689]

Damn, we got one of the Integrals for HDMI capture testing at my work, the thing is awesome, and if it was a little cheaper I would buy one myself.

[zacRupnow]

I'm actually in agreement with WB, I see no real use for this besides piracy, and from what I've read so far it does seem to actually violate the DMCA. I'm curious however to find out what everyone else thinks about this.

I can't watch my 10 year old Star Wars collection DVDs on my PC without installing anti piracy software from each DVD. The DMCA is a fucking joke and so is the MPAA. The monitor or any other hardware that a person wants to view their content from has absolutely no relation to piracy.

[Misanthrope]

"It breaks DMCA" and DMCA violates fair use. We could go around in legal circles if it wasn't for the fact that the MPAA and the RIAA have enough money to pass a contradictory law, let alone litigate over fair use.

[suicidalfranco]

'MURICAn things

[Dabombinable]

And to think that Any Video Converter gets through all of the DRM....

[TrigrH]

HDCP protection is dumb

I use a HDMI extender since my Roku doesn't get a good enough signal where it's at. But since I use that some Netflix content won't stream, like courage the cowardly dog >:C

you can get fibre optic hdmi cables, they are expensive though

[Trik'Stari]

It's like a box that allows you to send HDCP protected content to non-HDCP compliant devices. So you could run your TV box through a PC with a capture card to record the TV show, movie or sports match and then either live-stream or distribute it online post-broadcast.

 

A legal use case would to be able to archive the footage and watch it on your own devices.

 

However, the DMCA bans the removal of DRM or encryption to circumvent copy-protection, and that is legal reason that Warner Bros is suing.

Can't you already do this with a simple capture card?