Content Censoring DVD players (1 Viewer)

[LorenzoL]

Well you knew this was going to happen sooner or later but it seems that RCA will be starting to ship a $79 DVD player to Wal-Mart and K-Mart that "that strips out potentially offensive content."

Here is the link for the article at CBC.ca

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/stories/quickhits20040409

Somebody making the decision of what is decent and offensive disturbs me. Too "Big Brother" for me.

 

[Nathan*W]

I don't see this as a "big brother" issue since it appears to be completely user customizable. Looks like it's an expansion of the "don't tell me how to watch a film in the privacy of my own home" arguement.

What I don't get is wasn't a ratings system built into the original DVD codec that could be customized to not play certain rated films? I think that the feature (like the "angle" feature) have never really been utilized, though.

BTW your link doesn't work properly.

 

[Chris_Morris]

Umm, then don't buy the player?


Everyone screams for choice in everything else in this world, what makes this different? Just like a TV show you don't like, or music that is offensive, it is your choice whether or not to purchase and use this player.



Chris

 

[Frank Grimes]

I know that PS2's have the feature which prevents certain types of films from being played without a password. Never figured out how to turn the damn thing off.

Working link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3611969.stm

http://www.clearplay.com/

I don't really have a problem with this, but I have a feeling that it may eventually become a requirement (such as the V-chip). I don't care if it's even a matter of pennies, I don't want to pay for something I don't need because parents feel it would ruin their child if they were to see a tata or hear a word used on their schoolyards daily...

 

[Nathan*W]

EVERYBODY pays for things in society that they don't need. Every time I look at my phone bill and see that 911 tax... I've never called 911, why should I have to pay for the people that do?

 

[LorenzoL]

Chris, I guess my fear is that this will eventually be the only type of DVD players available in these stores if they are popular. After all what Wal-Mart wants, Wal-Mart gets (or I may just be reading between the lines too much and I'm a little paranoid).

 

[Frank Grimes]

I don't really think that's a fair comparison. It's not feasible to charge people for calling 911, it would be somewhat like cutting military spending 100% except when in wartime. It's uncertain when these things will be needed and by whom. V chips and the technology we're speaking of aren't EVER going to be used by a large portion of purchasers, yet we aren't given the option with V chips and may eventually not with the clearplay feature.

 

[Chris]

Hmm. I don't really have a problem with that. I don't know if it would negatively impact video or audio quality, and I doubt it.

There are lots of features on my DVD player I find stupid and that I would never use (hell, I had a DVD player that did "disco mode" by continuing to play the audio with snapshots of video.. and an LD player that did this as well)

If I have the choice to enable it or disable it, and I leave it disabled, fine by me. I'll never say anything negative about new features on a player.. even ones I find idiotic, as long as they can be turned off or on by my control.

In other words, it's not as though these players are "locked" and "permanently on" a sort of bleep-mode, anymore then my Panasonic is permanently locked into dissallowing titles of rating Z without a passcode

 

[Malcolm R]

Yes, but some people still think they should be able to watch those films, just in a sanitized version.

I don't understand how the player "identifies" the naughty bits? I suppose it can scan the closed captions for words, but how does it determine the visuals?

I still say if you're offended by certain types of behavior in films, avoid those films. Why someone who abhors violence still thinks they want to watch "The Matrix" is beyond me (although it's probably the same audience that sits through "The Passion" repeatedly).

 

[Darren Haycock]

Apparently, each DVD has a file that is programmed to skip past certain parts and mute certain areas, I guess kind of acting like seamless branching. Who knows how well it actually works, but probably pretty well considering they're now making a stand-alone player for it.

 

[Malcolm R]

Oh, so you're talking about special ClearPlay discs (since I can't imagine the majors cataloging their discs in such a manner)?

So this is sort of a Divx type thing where you have to have a special player and buy specially flagged discs?

 

[Darren Haycock]

No, this isn't the case. The DVDs are the regular ones you buy. I think Clearplay makes a file that is stored in the player itself, and will be put in use when a certain DVD title is played. The player probably has to be updated through the internet I'm guessing for newer titels. You'll have to research it yourself, but I'm pretty sure this is the gist of the operation...Since they're not actually editing DVDs themselves, just manipulating the discs with players, they're able to stay semi-legal, at least for the moment...

 

[Chris_Morris]

My thoughts exactly.

Chris

 

[Sean Laughter]

*Inserts Passion of the Christ DVD*

Watches opening credits . . . watches end credit . . .

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Actually the angle feature has been utilized in many movies....all of them pornographic.

 

[Darren Haycock]

Ahahaa. Seriously though, the only time I've seen this feature is when companies use it to have the opening credits in another language, or during a concert of some sort.

 

[MatthewLouwrens]

Sean - you've got The Passion DVD already?

Regarding the angle feature - there have been a couple of DVDs that have used it - I think there was the raw dance footage in Moulin Rouge, where you could swap between cameras, Unbreakable where you could cut between storyboards and actual footage. A few of the Doctor Who discs have some scenes with optional new CGI effects, and they use the angle feature to insert the new footage (although the angle button is locked, so you can't swap between original and CG footage).

 

[AnthonyC]

[rant]No, you're exactly right. Wal-Mart is infamous for not stocking Parental Advisory CDs; why should they act different with DVDs?[/rant]

 

[Malcolm R]

They've always held CD's to a different standard for some reason. "R" rated DVD's are no worse than PA CD's, yet they sell a ton of those in their unedited, "R" rated versions. My local stores have even stocked a number of unrated horror titles ("The Last House on the Left," etc.).

Why they have such a bug up their ass about music has always mystified me.

 

[Brandon Conway]

It's not just "semi-legal", it's perfectly legal as long as it doesn't alter the software from being played normally on another player.

See Nintendo v. Galoob.