Is HD-DVD and BluRay the new Divx? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Dugger]

So, tell me gang....

With the new internal clocks that can now dictated when and if any of these new discs can be played or possibly need a key to play at all...

Is this the newest form of DIVX?

Chris

 

[FrancisP]

Actually the question is whether the firmware in these new HD players can be manipulated to support a divx scheme.
Divx did not work because SD was an option. It would not work now because of SD. What happens if HD becomes the standard and SD disappears? A mantra in Hollywood has been new revenue streams. A divx scheme could potentially be that source. That's why this firmware and the ability to update is worrisome. Any kind of scheme that this firmware can support could be implemented.

 

[Ed St. Clair]

Ouch!
Tough love thread!
Cause around here, DiVx, is fighting words.
"The Powers That Be" do have the ability to change "our" 'managed copy' into "their" 'managed copy' with both HD disc formats.
Time will tell.

 

[Ryan-G]

Of course, as I said before, in a matter of days there'd be hacked firmware available on the internet that would bypass the whole scheme.

Firmware isn't worrisome. Anything they tried in firmware that was widely disliked would be hacked out in record time. Just like X-box's that run on Linux now...

 

[Aaron_Brez]

Both formats have the potential to be a new Divx. The difference is that with Divx, you couldn't have the machine and use it (for Divx disks) and not have it hooked into the phone line. It was required, or it wouldn't work. BD and HD DVD don't require a phone line or internet hookup for mere playback-- only for "managed copy" or for special features which have been locked.

Sure, a content owner could put time restrictions on a disk, or even make it pay per view. But like Divx, this kind of restriction will not fly in the marketplace. I fully expect a studio to try this on one or two experimental titles... and then stop once it's evident no one will buy it.

So, yes, it's a potential issue. It's just not one that particularly worries me. People won't buy it, hence it won't happen.

 

[Brent M]

It's too bad these new formats couldn't have just followed the successful blueprint of SD DVD. You put the disc in and play it, simple as that! Looks like simplicity will be a thing of the past with both Blu Ray and HD-DVD. :frowning:

 

[george kaplan]

The answer is "who knows". We only know the following:

1 - Under some circumstances, this kind of thing would be doable with the upcoming specs.

2 - The studios tell us they have no intention of doing such a thing (though they won't give up the capabilities in #1)

3 - Pay-per-view only is the studios wet dream.

4 - Those of us who dare to point out that this is a threat (of some unspecified, probably low, but certainly non-zero probability) are attacked by many here as alarmist, paranoid, and ignorant.

Judge for yourself.

 

[Marko Berg]

I'd prefer to be labeled as such rather than gullible.

 

[RobertR]

I am Oz! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!