Digital Home Thoughts: Studios Drop Controversial DVD Demands in Negotiations

"Efforts to implement a download-and-burn model for standard-definition DVDs got a major boost late last month when the studios dropped demands for the most controversial elements they were seeking in inter-industry negotiations with hardware makers and technology companies. With concessions by the studios, sources involved in the discussions say a comprehensive agreement on download-and-burn could now be reached by the fall. According to sources familiar with the discussions, the studios are no longer demanding that conventional set-top DVD players and DVD-ROM drives be retrofitted to incorporate watermark detection technology. Instead, they’re asking only that new devices that include enhanced features, such as the ability to burn downloaded movies or implement managed copy, incorporate the additional security measures. The issue had been a major sticking point in the long-running negotiations among the three industries over so-called managed burning."

Can I tell you how glad I am to see this finally moving forward? I mean really, with broadband access and a PC connected to my TV, why do I need to rent or buy DVDs (or CDs) at all? Why can't Netflix just stream them to me? Well, 'cause the MPAA & Friends have had their knickers in a knot thinking that a movie version of iTunes would promote piracy. Please. :roll: As the music industry can tell you, CD sales continue to drop but the online business has more than made up for it. Anyway, rant aside, it's a very good article outlining the stumbling blocks the Industry (capital I) and CSS have to hurdle just to get us consumers what we really want. Check it out!