Category Archives: mpaa

BitTorrent moving into Mainstream File Distribution

Apple, bittorrent, Media, Microsoft, mpaa, Podcast, riaa, , , , , ,

Is it not time that Apple, Microsoft, MPAA and the RIAA acknowledge that BitTorrent is good when applied legally, and incorporate BitTorrent into applications such as iTunes, Windows Media Player etc. The only way we are gonna keep the train moving forward with a rocket engine driving the new media growth in videocast, and podcasting is to give some relief to those in the trenches creating this content by incorporating BitTorrent into there applications to reduce cost as the audience grows.

The inking of several deals to distribute movies legally has taken place. Thus the industry needs to pony up to the bar and get aboard the content delivery train and make sure that as new media replaces old that you are wisely positioned to have helped continue to broker that content delivery.

It makes me irritated though that the folks who have created Juice and other applications did not step up and go the extra distance to make BitTorrent transfers in those applications seamless so that the user did not have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. [CNET]

MPAA is charged with hiring a Hacker!

Crime, Hacker, mpaa, ,

As you all know the MPAA sued Torrentspy.com some time ago but it is being alleged that the MPAA paid a hacker $15,000 to steal information from the company which supposedly included e-mail and company trade secrets. If these allegations prove to be true this could turn out to be a pretty big deal of corporate espionage of the worst kind. Collecting information then using that information to sue the company. I am not a lawyer but it looks like to me that if this proves to be true that the MPAA will have some explaining to do and may be in some pretty hot wire.

A attorney for torrentspy.com said: “We have very significant proof of wrongdoing and the MPAA’s involvement,” Rothken said. “We think it’s ironic for the MPAA to claim that they are protecting the rights of the movie studios and then go out and pirate other people’s property.”

From Cnet: “One MPAA executive is quoted in Torrentspy’s lawsuit as saying: “We don’t care how you get it,” referring to the alleged assignment to dig up information on Torrentspy. ”

Either way this is gonna get very ugly in the process. [CNET]

TorrentSpy fighting the MPAA!

bittorrent, Crime, Fair Use, mpaa, , ,

TorrentSpy a torrent search engine who is in takedown war with the MPAA is not laying down, they are fighting back and I think they have a pretty good chance of getting the case dismissed. TorrentSpy is nothing more than a Torrent Search engine. They don’t create torrents they only track them. If you read the motion you will understand that they have some legal precedence on this one and are likening themselves to Google.

The recent Supreme Court decision handed down on Grokster may end up being their deciding factor depending on how the judge interperts the higher court ruling. The MPAA has been getting sites taken down with their broad interpertation of that same ruling. We shall see where this leads but it is a good battle. [Neowin]

Could your cable company become your DVR?

Fair Use, Media, mpaa, Technology, , ,

Cablevision Systems is set to unveil a test that will allow consumers to time shift TV programming with their regular set top boxes. Instead of having a DVR in the home, you will now be able to use the Cable Companies infrastructure as your DVR. According to the linked article all of the functions you normally have now with your DVR can be duplicated at the head end. This is a interesting development and could be the basis of the ultimate paradigm in that we could go to content on demand for everything we watch.

“The technology for what Cablevision calls its “remote storage digital video recorder” (RS-DVR) “is here today, and in Cablevision’s case, we can use it to put DVR functionality in more than 2 million digital cable homes instantaneously, without ever rolling a truck or swapping out a set-top box,” COO Tom Rutledge says in a statement.”

If they don’t get sued by the networks this could potentially be a win for those of us concerned about Fair Use. [USA Today]

Broadcast Flag praised in Senate Hearing!

Crime, Fair Use, mpaa

These Senators that are on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in large part do not get it.They had a lot of wool pulled over the eyes today. I am sure the Motion Picture Industry is happy that their lobbyist and campaign contribution dollars are getting a lot of bang for the buck.

I am so sick and tired of having to deal with legislation that is focused on restricting what you can do with media that you pay for. Fair Use to the movie industry is making you pay for the same media multiple times. The American public is on the verge of having multiple pieces of legislation moved on that will forever change the way you are able to view, record and save media. FOREVER!

Act now! [ArsTechnica]

Senator Inouye Democrat Hawaii supports the Broadcast Flag

Information, mpaa,

I normally do not talk politics in this blog, but I have to call my Senator to the table. I have received a number of e-mails tonight from Hawaii residents all saying that they saw the Senator on C-Span supporting this horrendous legislation.

He is obviously out of touch with what is happening in the Technology Sector it is obvious that his age is affecting his better judgment, definitely time for him to go to pasture and let someone younger and more up to speed on these types of issues. The Senator has obviously spent to much time in Washington and is no longer in touch with the general population. If you are a Hawaii Resident, you need to call the Senator and tell him you are opposed to the Broadcast Flag legislation.

Please call the Senators Office and tell them you oppose the Broadcast Flag Legislation 202-224-3934 his Fax number is 202-224-6747