Caribbean firm circumvents BD+ copy protection
Blu-ray bitchslap poses problems for Hollywood
Agentless Backup is Not a Myth
Software developers based in the Caribbean have thrown down the gauntlet to the movie industry with a product that can copy Blu-ray discs protected by the latest high definition disc copy protection technology.
Version 6.4.0.0 of AnyDVD HD allows users to make backup copies of Blu-ray discs protected with BD+ ahead of the widespread use of the technology, developer SlySoft claims. AnyDVD works in the background to automatically remove copy protection of a DVD movie, allowing users to back up a movie using a DVD backup tool. Users can also remove the RPC region code, allowing a movie to be viewed on any DVD player and with any DVD player software regardless of region-related restrictions.
BD+ is a component of the Blu-ray Disc Digital Rights Management system. BD+ creates a virtual machine within authorised players that allows the execution of "applets" on Blu-ray Discs. Some studios, such as Twentieth Century Fox, have stated that the incorporation of the technology is one of the reasons they preferred Blu-ray over HD DVD.
Both Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats support a copy protection technology called AACS, which has already been defeated. Blu-ray also supports BD+ which is more resilient because it is capable of being patched. Most Blue-Ray discs currently in circulation do not include BD+.
SlySoft, which is based in the Caribbean islands nation of Antigua and Barbuda, claims that it is ready to deal with possible enhancements to BD+ designed to protect the technology from being circumvented by tools such as AnyDVD.
"Blu-ray titles released up to now have not fully exploited the possibilities of BD+," said Peer van Heuen, head of high-definition technologies at SlySoft, in a statement by the firm. "Future releases will undoubtedly have a modified and more polished BD+ protection, but we are well prepared for this and await the coming developments rather relaxed."
Giancarlo Bettini, SlySoft chief exec, claimed the firm's backup technology could give HD-DVD players a new lease of life. The tech was consigned to apparent oblivion after losing out to Blu-ray in the format wars. ®
COMMENTS
and what will the 'shop movie' industry do???
**IF** they had any brains or courage, they would sell 'first release' vids at £10 a shot, secondaries at £5 - this would mean a lot more would buy a 'proper box set' , and would be worth it for the shop... and also drive the 'pirates' out of business!!
BUT no, they cannot understand 'volume selling'... they only look at how much money they can get, and 'protecting property' - this is a red rag to the buying public, who can afford less & less, and of course the crackers, who *love* putting 'too rich' people's nose out of joint!!
I am looking forward to next year, when 'multiregion patched' Bluray players come out just like DVD ones did years ago.... :):)
@paulc
"backing up rentals is theft" - if it wasnt for people backing up their rentals do you honestly think the video rental industry would hae taken off? ever since the days of vhs the only reason people paid the extortionate rental fees was they knew fine well they could make a copy and watch it whenever they wanted to
and lets face it, 95% of the crap on tv and pumped out by the movie studios isnt worh watching anyway...
AC
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