Jul 12, 2016 - The Sega Saturn is a dying console thanks to its disc-based game format, but wizard James Wah has managed to crack the system's copy.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 31 — An anonymous computer programmer may have skewed the competition over standards for high-definition DVD discs by possibly defeating a scheme that both sides use to protect digital content.
The standards, HD-DVD and Blu-ray, are being backed by rival coalitions of Hollywood studios and consumer electronics and computer companies that are eagerly marketing a new generation of digital media players and video game machines tailored for widescreen TVs.
The HD-DVD coalition includes companies like Microsoft, Intel, Toshiba and NEC; the Blu-ray camp has Sony, Philips and Samsung. Among studios, Universal is exclusively backing HD-DVD. Paramount and Warner Brothers also support HD-DVD, but not exclusively. Representatives of Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox and Warner Brothers are on the board of the Blu-ray group.
The two groups have taken different technical approaches in their efforts to prohibit consumers from making copies of movies and other digital material stored on discs. Both groups use an encryption scheme known as Advanced Access Copy System. The Blu-ray system also adds a software-based component that makes it possible to modify the copy protection scheme on new discs if the old one is broken by hackers.
The standards are brand new, but it appears that the two groups’ copy protection schemes are already about to be tested.
Continue reading the main storyThe HD-DVD camp may have suffered a setback when the programmer, who identified himself as Muslix64, announced in the Internet discussion forum Doom9 on Dec. 18 that he had successfully copied movies distributed in the HD-DVD format. The note directed readers to a site where demonstration software he had written could be downloaded.
“I was not aware of anyone having done that, so I did,” he wrote.
In an accompanying video demonstration posted on the YouTube Web site, the programmer showed encryption keys for six movies and concluded by stating “A.A.C.S. is unbreakable? I don’t think so. Do you? Stay tuned for source code in January. Merry Christmas.”
Because the encryption system has a hierarchy of encryption keys, simply breaking the system for a single movie does not mean that it is possible to copy all movies.
Technical experts who have examined the software posted by Muslix64 said that it was only a partial solution for making copies of the digitally protected material, but that it did not bode well for the Advanced Access Content System.
“They’re playing with something that is incomplete, but it is still a troubling sign,” said Richard Doherty, the president of Envisioneering, a consumer electronics industry consulting firm.
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The programmer has said that he plans to post more software on Tuesday, describing a more complete attack on A.A.C.S.
On Friday, the industry group that is completing the A.A.C.S. protection standard issued a short statement saying that it was aware of the claims but had not yet verified them.
If the person who identified himself as Muslix64 is able to create a complete version of a decryption program, or if others extend the software so that consumers without technical expertise can readily make copies of movies, that would create a crisis for the HD-DVD camp. That system contains a “revocation” mechanism for shutting down HD-DVD players whose encryption system has been compromised. But industry analysts say that taking such a step would give the HD-DVD system a tremendous black eye, angering consumers and shaking the confidence of Hollywood studios in the system.
Today’s DVDs are protected using an earlier encryption technique known as Content Scramble System, or C.S.S. That system was undermined in 1999 by a small group of programmers, and movie studios have said that the new A.A.C.S. would not fall victim to the same kind of technological attack.
The Blu-ray system adds modifiable copy protection software, known as BD Plus, that is based on an approach pioneered by a group of technologists at Cryptography Research in San Francisco as a safeguard in the event the A.A.C.S. is compromised. Industry executives said that Microsoft opposed the Cryptography approach because it would shift control to the studio and away from hardware makers.
If the HD-DVD protection system has indeed been compromised, it was not immediately clear which camp would benefit most directly.
Some posters in Internet discussion groups have argued that the cracking of HD-DVD may increase the popularity of the system among consumers eager to make copies of movies they have purchased.
At the same time, a weakened encryption system could undermine studio support, causing some to turn to the Blu-ray technology instead and giving the Blu-ray group an advantage in offering a wider range of content.
Since the launch of Movies Anywhere, I've been happily watching my Amazon purchases on Apple TV and my iTunes purchases on my Amazon Echo Show. Digital copies of movies I'd nearly forgotten about are right there in my movie library, waiting for me to watch on any device of my choosing. I still have a huge collection of DVDs, however, just sitting there, un-digitized. Sure, I can rip my DVD collection, but that takes time and effort. With a little help from Vudu and Movies Anywhere, I can get high-quality digital versions of many of my DVDs and Blu-Rays without having to do the work.
Vudu Disc to Digital will digitize your physical movies
If you're not inclined to spend the time digitizing your DVDs or Blu-ray discs, you can have it done for you, for a price, using Vudu's Disc to Digital service. If you've merged your UltraViolet movies with Movies Anywhere, you already have an account with Vudu. If you don't have an account with Vudu, you'll need one to use their service. It's easy to sign up.
Once you're signed up, you can either use your Mac or PC to scan your disc and convert it to digital, or download the iPhone and iPad app or Android app and sit right in front of your movie shelf and just let the scanning begin!
This isn't going to work with all of your movies. First off, in order to digitize it, you'll need to scan the UPC. If your DVD or Blu-ray disc doesn't have a UPC, you can't digitize it.
Additionally, Vudu can only digitize discs it currently offers in its marketplace. So, your DVD of The Amazing Screw-on Head isn't going to be available, UPC or not.
Some movies that Vudu does currently offer won't be supported with the Disc to Digital service, like some special multi-disc editions, TV shows, and multi-movie packs.
Remember, not all movie distribution companies have signed on with Disney for Movies Anywhere. For example, Paramount Pictures does not support Movies Anywhere. So movies from some distribution companies won't be available in Movies Anywhere, even if you are able to digitize them through Vudu. Right now, five major movie studios support Movies Anywhere:
- Disney
- Twentieth Century Fox
- Sony Pictures
- Universal
- Warner Bros.
Check your box to make sure your movie is supported in Movies Anywhere before you spend the money digitizing it. Some movie distribution companies, Lionsgate for example, are distributed by major studios, like 20th Century Fox in this particular example.
How to turn your physical movies into digital
Once you're all signed up and signed in to your Vudu account, all you have to do is select Disc to Digital in the app or on the website. You can do a quick search to make sure your movie is supported, or scan the barcode. If Vudu has it on file, it'll appear. You can then choose the quality of the digital copy as SD for $2 or HDX for $5. Blu-rays are all HDX and cost $2 to digitize.
Digitizing your discs on iPhone and iPad
- Launch the Vudu app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap the menu icon in the upper left corner.
- Tap Disc to Digital from the menu.
- Tap Scan Barcode.
- Scan the barcode on your DVD or Blu-ray cover.
- Select the quality format from SD or HDX (Blu-ray is HDX).
- Tap Submit List to begin the digitizing process.
- Tap Continue scanning to digitize another movie.
Once finished, you'll receive an email with the next steps to finish.
Digitizing your discs on Mac or PC
To digitize your physical movies on your computer, you'll need a connected DVD and/or Blu-ray disc drive. If you don't have one, and don't plan to buy one, you'll need to digitize your movies using your iPhone or iPad instead.
- Navigate to Vudu.com and sign in.
- Click on Services in the menu at the top.
- Click on Disc to Digital
- Scroll down and click on Download under Convert In-Home (with a computer).
- Once the app is downloaded and installed onto your computer, open it and Sign in.
- Click on Disc to Digital.
- Click on Add Disc.
- Insert your DVD to convert it to digital.
- Select the quality format from SD or HDX (Blu-ray is HD)
Once finished, you'll receive an email with the next steps to finish.
Troubleshooting Disc to Digital checkout issues
If you don't receive a confirmation email (I never did with two different attempts), you might have to visit the Vudu website from your web browser to manually check out.
- Navigate to my.vudu.com/D2DConversion from your web browser.
- Click Checkout at the bottom of your list of scanned movies.
- Click Convert Now to confirm your purchase.
How to watch your newly digitized movies on any device
Once the digitizing process is complete, your movies will appear in your Vudu library. If you're already signed in and have your Vudu account synced with Movies Anywhere, those digital copies will begin popping up on your respective movie-watching services, like iTunes, Amazon Video, and Google Play so you can watch them on any supported device, like your Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android tablet, iPad, Android phone, and iPhone.
Just grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy your movies.
Any questions?
Do you have any questions about how to digitize your physical movies using Vudu's Disc to Digital service? Put them in the comments and we'll help you out.
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