DVD Copy Protection

[Ken McGrath]

Is there any way to prevent the copying of DVDs that I burn on my PC from being copied? I use Encore DVD for my authoring. This is literally putting me out of business!

[John C. Chu]

From what I have gleaned here about adding copy protection on self burned DVD's... it won't work, because adding the copy protection code or flags works only with factory pressed DVD's.

I wonder, however, about the viability of other forms of copy protection for self produced DVD's.

I know Sony developed a DVD copy protection called ARcCos.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARccOS

It works by delibrately introducing bad sectors to your disc. But the structure of your disc will tell the DVD player to skip the bad parts on play back..but make it harder for disc copy program to copy bit by bit.

Anyway..I have no idea about this stuff, but couldn't a programmer make copy proctection thing for your DVD authoring program that does the same thing? Or would it mess up your first burning and recording of such a "protected" disc?

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Ken McGrath

Is there any way to prevent the copying of DVDs that I burn on my PC from being copied? I use Encore DVD for my authoring. This is literally putting me out of business!

You have to master the DVD onto DLT drives (digital linear tape) which will support CSS encryption. There are no consumer DVD burners I'm aware of that will support this. Unfortunately, it's easy to circumvent with available software. Such is the society we live in these days.

-gb-

[Ervin Farkas]

Yes, there are ways of legally protecting your DVD with solutions from Macrovision for example, or CSS.

But as Greg pointed out, that will only stop whoever wants to respect your desire not to make copies... for everyone else there's plenty of software on the internet (some of it free, like DVD Shrink) that can rip even Hollywood movies with ease... and those guys do spend a fortune on protection, we all know that.

[Ken McGrath]

I was afraid that would be the answer. I am going to put very, very strongly worded caution statements on my DVDs, both printed on the disk, and on the video itself, and hope that discourages at least some of the copying. I wonder how often someone actually gets prosecuted for illegal copying once it is brought to the attention of the Feds. Seldom, if ever I suspect....

[William Hohauser]

Originally Posted by Ken McGrath

Is there any way to prevent the copying of DVDs that I burn on my PC from being copied? I use Encore DVD for my authoring. This is literally putting me out of business!

Are you prepared to replicate 1000 copies at a time? That's the usual amount you have to make to get Macrovision encoded in the video. There's another technology called RipGuard that messes with computer based copying but that also requires mass replication. Replication is done at a special facility.

SonicDVD has annouced a low cost version of these licensed technologies but there's no delivery date yet.

http://www.sonic.com/about/press/new...secureDVD.aspx

[Steve Nunez]

Does anyone know where i might find the "FBI Warnings" and other stills sometimes present on various DVD's?
I'd like a collection to use when authoring DVD's- funny question, are the DVD warnings copyrighted too? Can they be used freely?

(Google Image search did come up with some stills- anyone have a better resource??)

[Rob Lohman]

Steve: as far as I know those are illegal to use without licenses.

I'm wondering why you would go through the trouble anyway. I can tell you
that I've bought close to 200 DVD's and the single most irritating thing is the
pirating warnings (which get worse every year, now I get a anti-piracy warning
BOOKLET enclosed [with the dvd I JUST BOUGHT]).

No-one who will copy discs will even be looking at it and probably will remove
such warnings from the copy since it is annoying.

The real question becomes how much discs do you plan on selling (realistically)
and how much do you think you will loose on income if people could copy them
(keep in mind that not every copy would've resulted in a sale if it was not copyable).

I would focus my energy on something more important (imho) like writing
the next script or producing a kick-ass DVD.

I'd like to think that some nice things like a cool package or really good
booklet (not the chapter list ones, but a booklet with photos and stories etc.)
would reduce copy's more.

If you must add something I would add a more "human" piece of text of a
couple of lines that said something like "This movie was made with love and
hard labor, thank you for buying it!".

Notice how this assumes the viewer bought it instead of illegaly copying it.
The message also is easy and friendly instead of talking about fines and jail.

p.s. second place on my irritation list is trailers before the menu / movie
and third place would be not cool extra's that reduce disk space for something
that no-one wants (and listing chapters and such as special features, sigh).

[Jon Whiteford]

would you consider those statements legal?

You could also sell only with signed receipt by ups or us mail. Give them two copies and a statement that this video is watermarked with your (the buyers) name and address as each one is individually burned for that buyer, extra copies (beyond the two) may be ordered for less, and on the video and your web site post a prominent offer of a reward for notification of anyone making copies of your copyrighted work. tell them that illegal copies will be tracked back to the original buyer and he/she/it will be held responsible.


of course its all a psyche, but it would work on me.

[Alex Amira]

I like Rob's approach.

[William Hohauser]

Originally Posted by Steve Nunez

Does anyone know where i might find the "FBI Warnings" and other stills sometimes present on various DVD's?
I'd like a collection to use when authoring DVD's- funny question, are the DVD warnings copyrighted too? Can they be used freely?

(Google Image search did come up with some stills- anyone have a better resource??)

Just make your own graphic. Reword it so it doesn't seems like you are part of any organization that you are not. Some commercial DVDs are clearly using a FBI graphic made 20 years ago.

[Shawn Kessler]

Hers my question,
can you create a a finished movie in imovie then import
into dvd pro4 then put copy protect on it from there?

thanks shawn

[Rob Lohman]

Shawn: you cannot copy protect a movie yourself. What you can do is flag a
movie so that CSS encryption and/or Macrovision protection (created by a DVD
player when it creates the video output stream) is added / enabled when your
DVD movie is replicated by a replication facility.

In theory you can also buy an authoring burning with authoring DVD-R's to do
this (you would also need software support), but I haven't seen those around
for a while.

If I'm not mistaken DVD Studio Pro supports setting these flags and creating
an output the replication facility can use (probably on tape).

So yes you can do what you want, as long as you go the professional route.
Not when you burn your own discs.

But again, I cannot see why anyone would spend the money and energy on
features that I (and anyone else) can strip out during play (none of my output
has macrovision enabled since that degrades the picture) or can rip your
product in the same time it takes to copy the files of the disc.

To be fair I guess it does stop some casual copying, especially if the person
has no technical knowledge at all and (most importantly) does not know anyone
with the skills. But even my dad knows how to use the (free) copy software
these days...

p.s. I'm assuming DVD Studio Pro can import an iMovie project etc. I've never
used either products so I do not know. I just know about DVD production in general.

[Adam Barker]

Originally Posted by William Hohauser

Just make your own graphic. Reword it so it doesn't seems like you are part of any organization that you are not. Some commercial DVDs are clearly using a FBI graphic made 20 years ago.

http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/

[William Hohauser]

Originally Posted by Adam Barker

http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/

That page has the recommended generic wording for your graphic and a warning against the use of any FBI logo. The FBI logo has it's own copyright warning! Only members of organizations with agreements with the FBI can use the logos. Mentioning the FBI with your own font is apparently OK.

Whew! That means that the warning I've been using for twenty years is fine. Never tried to use their logo.