I just finished reading Julie's article in the New CE Pro on IEEE 1394(very good by the way). I have to ask everyone's opnion on this matter.

We are USTec members and they are making a big push for firewire as is JVC and Mitsubushi. And I have seen too many roadblocks in front of this. i.e: I have a Cable HD box (SA3250HD) and I also have a JVC 30k D-VHS. You would think that I could record any hd content but nope they have "Broadcast Flags" put out to prevent and transferance over the IEEE 1394 interface. What a joke! This digital copy thing is just crazy. Before you know it those VHS tapes your mom made of the Halmark Hall of Fame movies will be conserdered as "pirated" and you have to destroy or pay thousands of dollars in penalties.

What is this going to come to. Just my rant.
I'm done.

Bruce S.

DRM is prohibition for the 21st century. It is an example of concept not tempered by the realities of market dynamics. The only real end result that DRM is going to provide is a fertile environment for hackers and pirates to make money, therefore increasing the number of pirates. These pirates have it in their best interest to peddle their wares as far and wide as possible, unlike most end users, who would just share it with friends.

When considering monetary losses from pirates with a mass distribution and packing model versus peer to peer sharing, I would put my money on the pirates to be more damaging, long term.

The reality is that there is no such thing as effective DRM. The only thing it does is make it inconvenient for the end user to do with his media what he wants and shifts entertainment money, not only to pirates, but also to non-U.S. (or whever the movie was produced) shores, especially where the governments are unwilling or unable to crack down on the activities of its (pirate) citizens. Show me a DVI, HDMI, SDI, 1394, or any other proprietary digital format and I'm sure that I can find someone who can sell a DVD on a blanket on St. Marks Street. He'll ask 22, but I'm sure you can talk him down to 17.

Long term? I respect the industry's desire to make a profit and protect its IP. I think there are 2 logical conclusions. Movies will become so bad, over effected, under written, over produced, that no one wants to copy them. Media companies buy and control service providers and just charge broadband fees for a mass distribution model on the internet that makes it too cheap and convenient to pursue other "hard" software alternatives. But wait... I think I see both options coming true...

I do see you point somewhat. And I also respect their right to make a profit. Just as we charge design fees for a layout weather they use us or not.

But it's funny that these media companys cry foul every time sales slip and blame "Pirates", with out looking at their product. Just like the RIAA blamed Napster for it's loss in revenue. But a report that came out about the same time suggested that people are just not happy with the quality of music these days. At the time people were being forced to buy entire albums for just one or two songs they liked from the artist. I used to DJ and I spent more money than can remeber on albums for just one song. Singles were hard to mind and many times they did not put out a single to the public.Media has become a packaged product anymore. And media execs feel that they must squeeze every dollar from consumers weather they like it or not.

I understand that fedral law requires IEEE 1394 on cable boxes and will probly be required on Sat boxes soon. But if media compnies are not going to play fair why put it through legislation and increase costs of the products (TV's, Cable Boxes, D-VHS etc.)? Before you know it you won't be able to have DVR's because of the "possibility" of pirates decrypting the HD and being able to put it on a sellable media. I applaud the efforts of USTec and others that believe in IEEE 1394, just like myself, but I am afraid that it could be a one sided effort. Without the cooperation of Media companys it cannot last.