RSSMicrosoft refutes a Times article on Zune's 'copyright cop'
By Jacqueline Emigh | Published May 8, 2008, 12:56 PM
A New York Times article purporting that Microsoft is working with NBC Universal to create a "copyright cop" -- or anti-piracy filter -- for the Zune that will prevent playback of unauthorized videos, was refuted by Microsoft today.
In the article which appeared on a Times blog, Saul Hansell, a Times reporter, quotes J.B. Perrette, president of digital distribution for the movie studio, as saying there are two reasons why NBC chose Microsoft's Zune over Apple's iTunes for content distribution.
One reason given by Perrette is that Apple insists on paying the same wholesale price for all videos, so that Apple can charge $1.99 for each film. The other is that Apple presented NBC with a flat out refusal on a request to include filters in the iPod.
"Microsoft, by contrast, will accept NBC's pricing scheme and will work with it to try to develop a copyright 'cop' to be installed on its devices," according to Hansell's story.
Hansell also said that Adam Sohn, a spokesman for Microsoft, declined comment on the issue except to say that the software company is exploring anti-piracy measures with NBC.
But in a blog post on the Zune site yesterday, Cesar Menendez, a member of Microsoft's Zune team, responded by denying that content filtering is part of its content distribution deal with NBC.
"We have no plans or commitments to implement any new type of content filtering in the Zune devices as part of our content distribution deal with NBC," Menendez wrote. "We think some folks in the industry were expressing hopes for how the entire industry, not just Microsoft, would come to look at content distribution, and some speculation has ensued. Again, no plans are in place toward this end."
This morning, Hansell updated his NYT article with a link to Microsoft's blog post, along with some new commentary of his own.
"It's worth noting that Mr. Perrette told me that Microsoft committed to explore filtering; he didn't say it committed to implementing those filters," according to Hansell's update.
"Here is what Mr. Sohn, the Microsoft spokesman, told me yesterday when I asked him about what Mr. Perrette said: 'I don't think they are wrong, but we are not going to characterize those discussions.' Later he added, 'We have agreed to work with NBC across a range of topics, and protection of copyrighted material is certainly one of them,'" Hansell wrote.
Well, there goes any chance of me wanting to buy a Zune. I'll have to stick with the distortionPod.
Score: 0
|Haha, um microsoft does want to sell zune's right?
NBC Universal really wants to just screw themselves don't they. The best thing they can do is offer content, free of drm for cheap. This is absolutely the only way they can compete with rampent piracy via torrents.
The word is getting out how easy, fast and no brains it is to do this. So they need to either compete in the same way, just charge a simple fee and make it legit, or watch their system fail, profits fall and their only source of real revenue is commercials on tv.
Being a simple consumer, I can tell you I will never buy content like this. Especially if they are going to lock down the devices even so anything NON DRM will even play. What is wrong with them?
Score: 0
|They do this so your STUCK with your FIRST device.. IE iPood = itunes..
Apple is the best at this they lock you in and when you find something else (to play music..on a 300-500 unit is pretty spending)
When the "owner" finds out that this crap they have been buying is for the device they first got not the new one.. they are SOL..
Score: 0
|Microsoft's PR is really scared on this one. "We want to make it very clear we haven't done anything yet." "However, we are totally going to." In the long run what exactly is the difference?
Score: 0
|another way for them to get a few more dollars from us. So you pay $120month for TV and can't record it to play it on other devices.. If that is the future the price for TV need to be reduced by alot.. And don't forget when the WGA was on strike the Studio's refunded all the advertisers but not the subscribers.. so we are on the bottom once again..
Score: 0
|To me it is about price. I'm not paying 1.99 for any TV show. I would rather just put the DVD on my Blockbuster list, get it and convert it. Or Better, record it on my DVR and just convert it.
BUT - if they charge "correctly" I would buy it when traveling or train rides. I think they need to price it on demand. Anything in the last week, 1.99 (as the demand is high if you miss a show), 1 dollar for anything with 1-4 weeks,anything over 1 month is old - 50 cents. And if they filter it with some DRM - nothing. I'll just watch it on TV or a rerun for free. Of course, If I read it right, the Zune team says no way.
Score: 0
|why would i want to have copyright filtering functionality if i decide to buy such device?
Score: 0
|For the same reason you want your mp3s and movies drenched in DRM.
You don't....
But it's necessary to protect their property, or that is the fallacy that exists anyway. What they really mean is, we want you to buy the dvd, cd, mp3 and avi of the movie. Forget making your own from your store purchased dvd/cd.
Think about it...these are people that don't want you to copy CDs or make mp3s from your OWN albums, they don't want you to backup your DVDs or convert what's on them to any other file format. They want you to buy every type of media content they offer. Thank goodness for small wins that let us, the consumer be able to manipulate our own media (for now at least - they're working very hard to change that).
If any part of this is true, and I don't think it is - this essentially means that while Universal can't stop you from converting your battlestar galactica collection to avi, they CAN stop you, or rather, MS will stop you from being able to play it on your Zune. That however would be a suicidal deal for MS, so I really doubt they'd ever impliment such a protection.
Score: 0
|There is always a way to get around something, its just a matter of time.
Score: 0
|