by CIO Staff

Film-to-DVD Burning to be Simplified

News
Aug 11, 20062 mins
Consumer Electronics

The DVD Copy Control Association, a movie industry party, plans to soon cut back some of the copy restrictions that have hindered the legitimate “burning” of digital films to blank DVDs—a move that represents big Hollywood studios’ increasing willingness to sell downloadable films that can be legally transferred to discs, the Associated Press reports via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The modifications to the current rules are expected to be made official in the near future, and they would enable movie sellers to employ “jukebox kiosks” that could be used to select films and burn them directly to DVDs at stores, according to the AP.

The DVD Copy Control Association’s Content Scramble System (CSS) is currently used by producers of DVD players, DVDs and other electronic devices to encrypt content and help prevent piracy, the AP reports. Technical and policy modifications in relation to the CSS are expected, and the association said it will soon begin to license the technology to firms that sell films for download instead of just traditional DVD retailers, the AP reports.

The association also hopes to work in conjunction with blank DVD makers to offer discs that are compatible with the CSS, according to the AP.

In the past, major Hollywood studios have been hesitant to offer films for download due to concerns over piracy and the cannibalization of traditional DVD sales. The DVD Copy Control Association’s decision to cut back some copy restrictions and work with film download sellers represents the industry’s latest move toward acceptance of the online sales medium. 

In July, CinemaNow became the first retailer to offer legal film downloads that can be burned to DVD, and such heavies as Walt Disney’s Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment have already inked deals with the firm to provide content.

Another video-download firm called Movielink also recently announced plans to offer burnable films for download, though it did not set a time frame for when the service would be operational.

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