DVD bootleggers are being booted out of business by one of technology’s fiercest anti-piracy patrols. According to Technewsworld.com, Macrovision RipGuard DVD will prevent 97 percent of software used to copy DVDs.
Designed to prohibit DVD ripping, RipGuard is jointly accredited to business dealings and manufacturing with THX of San Rafael, California and will produce a technology that will fill a digital hole in personal computers that left unfilled would allow DVDs to be downloaded, copied on to discs and illegally distributed.
Cabrini junior Chris Reilly said, “I don’t agree with the distribution of DVDs that are downloaded and then copied because that’s stealing from major movie producing companies.”
It is reported that entertainment studios lose out on more than a billion dollars to DVD burning and if items like RipGuard were not manufactured then those numbers would only continue to rise ultimately forcing the price of store bought DVDs to rise.
“I’m from New York where I could easily buy a burned DVD for 5 dollars off the street. But I wouldn’t mind spending my money on a movie ticket that I can get a discount on anyway because I’m a student or even buying the DVD I want to see from a store because I’m more certain the quality of it will be good, plus I’d rather not contribute to rising entertainment costs,” said Reilly.
Technewsworld.com also reported that THX has ensured that RipGuard’s software will not decrease the visual or sound quality of DVDs from big screen to home screen.
Nicole Maziarz, Cabrini freshman, agrees with anti-piracy technology. “People are always going to find ways around everything they’re told they can’t do.”
RipGuard acknowledges that keeping up with production of prohibitive software poses a challenge. Higher definition DVDs are very complicated to illegally copy and are more expensive to make.
Technewsworld.com also reported that, “Hollywood is risking putting its crown jewels out there, so they want to ensure that those assets are protected.”
“I think RipGuard should do what they have to do to keep people from illegally copying movies just as long as it doesn’t prevent people from copying movies legally and even if that means we have to wait for the previously viewed DVDs to go on sale at Blockbuster,” said Maziarz.
