There were lots of horror stories about the DRM on HD machines. I assume that as some HD-DVD machines are available for pre-order the DRM for that format has been finalized? What is it and how does it work?

Hd-dvd and Blu-ray both have something called AACS (Advanced Access Content System). Blu-ray also has an additional security feature, BD+, basically because Fox asked for it.

AACS primarily deals with managed copy features, while BD+ is a watermarking system. In short, both are there for the sake of stopping piracy. BD+ is specifically targeted at mass piracy, specifically by Asian countries.

There are no mandatory internet connections!!!

Has that been confirmed? I was reading over on the AVS Forum that you would need an Internet connection to use iHD and Java functionality on the disc. It would still play correctly, but you wouldn't have all the cool features.

It "stops" piracy but it also (as in current DVDs) makes it near impossible for someone to have a simple way to rip a movie so they can watch it in whatever format they choose. (Say, transfer to video tape, or watch on your hard drive, or on your video iPod or PSP).

DRM basically makes consumer's life harder - it doesn't protect the consumer. It also doesn't protect the content provider because NOTHING stops piracy. NOTHING.

There's a great write-up I saw recently although now I can't find it. It basically talks about DRM very plainly and simply and why it's bad, in free market terms.

Managed copy is a big, big deal with these formats. You will be able to make copies -- you just have to do it on their terms.

As long as you don't plan on doing anything illegal I don't see whats to complain about. Legal Copies will be handled via the AACS system.

AACS can, and probably will be broken. BD+ sounds interesting though and I can't wait to see how it completely works. Supposedly, the pirates would actually need the actual hardware to watermark the discs, hardware that is both super-expensive and that Sony is keeping in limited hands.

Did I just read that I would have to PAY to make a copy of a disc I already own?

Actually what troubles most is the capability of remotely rewriting firmware. As I understood it, if they decided a key was compromised on Samsung player model abc123 then they would turn off (via firmware) all (possibly tens of thousands?) model abc123 players remotely and it would be up to the consumer to prove innocence and get their player turned back on. Has this wackiness been abandoned?

You won't have to pay for the first copy, at least.

That's why I'm not a big supporter of Blue-ray.

I don't care if it has a larger capacity, the security measures they are putting in place really don't make me to buy a player that can be shut off just because some outside source decides to ruin my player because I may have done something they don't like.

I didn't plan on doing anything illegal with the Sony CDs I purchased either and then their copy protection scheme posed potential security risks and routinely crashed my computer. Assuming that these companies, in doing something to protect their own best interests, will be concerned with possible deliterious effects on my hardware is naive at best.

The good thing about that fiasco is the publicity got so bad, which then got SonyBMG to rethink their piracy measures.

Small chance they will put anything in the hardware that will let it happen again.

Methinks you are entirely too trusting, my friend.

I bet it will be cracked before the first owner has even opened the box and plugged it in.

The problem is not the cracking itself, but the next Blu Ray discs will contain a new software which recognizes the known cracks, so it won't play on that player.

That works for me. I only want a copy to protect the original from damage.

Eventually, that too will be cracked.

I have not been following the specifics of the DRM used, but imagine a rouge player that ignores all of this. One that won't read the new revoked keys or update anything based on "known cracks" on new BR discs.

I wouldn't expect a rouge player to disable itself.

The only system that is cracker-safe is one that is enclosed in a lead container and buried 6 feet underground.

I don't know how much of this Blu-Ray stuff is real and how much is FUD, but you can be this: I am not buying any player which requires an internet connection for me to see everything on the disc. (The same reason I never bought that really really stupid E.T. DVD).

And what about portable players? Is this going to be like the PSP where everyone keeps track of what firmware you have and what breaks or doesn't break the homebrew applications you already have?

Why should every single consumer be treated as a possible criminal? Nothing will ever stop piracy.

All these onerous copy protection schemes accomplish is to make law-abiding people learn the tricks of criminals in order to do legal things with the content they have paid money for. When you treat people like criminals, don't be surprised if they act like criminals.

Well, it did take almost 3 years before CSS on DVD was cracked. And that was because of a mistake by a software vendor.

I don't expect the encryption to be broken before the players hit the street. It may be less than the 3 years it took for DVD though, because a lot more people will be looking at it. But then the hardware manufacturers learned lessons from the CSS cracking also.

Well, it will be cracked eventually. Of that, I have no doubt.