RealNetworks, Hollywood still in court battle

RealNetworks and the Hollywood movie studios are set to face off in court over RealDVD’s ability to make copies of legal DVDs.

Judge Marilyn Hall Patel of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco is now hearing arguments from both sides, as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) believes RealNetworks is violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

"This is really all about the studios having the ability to control how consumers watch and view DVDs and the technology by which they do that," according to RealNetworks’ spokesperson Bill Hankes.  "They believe that consumers want this right, and they’re producing products that allow them to do it. They just don’t want us to do it."

Last October, U.S. District Judge Patel stopped sales of RealDVD just days after its release on the market. Copies made with RealDVD are actually encrypted, Real’s attempt to stop copies from being shared on peer-to-peer networks. Supposedly the DVD’s DRM (CSS?) and Real’s own level of DRM would help protect the content.

^{Image courtesy of AP}

The lawsuit filed by the MPAA has earned the group strong criticism from bloggers and digital rights advocates, who believe the MPAA is attempting to block innovative products created by third-parties.  More consumers are interested in turning DVDs into digital files so they can be conveniently backed up and viewed on PCs.

The MPAA fired back by saying it supports legitimate innovation, but feels RealDVD is simply a copier program that allows consumers to copy DVDs illegally. 

It’s unknown when the judge will issue a ruling, but observers said Hollywood’s control on digital formats continues to dwindle, and the outcome might be irrelevant for consumers.