Any Lawsuits Yet To Speak Of?

[visualops]

What is "fair use"? Is that where I can make copies of copyrighted materials for my own use?

"Fair Use" is not really a 'law' per se, but an accepted defense for 'violating' copyright law in its strictest sense. This covers stuff like backup copies of CDs, letting friends borrow CDs... IOW, all those things which allow you to fully make use of and enjoy your purchase, hence the term "fair use".

I hadn't heard about RIAA pursuing these above-the-law powers.

They were pushing for legislation to allow them to pursue supposed music pirates et al. I'll post some links tomorrow, no time right now.

[weegee]

There is no signifier on the DVD to say that it uses RCE, that isn't determined until it has been placed in the machine.

There is a list of known discs on that website (DVD Talk) that I mentioned. www.DvdTalk.com also has good conversations about import titles (there is a list of import exclusive titles that is not complete but lets you know many things that are available).

There is also a price search there. A really good all around site (but not the only such stop on the internet).

You will find a subpage that lists what machines can be modified or are shipped region free. I have an APEX player. Many people are unsatisfied with them but mine serves me fine (it won't play DVD-R, home recorded DVDs). www.nerdout.com is the APEX fan site. Not all APEX systems are region free.

You are best served to look at some import titles and see if there are things that you want. Postage isn't high and some discs (like the Hong Kong discs from www.dddhouse.com) aren't expensive but if you don't care for those movies it doesn't matter much.

I already accept the idea that my DVD player will one day "die". My VCRs need to be replaced. My laser disc player is 15 years old and still gets frequent use playing laser discs and cds (I have a couple spares though).

All DVD will be obsolete some day, there will be a format that will be higher density, I just hope that it is compatible with current discs (play old discs on the next generation machines).

[weegee]

Read that book I recommended on Payola. When records began, the Supreme Court ruled that the songwriters did not need to get royalties for the recording (I don't think that people onstage paid a royalty for the song; the money was made selling sheet music).

When radio came along, the record companies didn't get paid for stations playing the records. Musicians complained that live bands would be replaced with recorded music.

The industry has always fought technology to preserve their self interests. They pushed and pushed until they got the legislation and court rulings they wanted. Money talks.

This is no different.

[weegee]

Fair use covers legal use of copyrighted materials. Even "teachers" may copy materials to distribute in a educational setting. Define teacher and educational; now it is splitting hairs.

Backups are permitted. Home taped compilations are legal (you've paid for your own copies of the songs). Giving a home taped compilation to a friend or loved one may not have originally been "fair use" but the industry turned a blind eye to the practice and it became an aceepted act. Does their refusal to prosecute set a precendent that leaves this as an open loophole to copyright violation? I don't know.

I see albums in the future being called "software". Add some lyric sheets or mpg videos to the disc and they are CD-ROMs. When you buy a CD-ROM, typically there is a "user agreement" that is "agreed" to when you open the seal. That "agreement" prevents you from loading that software onto 2 machines (even if you own them both) and prevents you from selling that software as "used". Ebay acknowledges this and will stop any auction (especially Microsoft) that has a software sale (including sealed software packages) that does not come from an "authorized" vendor.

There are some whiney artists who dislike the whole idea of used album sales because it cuts against their own sales figures. Some like Garth Brooks had their labels suspend promotional money from stores that sold used CDs.

The industry does not care what your "fair use" or rights are. Money is what they want. Your money. If you aren't giving it to them, they don't like you.

[zeugma]

Excellent information. Great post. I need to look seriously at a region-free dvd player.