Apple tows Hollywood's HDCP line


Ars Technica (via Wired) reports that Apple's new aluminum MacBook (and presumably the MacBook Pro) include High Definition Content Protection (HDCP, 128-bit encryption) to "protect" video content sold through the iTunes Store.

When my friend John, a high school teacher, attempted to play Hellboy 2 on his classroom's projector with a new aluminum MacBook over lunch, he was denied by the error you see [below]. John's using a Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter, plugged into a Sanyo projector that is part of his room's Promethean system.

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via Ars


Ars reports that a mix of new and old films--Hellboy 2, Iron Man, Love Guru, Shawshank Redemption--are HDCP aware and that there's apparently little rhyme or reason as to which titles are or aren't.

Respect...

In related news, MacUser UK is reporting comments by Douglas Merrill, worldwide president, digital, EMI that offering high-quality (256K), DRM-free tracks via the iTunes hasn't had any impact, one way or the other, on piracy rates of his company's product.

"But what we did see is consumers loved the product," he said. "It was good for consumers, it's good for artists. It gets people engaged with the art in a whole new way by getting rid of artificial rules-like we don't trust you, so I'm not going to give you this content. It just sort of set the wrong tone with our customers."

He added that, "The pirates are doing a busy business regardless. The best way to get a pirated copy probably isn't to buy it from iTunes and then push it."

Editor's note: How many people will see the above "error" message and simply abandon "legal" content in disgust? When they treat ordinary people like criminals, they're instilling the very behavior they originally sought to obviate.

And, 128-bit encryption? It won't be long before DVD Jon or some other hacker spits that back in Hollywood's face.

Why are these lessons--learned at such a cost by the music industry--lost on the movie studios?

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