I’ll take the DRM. Wrapped with extra restrictions! Thanks!
I am a huge advocate of digital media. For one, I never buy physical CD’s anymore, I go straight for iTunes Plus or Amazon MP3 tracks. The last CD I purchased was Jay-z’s Kingdom Come, and what did I do with it after I fought for 5 minutes to get it out of the plastic? I ripped it as a 192kbs MP3 and threw it over to my iPod. The only draw for me to actually go and buy a physical music album is if it comes with a DVD that compliments the album. Other than that, there’s no point.
That said, I still find it hard to make the shift in going all digital for video. I am subscribed to about 9 video podcasts and that number grows every month. The state of the video podcasts I listen to right now are open. I can play them with any media player I choose and on any device I choose. That openness encourages me to download and store more internet video. However, when it comes to big budget films in a digital format - the game changes. I’m forced to play it in the media player or device the company chooses, and in some cases, for the duration they choose.
When I used to purchase and rip music CD’s, I knew that I could use them anywhere. I could play them on any device, back them up and take them with me wherever. The same went for DVD purchases. I can play them in any DVD player at anytime. Digital movies should hold that same standard.
I recently bought a musicians video concert from the iTunes Store. After it downloaded, I played it directly in iTunes, full screen mode. Immediately the video started to stutter and it made the video impossible to watch. My first thought is “ok, I’ll move this over to VLC”, so I do, completely forgetting that the video is wrapped in DRM and can only be played in iTunes OR Quicktime. So I launch the video in Quicktime and it plays fine - when not in full screen mode. So I paid $13 for a video concert I can’t watch on a TV, I cant play full screen, and that I can’t choose where I play it? Am I the only one who thinks this is madness?
Experiences like this make me worried about the future of digital media and DRM. I would like to live in a world where I can purchase that same video concert and play it in VLC where I know the video will play smoothly and efficiently. Is that wrong?
So, until that day, I’ll continue to buy physical DVD movies and rip them in a digital format I can trust. I mean, it’s fair use, right?
Jonny is waiting for the movie studios to get their heads out of their asses.
