Cinavia DRM - yuck

[pittsoccer33]

I just wanted to complain about Cinavia as my bluray playback software keeps asking me to update it but I won't knowing that Cinavia will be implemented in the update.

What is Cinavia you ask? If you download movies off of the internet you will learn sooner than later.

It is a new kind of DRM - a watermark inside the audio track of a movie. No method of file conversion has managed to destroy it yet. Movies in theaters recorded with a camcorder are even subject to it.

It requires two things: a dvd or bluray authored with Cinavia and a licensed bluray player (of which the Playstation 3 is one - take note all who play files on their PS3).

Any file made from a Cinavia disc will toss you error messages if you try to play it with a real bluray player or pc bluray software. Remuxing to mkv, m2ts, ts, etc does not matter.

Unlicensed players - things that do not have official bluray playback capability - are immune to it (for now). On a PC that would include VLC, MPC-HC, etc. On the hardware side, things like a Roku, WDTV, Boxee Box, also do not have to deal with it.

[canaan]

Movies in theaters recorded with a camcorder are even subject to it.

thats crazy/wild.

[pittsoccer33]

Movies in theaters recorded with a camcorder are even subject to it.

thats crazy/wild.

But, that only is a problem if you try to use a real bluray player to play that recording back. Doing it on your pc with Windows Media Player will give you no such problem.

[Troy Loney]

So what does cinavia do? prevent you from watching unlicensed stuff?

[pittsoccer33]

It basically prevents several things from happening:

1) archiving a disc to a server as an iso/bdmv file, and watching it on licensed hardware like an Oppo, Dune, Popcorn Hour, or htpc software. Saving to iso is essential for 3D bluray and/or bdmv folders is needed for anyone who wants to keep their menus intact.

2) archiving a disc to a server or usb drive as an mkv or m2ts file and watching it on a bluray player that can play those formats including PS3.

3) buying a burned shakycam bluray disc of Argo in Times Square or Canal Street this weekend and watching it on any licensed bluray player

4) downloading the customary 4-8gb mp4 or mkv files from the interwebz for playback on a PS3 or via the usb port on a bluray player.

[pittsoccer33]

This site lists all of the movies that are confirmed to have it:

http://blog.dvdfab.com/cinavia-protection.html

Most any new Sony Pictures release will contain it.

[shmenguin]

if i use anydvd to rip my blurays, and then convert the output to an MKV to play it back in Media Center, is that still goingto work?

[pittsoccer33]

if i use anydvd to rip my blurays, and then convert the output to an MKV to play it back in Media Center, is that still goingto work?

As long as WMC never becomes official bluray software (which you and I know isn't happening) then yes you will be fine.