And You Thought Divx Was Big Brother? - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Dr. Evil · 04-29-2001, 07:19 AM

FYI, Motorola is developing a region code security chip that makes use of a Global Positioning Satellite, so that DVD players are aware of what region they are in, and thus what discs they are allowed to play.

Perhaps the DDS should dust off its sword, and take up some new causes! Copy protection in consumer electronics is getting more Orwellian with every passing day - we consumers need to take a stand!

RD

***1138*** · 04-29-2001, 07:56 AM

I doubt something like that would get past the fight people would put up agaist it. But even if it did, it would be actively fought against and I for one would help fight it.

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saraswati · 04-30-2001, 02:41 PM

i also doubt that this would happen anytime soon -- gps is pretty expensive... even most cars don't have it. putting a gps system that would know what region the player was in would raise the cost quite a bit, and just as dvd players are becoming more affordable to the mainstream.

besides, is that really in the companies' interest? doesn't the possibility of people all over the world having players of different regions mean that more people are willing to spend money on different types of players? if each region really only worked in the area it was authorized for, then people in the US would never buy region 2 and 3 players. that's a chunk of money the manufacturers wouldn't make. and the expense of these new "smart" players would deter some people from getting into DVD, meaning the manufacturers wouldn't be getting their money there, either. so how is this in the companies' interest?

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Damian · 04-30-2001, 03:20 PM

Couldn't you just cover the top of your DVD player with foil so the satallite couldn't home in on it? (From that Will Smith/Gene Hackman movie Enemy something-or-other)

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"They're us....we're them!"
-Damian

[This message has been edited by Damian (edited 04-30-2001).]

***1138*** · 04-30-2001, 04:41 PM

Well, GPS works the other way. The player would home in on orbiting satelites. With the 'tin foil' method, it's probably not going to work at all.

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[This message has been edited by 1138 (edited 04-30-2001).]

***Chromy*** · 04-30-2001, 05:42 PM

I would guess that unless this is somehow mandated by the MPAA and adopted as part of the DVD standard, and subsidised by the studios (what benefit does it provide to hardware manufacturers?) this will be an option at best.

I can see this being usefull for a small number of consumers who could buy one dvd player and travel with it. However, I imagine that the premium for a player of this type would be at least $300...

Maybe a marketing error on Motarola's part? Hardware manufacturers and (not enough) consumers will want this to make it viable.

Chromy

***1138*** · 04-30-2001, 05:57 PM

Oh, I didn't even think of it in such a consumer friendly manner.

I automatically thought of it as a preventive thing. But it could work well to ge rid of the region chip necessity. We'd still probably hack it to allow all regions in one particular one though.

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Taxi · 04-30-2001, 06:04 PM

Not that I want to come to divx-luvin' RJ's defense (

), but the GPS technology is getting incredibly small incredibly fast. And the price of a decent GPS is becoming cheaper and cheaper.

However, I have a really hard time thinking this will ever fly. With the GPS restrictions being lifted recently (There used to be built-in errors in consumer grade GPS systems, for reasons of national security), this technolgy could be used to pinpoint players to within a few inches. I don't think consumers are going to want to allow the studios to have that much info about them.

I do agree with RJ, this does have some very divx-like, big brother-like implications to it. Too much so, in fact, for it to succeed, IMHO.

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***1138*** · 04-30-2001, 06:51 PM

Wait, how could this beused to pinpoint players? They're not going to be the ones braodcasting signals.

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Taxi · 04-30-2001, 07:51 PM

Sorry, I was making the assumption that there'd be some sort of divx like phone line/internet/wireless hookup to send the data back.

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Dr. Evil · 04-30-2001, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Wait, how could this beused to pinpoint players?

The player uses the GPS to determine its location, which in turn it uses to determine which discs it will play.

RD

***1138*** · 04-30-2001, 09:38 PM

Yes, which means that the player knows where it is but not anything else. Taxi made it sound like 'they' would know where the player was, though he's cleared that one up.

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04-29-2001, 07:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Dr. Evil Actor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Microsoft country	And You Thought Divx Was Big Brother? FYI, Motorola is developing a region code security chip that makes use of a Global Positioning Satellite, so that DVD players are aware of what region they are in, and thus what discs they are allowed to play. Perhaps the DDS should dust off its sword, and take up some new causes! Copy protection in consumer electronics is getting more Orwellian with every passing day - we consumers need to take a stand! RD

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04-29-2001, 07:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	I doubt something like that would get past the fight people would put up agaist it. But even if it did, it would be actively fought against and I for one would help fight it. ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?! Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?

04-30-2001, 02:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
saraswati Actress Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: New York City?!	i also doubt that this would happen anytime soon -- gps is pretty expensive... even most cars don't have it. putting a gps system that would know what region the player was in would raise the cost quite a bit, and just as dvd players are becoming more affordable to the mainstream. besides, is that really in the companies' interest? doesn't the possibility of people all over the world having players of different regions mean that more people are willing to spend money on different types of players? if each region really only worked in the area it was authorized for, then people in the US would never buy region 2 and 3 players. that's a chunk of money the manufacturers wouldn't make. and the expense of these new "smart" players would deter some people from getting into DVD, meaning the manufacturers wouldn't be getting their money there, either. so how is this in the companies' interest? ------------------ "Warriors! Come out and plaaaaayyyy!"

04-30-2001, 03:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Damian My dad can beat up your dad. Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Mississippi	Couldn't you just cover the top of your DVD player with foil so the satallite couldn't home in on it? (From that Will Smith/Gene Hackman movie Enemy something-or-other) ------------------ "They're us....we're them!" -Damian [This message has been edited by Damian (edited 04-30-2001).]

04-30-2001, 04:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Well, GPS works the other way. The player would home in on orbiting satelites. With the 'tin foil' method, it's probably not going to work at all. ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?! Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it? [This message has been edited by 1138 (edited 04-30-2001).]

04-30-2001, 05:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
*Chromy* Producer/Admin Coffee Boy Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Greater Seattle Area, WA	I would guess that unless this is somehow mandated by the MPAA and adopted as part of the DVD standard, and subsidised by the studios (what benefit does it provide to hardware manufacturers?) this will be an option at best. I can see this being usefull for a small number of consumers who could buy one dvd player and travel with it. However, I imagine that the premium for a player of this type would be at least $300... Maybe a marketing error on Motarola's part? Hardware manufacturers and (not enough) consumers will want this to make it viable. Chromy

04-30-2001, 05:57 PM	#7 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Oh, I didn't even think of it in such a consumer friendly manner. I automatically thought of it as a preventive thing. But it could work well to ge rid of the region chip necessity. We'd still probably hack it to allow all regions in one particular one though. ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?! Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?

04-30-2001, 06:04 PM	#8 (permalink)
Taxi Admin Emeritus Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Orygun	Not that I want to come to divx-luvin' RJ's defense ( ), but the GPS technology is getting incredibly small incredibly fast. And the price of a decent GPS is becoming cheaper and cheaper. However, I have a really hard time thinking this will ever fly. With the GPS restrictions being lifted recently (There used to be built-in errors in consumer grade GPS systems, for reasons of national security), this technolgy could be used to pinpoint players to within a few inches. I don't think consumers are going to want to allow the studios to have that much info about them. I do agree with RJ, this does have some very divx-like, big brother-like implications to it. Too much so, in fact, for it to succeed, IMHO. ------------------ Taxi - DVDFile Forum Administrator Eleven plus two = Twelve plus one

04-30-2001, 06:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Wait, how could this beused to pinpoint players? They're not going to be the ones braodcasting signals. ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?! Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?

04-30-2001, 07:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
Taxi Admin Emeritus Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Orygun	Sorry, I was making the assumption that there'd be some sort of divx like phone line/internet/wireless hookup to send the data back. ------------------ Taxi - DVDFile Forum Administrator Eleven plus two = Twelve plus one

04-30-2001, 09:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
*1138* Producer/Admin Careful, or I'll ban myself... Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Jose, CA	Yes, which means that the player knows where it is but not anything else. Taxi made it sound like 'they' would know where the player was, though he's cleared that one up. ------------------ 1138 - DVD File Forum Greeter Odo: You'd shoot a man in the back?! Garak: It's the safest way, isn't it?