Who Will Benefit from Vista? Monitor Makers, For One
from the that-upgrade-just-got-expensive dept
It's not uncommon for people to add more memory or a bigger hard drive for a new version of an operating system, but it appears that Microsoft's forthcoming version of Windows, Vista, will require users to buy new monitors too. There's some wiggle room there -- users won't need a new monitor per se, but if they don't already have a monitor that supports the HDCP copy protection that's becoming prevalent in TV and video, protected video they watch will be displayed at a lower quality. Most people don't feel too strongly about DRM because they don't really see its effect on them. They buy songs from iTunes, they play on their iPod, it's all good. But when they're confronted with an effect of DRM that hits their pocketbook like this, they'll notice, and they won't like it. So who does this DRM technology benefit, apart from monitor manufacturers, who should be in for a nice windfall? Somebody from Microsoft says "Digital outputs of any system need some form of copy protection, as without it, digital protection upstream has much less value." Why does anything "need" DRM? To sell more monitors? It's not to protect content's value, when DRM quite often makes things less valuable by reducing their flexibility and limiting their resale.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
DRM is just evil
Leave it to Microsoft to actually embrace some Orwellian technology like this. I honestly thought DRM was dead, since I haven't heard about it for years.
This just makes me that much happier with my decision to go linux-only.
Not that it makes that much of a difference. Considering history, I imagine it'll be cracked long before Vista ever ships.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: DRM is just evil
Microsoft has been a big part of this nightmare all along, the 'Palladium' Trusted Computing business. I think it's something they mostly remain low-key about. I'm guessing any idiot in Redmond can see it's a PR nightmare.
Maybe. Maybe not so easily, who knows. This crazy crap has lots of companies on-board like Intel, Creative Labs, manufacturers of CD/DVD drives. These guys have all been quietly designing this to take control of the hardware we buy at every level.
But circumvention misses the point: People pay money to get this operating system, and then have to engage in shady behavior in order to do what they want with the system they own. I hope people in general take offense at being treated this way. I think it's wrong.
Yup, our entire home has been Linux-only for 3 years. Best move we made in 20+ years of using computers. I don't have a single piece of software on any system that's illegal. No stolen keys, no keygens, etc.
To me, it's this simple: Using a closed-source operating system is unacceptable. Period. (This means you, too, Apple. It's looking like you're part of this)
For more information on these technologies and how they'll be screwing you soon right in your own home: Against TCPA
[ link to this | view in thread ]
No Subject Given
HDCP = High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
HDMI = High-Definition Multimedia Interface
whereas
DHCP = Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
[ link to this | view in thread ]
No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: No Subject Given
[ link to this | view in thread ]
It's already there
I was on the team that tested this for the next version of Windows Media Center ... on XP.
Truthfully, this won't really be a factor for a few more years.
and, for most people, downsampled HD content is still "good enough".
The people that it matters to will be buying high end equipment that already supports it, so it won't be an issue to them.
If it is an annoyance, since it's all done in software anyway, I'm sure people will find a way around it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Re: It's already there
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Follow the money.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
You forgot one thing...
Anything decent is already out there on DVD. Everything else pretty much sucks and blows at the same time.
Good luck Hollywood, you bunch of freaking losers!
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Yay!
Those bastards.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
REQUIREMENT OF MONITOR FOR CCD CAMERA
WE REQUIRED THE CCD MONITOR OF " VISTA" MAKE FOR TYPE : MA9B AT THE EARLIEST ANOTHER PLEASER SEND YOUR AGENT /DISTRIBUTOR /SALES OFFICE DETAILS I INDIA AT THE EARLIEST.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Cost of DRM
good read on quality output and system performance for Vista users
[ link to this | view in thread ]