MPAA Shows How Teachers Should Record Movies By Camcording Their TVs

from the ok-then... dept

Thu, May 7th 2009 12:11pm — Mike Masnick

As you probably know, every three years, the Librarian of Congress gets to review requests for special "exemptions" to the DMCA. It's a ritual every three years, and every three years most people hoping to get rid of some of the worst abuses of the DMCA are disappointed. Back in 2003 very few exemptions were issued, and in 2006 it basically extended the exemptions and added a few very, very narrowly defined and specific exemptions -- and did nothing for consumers. This year, the process is going on again with a variety of requests for exemptions.

But, of course, the process also has some requests in the other direction as well... The entertainment industry, for example, would like fewer examples. Kevin alerts us to some video of a recent hearing, where the MPAA actually (you have to see it to believe it) demonstrates how to use a camcorder to videotape a movie off a TV:

Why would the MPAA show this? Because it wants to remove the (very narrow) exemptions that were granted in 2006 to media professors who wanted to copy clips of movies from DVDs for the purpose of education. But the MPAA wants the Library of Congress to take away that exemption, and is using this demonstration to show that a media professor shouldn't need to break DRM on DVDs, when they can go through the cumbersome process of recording the DVD via the "analog hole" of playing it on a TV and capturing it with a video camera.

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Filed Under: analog hole, dmca, exemptions, recording, teachers, video

41 Comments

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Ima Fish, 7 May 2009 @ 12:37pm

Wouldn't recording a movie via a camcorder merely be a cumbersome way of bypassing the encryption, which would violate the DMCA?
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- mad as hell, 8 May 2009 @ 7:16am
  
  Re:
  did anyone see they are using VLC player?
  did they pay for that?
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Geoffrey Kidd (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 12:43pm

Hypocrisy Plus!
*THIS* is coming from the same industry that had a teenage girl arrested for camcording twenty seconds of "The Transformers" in a theater and afterwards said "We don't distinguish between good and bad stealing."
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- Michael B, 7 May 2009 @ 3:20pm
  
  Re: Hypocrisy Plus!
  That was pretty much my take on it. It's once again their attempt at revisionist history to further their draconian views.
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Luís Carvalho, 7 May 2009 @ 12:43pm

So, basicaly, digitalizing a movie isn't what is wrong, what is wrong is the method.

Instead of breaking encryption, we must start using screen capture software, or cameras.

LOL

That was actualy a GREAT laughter session.

Can you just imagine? Hi quality projectors and screens, hi quality cameras, and no one can touch that "VERSION" of the movie, because you didn't touch the DRM. You are now free to share it. Really?
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johnsonjb (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 12:44pm

cool, so the mpaa has given "teachers" a way of getting the cam films onto torrent sites legally, after all, a movie screen is just a very large projection tv. And, well I teach movie critic style journalism, and the downloaders for the movie are my students. I grade my students based on how well then critique the cams based on audio and video quality. Roll call and class discussion is done through the comments section of said torrent. Woohoo, no more jail time for us poor, underpaid teachers.
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Aaron Martin-Colby (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 12:53pm

Stunned
Stunned. I'm stunned. That's the only word for it. This exceeds all bounds of abject stupidity that I thought the industry capable.

Any industry that would espouse something like this is so, SO far behind the times that the only option is death. Death. Kill it. Drag the whole thing out back and shoot it. There is no hope. The disease is terminal. Just put the fucking thing out of its misery.
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2009 @ 1:09pm
  
  Re: Stunned
  The MPAA has demonstrated over and over again how little value it adds. When they desire to suspend academic usage, it's difficult to see that their work has little value to the culture of a society.
  
  On the farm, if an animal or dog goes limping around for weeks, euthanasia is usually a good answer. This creature has been limping around for several decades. By pretending the business can be perpetually sustained via the legal system (like the six million dollar man), only prolongs it's inevitable demise.
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Chronno S. Trigger, 7 May 2009 @ 12:57pm

When you see it, you'll $#!t bricks
I think my head would have exploded watching this, if I was there, just from the shear stupidity of the argument.

They have absolutely no problem with recording the clip itself nor recording the audio direct from the DVD, just that you don't brake the DRM on the video. They suggest that a professor, as in college, display a recording that is obviously in inferior quality and doesn't show all the details of the images. And we can all see how bad this can get from the guy recording the recording. And somehow the recording of the DVD is better than the DVD?

Please god, tell me no one is actually stupid enough to fall for this.
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- God, 7 May 2009 @ 7:37pm
  
  Re: When you see it, you'll $#!t bricks
  Don't look at me, you guys fucked this one up.
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Chris @ Terrible Twos, 7 May 2009 @ 12:58pm

Crazy
I agree that this is getting stupid. The purpose of the rule is what matters, and showing how there is some way to circumvent the rule for "good" purposes (like education) means nothing. Does this mean it would be OK for everyone out there to use this analog hole and copy movies? Ok to show up to a theater and record a movie? This is really dumb.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2009 @ 12:59pm

"cool, so the mpaa has given "teachers" a way of getting the cam films onto torrent sites legally"

There's a difference between "teachers" and teachers. Teachers (without quotes) can prove that they actually teach a class. "Teachers" (with quotes) are still basically illegally sharing films and videos.
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mark Rosedale (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 1:00pm

presumes you have a camcorder
This presumes that you have a camcorder. So rather than likely having everything you need within your computer they want you to go out and buy a camcorder just so you don't circumvent drm? Actually isn't this technically circumventing? Besides that they get all up and arms about camcorders in any other situation this is a double standard. How absurd!
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Luís Carvalho, 7 May 2009 @ 1:01pm

I just tried it...

My wife wanted a particular videoclip has her ringtone, so I looked for it, recorded with the phone camera, and there it is...

Now my kid wants some Jonas Brothers tunes on his phone, I'll record it directly from YouTube. No more paying for ringtones...

Wait... I stopped doing that 4 years ago... silly me...
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lavi d (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 1:08pm

Recursive Exhibitionists
A video by a-holes at the MPAA on how to video via the A-Hole.
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- JB (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 3:00pm
  
  Re: Recursive Exhibitionists
  I was wondering when someone was going to comment on the "Analog Hole"
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  - frogpond, 7 May 2009 @ 3:15pm
    
    Re: Re: Recursive Exhibitionists
    I think there is an over-the-counter cream that will clear up "analog hole" very quickly.
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Justin, 7 May 2009 @ 1:22pm

WTF
I really want to make a comment on this but the shear stupidity of the situation leaves me speechless. These guys are pure dumb ass idiots and everything they say and want should be instantly disregarded, period.
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Tristin (profile), 7 May 2009 @ 1:29pm

Oh no....the anger is growing....
GWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

(sometimes words are inadequate to convey the level of anger and despair an intelligent person experiences in the face of such asininity. In this case, pure rage must suffice.)
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Cheese McBeese, 7 May 2009 @ 1:54pm

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!

This is the method used for a ton of the pirated DVDs you can buy in places like China. Some dude sits in a movie theatre with his camcorder. It's always a laugh when the person in front moves their head in front of the camera.

The best part is the subtitles that are all made up by the pirate. It turns any movie into a top-notch comedy.
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Anonymous Poster, 7 May 2009 @ 2:02pm

No offense meant, but this is just motherfucking retarded, even by MPAA standards.
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 2:04pm

What people need to realize is that whenever industry lobbies for something it should be assumed that what they are lobbying for is in THEIR best interest and not in the best interest of the general public. The governments job should be to server the best interest of the general public.
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dishwatercider, 7 May 2009 @ 2:09pm

Not long after Sony introduced one of the earliest VCRs, in 1976, two Hollywood studios filed a lawsuit against the company, contending that the device was illegal because its ability to record TV programs enabled consumers to illegally copy the studios' copyrighted property. After wending its way through a variety of lower courts, the lawsuit reached the U.S. Supreme Court in 1983. The following year, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the VCR, declaring it legal and ruling that home video recording of broadcasts did not infringe upon the studios' copyrights; such recording fell under the "fair use" exception in copyright law, the Supreme Court decided.

http://www.firstglimpsemag.com/Editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2004/e0206/31e06/3 1e06.asp&guid=

Everyone should pick up one of these VCR things. Apparently they record in analog and everything. And the Supreme Court says its legal to do so. So, just broadcast (stream) video (DVD, etc) to your TV, and record onto VHS. Easy as pie and perfectly legal.

Besides, with modern camcorders (if they don't already have a hard drive, or record to DVD), its called a Digital Videotape for a reason. So technically aren't they still breaking the law?

...unless its a VHS camcorder! Woo!
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- Anonymous Poster, 7 May 2009 @ 2:10pm
  
  Re:
  Don't give the MPAA ideas, dammit.
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Bettawrekonize, 7 May 2009 @ 2:18pm

and despite this, dishwatercider, the industry is still alive and well, powerful enough to spend plenty of money on their lobbying efforts (instead of on making decent movies). It didn't ruin the industry and, likewise, their allegations that current copyright laws aren't restrictive enough is not true.
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- Vincent Clement, 8 May 2009 @ 5:17am
  
  Re:
  Actually, the movie industry thrived because of the VCR. It opened a whole new revenue stream. But back then they had control. Today, control is shifting to the consumer. And that scares the MPAA, RIAA and all the other associations that supposedly represent various 'artists'.
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  - skyrider (profile), 15 May 2009 @ 4:39pm
    
    Re: Re: #32
    If the MPAA had their way, VCR's would actually have been made without the 'record' button, making them VCP's or Video Cassette Players. Then they would have been Very Happy (TM)
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Glaze, 7 May 2009 @ 2:26pm

So... if I read all of this right... "teachers" can get their DVR, not the box thing that goes on top of the tv, but the handheld style... connect it to the dvd out of their dvd player and record... same method, they reccommend, only digital quality, instead of analog... interesting.... What A FUCKING JOKE MPAA!!!!
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nick nack, 7 May 2009 @ 3:07pm

I actually had to check the calendar to see if it was April fools day. This is stupid beyond belief!
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Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2009 @ 3:08pm

Yo dawg, i heard you liked movies, so we put a movie in your movie so you can watch while you watch
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- Almost Anonymous, 8 May 2009 @ 10:13am
  
  Re:
  My thoughts exactly. What is even better is the provided clip:
  
  Streaming video of a person watching a video projection of a person using a camcorder to record DVD playback on a television.
  
  Brain asplode.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2009 @ 3:28pm

OK this is getting ridiculous. So you can rent a DVD and camcorder it to a HDD camera. Transfer it onto your PC and upload it to youtube or wherever and its legal. But if you use a VCR its illegal. That makes sense.

So if I put on the radio and a microphone right next to it and record hour after hour, then later edit out the speech parts and label each clip by the name of the song being played, it should be legal. Since I didnt download the mp3 version, I now have a .wav file, which can be played just like an mp3.

There is a big difference between a family recording a tv show or movie for thier personal use, than some lowlife recording and copying DVDs for resale on the street. Its about time the government steps in and does something about this. Its really bull. If I really like a song, I pay iTunes .99 cents to get it on my computer and iPod. Then I gotta pay like 5 bucks to get a 15 second clip onto my phone for a ringtone. I cant burn CDs so I have to take my iPod everywhere with me. If I lose it im out another 200 bucks. If I do find a way to burn the music onto a disc and I get caught, I get sued for a whole lot of money, and they take my computer and iPod away. Sounds fair to me no?

Hollywood needs to produce more stuff and stop complaining about people saving movies and music. Its understandable if I download all the movies and music I can find and sell them at say .25 cents each for profit. No one is trying to make profit off you rich mofos. I guess 50 million a weekend for a hit movie isnt enough they gotta sue you for 100,000 too.
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2009 @ 11:21pm
  
  Re:
  Burning music to a CD is covered under fair use as long as you bought the songs.
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NoLegit, 7 May 2009 @ 7:40pm

LOL is this for real ? These guys who come up with these stuff should go into comedy. For a min there I thought I was watching a clip form SNL or somthing....
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intelceleron11, 7 May 2009 @ 8:10pm

The real reason they want academia to do this
Simply put, they want to ban all deCSS in all its forms so that nobody posessing deCSS type technology has an excuse for posessing it. No servers in the US will be able to host it. Basically they're just trying to limit ability to use such software, and limit its commercial viability of such programs that can back up or "back up" your digital media. Still a stupid plan. First they try to ban bandwidth (why not just ban the entire internet) by asking ISP's to charge more for "overages"... now they're trying to ban software that can enable pirates (even ones who may be in academia), from using the software or having access to it.

It's still a retarded idea. Can't blame 'em for trying though, but seriously enough is enough. Time for everyone to pirate just so they don't have the money to bully anyone they choose any longer.
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Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2009 @ 8:29am

Just like Joe McCarthy, give them enough rope and the MPAA will hang themselves.

This is theater of the absurd at it's finest.
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Bettawrekonize, 10 May 2009 @ 6:16pm

"There is a big difference between a family recording a tv show or movie for thier personal use, than some lowlife recording and copying DVDs for resale on the street."

This is exactly why I stopped buying music and movies (I used to). If I buy something it's mine, I should be allowed to do whatever I want with it for my purposes and, unless I have to buy something for some reason, I will ONLY buy music and movies under MY terms. If the MPAA and RIAA don't want to sell me something under MY terms then that's tough because they lost me as a customer.
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Bettawrekonize, 10 May 2009 @ 6:18pm

CD's break, DVD's go bad, this stuff deteriorates over time and especially with use. I want to be able to buy something and make copies of it and keep the original safe in some place where no one touches it. Then if the copies get scratched up I will destroy them and make new copies of the original. If the MPAA and RIAA don't want to give me that freedom then I will NOT give them my business.
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Adward, 4 Jun 2009 @ 8:51pm

Nice method to enhance teaching
Well, it is a nice method to enhance teaching. But the video quality would not be that good.
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FHA Loans, 13 Aug 2009 @ 9:04pm

Re:
The Quality on all camcorded videos is poor. Louisiana Mortgage Lenders
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Nov 2009 @ 12:03pm

This is a pretty bad way to copy old movies since they have especially bad picture even before capturing with a cam.
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