MS Zune to block copyrighted videos
If you like to download the latest episodes of “Heroes” or other NBC shows from BitTorrent, maybe you shouldn’t buy a Microsoft Zune to watch them on. A future update of the software for Microsoft’s portable media player may well include a feature that will block unauthorized copies of copyrighted videos from being played on it. Tuesday, Microsoft announced that it would start selling video programming for the Zune, mainly TV shows. These include programs from NBC Universal, which has pulled its shows off Apple’s iTunes Store. Late Tuesday afternoon I reached J. B. Perrette, the president of digital distribution for NBC Universal, to ask why NBC found Microsoft’s video store more appealing than Apple’s.
He explained that NBC, like most studios, would like the broadest distribution possible for its programming. But it has two disputes with Apple. First, Apple insists that all TV shows have an identical wholesale price so that it can sell all of them at $1.99. NBC wants to sell its programs for whatever price it chooses. Second, Apple refused to cooperate with NBC on building filters into its iPod player to remove pirated movies and videos. Microsoft, by contrast, will accept NBC’s pricing scheme and will work with it to try to develop a copyright “cop” to be installed on its devices. More info at NY Times - and official reply from Microsoft.
good luck selling anymore of them then
Silly idiots…..did’ nt they already try this with DRM on mp3’s and gave up….
I agree with post no.1 - I doubt that they’ll sell any more of them. I guess they’re trying to get into the pants of the music industry, instead of the consumer…..
calm down.. you guys are overeacting..
microsoft has no plans do such things..
http://zuneinsider.com/
“May 07, 2008
Just So No One Gets the Wrong Idea. . .
I hope you are all having a great time discovering all the cool stuff in the 2.5 release.
We have seen some chatter in the blogosphere over the last 24 hours around a couple of posts speculating about what Zune may or may not do in terms of putting content filtering features directly into the Zune family of devices in future releases.
We know you guys are following this discussion closely, and wanted to be absolutely clear on this issue:
We have no plans or commitments to implement any new type of content filtering in the Zune devices as part of our content distribution deal with NBC.
We think some folks in the industry were expressing hopes for how the entire industry, not just Microsoft, would come to look at content distribution, and some speculation has ensued. Again, no plans are in place toward this end.
I hope this clears up any confusion on the topic, and that you can now go back to enjoying the spring update :)”
Block unauthorsied copies? - So i guess that means it blocks EVERTHING unless it has the right Microsoft security feature built into the file….
Apple and Archos must be pissing their pants with joy, with their competitor pulling such stupid stunts…
besides being old news, this rumor is already denied!
thats just another reason to go for an ipod-touch
Ok so this will affect the 2 dudes that bought a Zune ! :/
with 4 percent market share, WHO THE F/U/C/K REALLY CARES???
Nice post bob…..i guess Archos and Apple can put away the champagne after all.
@lolzune (8). - Get your facts right mate, there are 4 people with a zune….the 2 you mentioned, bill gates, and my sister who ordered a ipod through the post but got the wrong thing when it arrived.
There goes Microsoft again, shooting themselves in the leg.
@6: You’re kidding right? Style over substance much?
Yeah it’s bollox everyone knows that. But if this happens at all for devies there will always be someone making devices that will play your avis.
I mean damn the last 2 phones i’ve had will play them and they’re not big brands or top of the range..
Basically if you’re buying Ipod’s or Microsoft’s or Creative’s or whatever you’re a chump..
Buy something cheaper made by some random Indian or Taiwanese company that knows what you REALLY want in a handheld device and will sell you it at half the price totally free to mess with.
The only challenge is filtering through the cheap nasty ones and finding a decent one.
HTC, I-mate.. there’s tonnes of people making great handheld devices that are much better than this fashion bollox.
ummm…
The quote in the NY Times that concerns me is this:
“Second, Apple refused to cooperate with NBC on building filters into its iPod player to remove pirated movies and videos.
Microsoft, by contrast, will accept NBC’s pricing scheme and will work with it to try to develop a copyright “cop” to be installed on its devices.”
I have no problem with the pricing scheme. But the article clearly states that Microsoft will work with NBC to try to develop a copyright “cop” to be installed on its devices. (Presumably the Zune and the XBox, which are the only relevant devices that Microsoft produces — Windows Vista is not a “device.”)
So is the article factually incorrect? Or is NBC misunderstanding the deal with Microsoft, and Microsoft got the best of them?
Link to NY Times article:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/microsoft-may-build-a-copyright-cop-into-every-zune/
Woah….@6. lets not get crazy, ipod touches are a waste of space. they’re way to expensive, you can get an alternative like an archos with better features for 1/2 the price…
there will always be a crack… so who cares? don’t panic
True or False… there will be a workaround day1
@15
Don’t you mean “There will always be crack…..so who cares?”
IPOD Zune…don’t matter You’re f**king idiots if you buy either one.
Who the hell wants to watch tv or movies on a palm sized screen anyway?
Must be the first tme I give thumbs up to Apple.
But M$, what the hell?!?!? What is the friggin point of a mediaplayer that won’t play media?
Guess I’ll keep my Zen around for a while longer.
Nah both iPods and Zunes are rip offs. Ipod has a good interface but thats it. Look at other brands like Creative, Archos, etc, much more value for yer money
Good way to make your company go bankrupt. What a bunch of dumb asses, think i will buy some stock in apple.
So what’ the point of player, when you cannot play anything?
when was the last time any of you lesbo’s bought any music or a film for that matter, i haven’t done either since I discovered rapidshare about 18 months ago….
oh wait,,,nope, I lied, I bought my GF a posh DVD of Dirty dancing….at christmas. Oh it was painful. Having to drive to a shop, park, search, queue, and give them 15 quid for the honour. I could have got it myself from home in bed in less than 15 minutes…FOR FREE!
Somehow this information is valid to people who intend on getting Zune’s …
at this point a blackberry with a SD card slot is better than half of these players…
Bahhh Haaaa Haaaa Haaaaaaaaaa. Zune users giving it the big the other day on here and now this bahhhhhhhh haaaa
LOL………..I’ll never by one of these gizmo’s:There’s enough
control in my life as it is.”Windoze” wants to rule the world.
Objection: Speculation!
Any type of DRM is bad, but please define filtering.
The way I read it is that filtering means that it will filter out some content. Now if you reverse that you can say that the Zune will have the ability to play certain NBC files. So are you filtering at that moment? No, you are allowing content that can not be played on other players. So both stories’ sources are right!
Of course the Zune is crap as almost anything from M$ is.
One idiot blogger talks to one idiot stuffed suit not even with MS, and everyone thinks it’s the straight dope? Did it never occur to you that the blogger, the stuffed suit, or both were probably talking out their arse — that being the orifice both bloggers and stuffed suits talk out of most often.
No wonder Apple press releases get posted as “news” here so often, clearly there’s a wholly broken, not to mention biased, sense of credulity at work.
LOL.. excellent marketing strategy!
fuC|< MS!!
Did I miss something? Does the zune have audio video cables for it that you can plug in? How many people are interested in watching their files on a two inch screen? How much use is that other then taking your porn with you to the bathroom?
Well, airplane for one. 2nd possible use when I want to watch something in the hotel.
But that covers it all. My FS PDA is quite sufficient with the 3.6″ screen.
And since both services are geographicaly locked(IP filtering) so that non US residents cannot shop), screw them both. I’d pay that $2, but since it is much more hassle to try to find workable anonymous proxy to circumwent their stupid schemes, RS and BT it is.
Well… so much for updating zune :P. Cannot lose all of my Kenny vs Spenny episodes…
I love my Archos even more now.
Talk about killing your own product, and sending it six feet under, all in under a couple of seconds.
Movies and epsisodes of Whatever on a hand-held device? Somebody tell me what’s the point. If I’m at home, I will watch the content on my large TV or computer screen. If I’m on the road, I can use my laptop to watch. Somebody please tell in less time than required for a snail to circumnavigate the globe while on a treadmill under what circumstances any sane person on this planet would require a hand-held sized device to bow their heads and stare at for thirty minutes of a show or a two-hour movie.
oh well i think i’ll just stay with my ipod classic where i can watch any thing i download i just have to convert it first which to me isn’t that much of a hassel
@38
I would use a laptop if i had one with decent battery life. My brothers laptop only runs for 20mins on a full charge and my ipod classic will run for 4 hours if not more for video so i think even though i can’t surf the web ect i think i like using my ipod when watching something when i go away of holidays.
iPod Touches look nice but I will not get one until they sort out the audio problem (similar to that found in G3 iPod’s) and they make one with a hard drive bigger than 80GB which supports MPEG4 AVC or DivX.
@38
A PSP still has the best screen for a handheld device and is perfect for catching up on an episode of Heroes or BSG when you’re travelling to work. This may also be getting DivX/XviD support (like the PS3) in firmware v4.00. Sony want it to happen but DivX Inc. are messing about (insider info from SCEE).
well that’s a stupid idea…
gj microsoft… I like the zune 80 but place stupid things like this no one will want it.
@38… a lot of us commute and the 3″ screens are more then enough for a lot of tvshows.
Ok sure blocking pirated videos that EVERYBODY watches will for sure boost sales…idiots!
Very foolish. Shot in the foot.