Warner Home Video has chosen not to copy-protect the home versions of its blockbuster movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer鈥檚 Stone in major markets, including the US and UK. This means people can go out and buy a DVD or VHS, connect the analogue output of their player to a recorder 鈥� either analogue or digital 鈥� and make free copies for friends.
Usually, hot new movies are protected by Macrovision, which tinkers with the analogue picture signal so that it can be viewed on a TV set but not copied.
The Harry Potter title was released worldwide in May. The chance discovery that it is unprotected was made by market analysts in the US, who interpreted it as loss of confidence in Macrovision. Tests run by New 杏吧原创 confirm that the UK release can also be copied.
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Like all major movies, Harry Potter was widely pirated before its official release. Macrovisions-busters can also be bought, often disguised by names such as 鈥榮ignal cleaners鈥� to keep within the law. By not protecting Harry Potter, Time Warner has saved the five US cents or so per disc or tape that Macrovision charges. Analysts suspect that Warner left the release unprotected, to investigate whether this would have a significant impact on sales.
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But the company is clearly embarrassed by the revelations. When contacted by New 杏吧原创, Warner UK refused to comment, first denying that the release is unprotected. In the US, Warner has claimed that some discs are protected and some not.
Macrovision has acted swiftly to counter this claim. The company fears that this can make people who successfully make copies think the system no longer works.
Says CEO Bill Krepick: 鈥淓ffective immediately, Macrovision鈥檚 licensing policy (requires that) 100% of the title must be copy protected in a geographic territory or, if less than 100% of the title is copy-protected, then a Macrovision copy protection logo must be included in the exterior packaging of those units that are copy protected.鈥�
US trade body the Video Software Dealers Association sums up trade concern. Spokesman Sean Bersell brands Warners鈥� failure to protect Harry Potter as 鈥渟hort-sighted鈥� and warns that it 鈥渦ndermines the legitimate market for its products.鈥�
Industry eyes are all now on the next big video release, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which is due in August. If this is also unprotected, Hollywood may have decided that it is cheaper to let a few people copy than spend money on protection.