[mythtv] virtual tuner via BitTorrent plug-in

[Martin Long]

Yes... but the point is, ripping or copying a CD or DVD is NOT illegal
unless the CD or DVD is copyrighted material. A photocopier is not illegal,
photocopying an entire novel is. A car may do speeds up to 200 miles an
hour, but the car itself is not illegal. Rip / copy programs are not
illegal, as, like I said, you might want to rip / copy your own personal
material (home videos, recordings of your own band etc). Circumventing DRM,
however is illegal in the US.

However, I suppose that you could also say in the same light that
filesharing is not illegal, if it is not copyrighted material. :S

-----Original Message-----
From: mythtv-dev-bounces at mythtv.org [mailto:mythtv-dev-bounces at mythtv.org]
On Behalf Of Nick Morrott
Sent: 16 April 2007 11:01
To: Development of mythtv
Subject: Re: [mythtv] virtual tuner via BitTorrent plug-in

On 16/04/07, Martin Long <mythtv at longhome.co.uk> wrote:
> In actual fact, there is nothing wrong with ripping CDs and DVDs in the
US,
> or pretty much anywhere else. There could be perfectly legitimate reasons
> for doing so - they could be your own work, for example, to which you own
> the copyright.
>
> CD/DVD mastering and duplication services would be in a great deal of
> difficulty if they weren't able to rip a master.

The former is infringing copyright if the ripper does not hold the
copyright or a license to copy the material, irrespective of the DMCA.
Mastering and duplication is typically carried out under license with
the rights holder's permission, or by the rights holder itself.

Although libdvdcss is not provided with MythTV (and even some distros)
and is not always required to rip copyrighted material, the
integration of IMDB lookups for DVD rips within MythVideo and album
art lookups in MythMusic is part of MythTV and these would certainly
appear to be looking for the presence of copyrighted material on the
system.

> What IS illegal, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, is the use of
> methods to circumvent digital rights management. This functionality is not
> provided by mythtv, but by a separate library you have to obtain from
> elsewhere.

The DMCA is *part* of copyright law in the US, specific to creating
and/or using technologies to circumvent copy protection schemes. A
user would still be breaking the law even if libdvdcss was not
required in order to rip such copyrighted material.

Nick
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