Copy Protection

lllarge wrote on 5/9/2005, 7:49 PM

DVDA3 - What is the CSS and Copy Protection. I have 400 DVD's that I am creating for a small town in CA. I would really like to be able to copy protect this from the casual user. Can anyone advise. I need this completed by Friday. Please help quickly. Thanks in advance.

Comments

bStro wrote on 5/9/2005, 8:56 PM

From the help file / manual:

DVD Architect software sets the flags for CSS and Macrovision copy protection; the encoding/encryption must be added by the mastering or replication facility.

In other words, if you're giving them burned DVDs rather than pressed DVDs, then CSS and Macrovision are a non-issue -- they can't be used on burned DVDs.

There's really not much point to copy protection anyhow. Pretty much any program that can copy a DVD can also defeat copy protection.

Rob

lllarge wrote on 5/9/2005, 9:13 PM

Thank you for your reply.

I Think I am about to come to the same conclusion.

Would it be more difficult for the average user to duplicate the DVD if it were done by a professional. If so, what equipment/software is required to do this. Who does it?

ScottW wrote on 5/9/2005, 9:20 PM

If you want to have copy protection (which s a waste of time and money), then you need to go to a replication facility. Google "dvd replication" and you'll find lots of places that can handle this. Keep in mind though that adding CSS usually increases the cost of replication. Oh, and don't forget, you usually need to order a minimum of 1,000 DVD's (though I have seen places that would do 500).

If you are wondering about what software is needed to defeat copy protection on a DVD, there are lots of utilities available - DVDdecryptor is probably one of the better ones.

--Scott

lllarge wrote on 5/9/2005, 9:28 PM

What is CSS?

bStro wrote on 5/9/2005, 10:11 PM

Would it be more difficult for the average user to duplicate the DVD if it were done by a professional.

Not really. The tools out there were written for the express purpose of copying Hollywood DVDs -- what's more "professional" than those?

What is CSS?

CSS stands for Content Scrambling System.

ro_max wrote on 5/10/2005, 3:02 AM

In Europe, having copy protection on a DVD may give you a slight advantage. Recent legislation is some countries makes defeating a protection mechanism illegal even for "private use". That means, copying a DVD without protection is legal for "private use", copying a protected DVD is not. If you catch somebody duplicating your DVD without proper authorization, you may therefore have better chances with a protection mechanism when taking them to court than without.

mbryant wrote on 5/10/2005, 4:41 AM

Also, while I agree that it is fairly easy to defeat CCS (just need a PC, and to find the right software), as set top recorders get more common, CSS would help stop doing simple copying on a set top DVD/HDD recorder, which increasingly is how the "casual" user might try and do it.

Mark

lllarge wrote on 5/10/2005, 7:23 AM

Thank you all for the info.
Can anyone recommend a replication company?

rossi32s wrote on 5/10/2005, 4:35 PM

We can provide the replication for you. Including the CSS encryption.

Scott

www.goldenrom.com