Comments

JSWTS wrote on 8/29/2003, 2:51 PM
Hollywood typically uses two methods to protect their discs: Macrovision, and CSS. Macrovision scrambles the video signal so you can't just hook your dvd player to your VCR and copy it to VHS. CSS prevents you from doing a digital disc to disc copy. To enable one or both of these protection schemes, you need an authoring application that will allow you to do that. DVD-A does not have such an option. In addition, for CSS type encryption, your disc must be replicated (you can't do this on recordable media). The bottom line is that if you are doing short runs of discs (small volume), it probably doesn't make much sense cost wise to encrypt your discs. If you are doing large volumes, then the cost per disc might make more sense.

Jim
ReneH wrote on 8/30/2003, 8:18 AM
Thanks for our anwser.
pb wrote on 8/30/2003, 1:28 PM
I don't have a lot of experience with copy protection so all I can tell you is canadadisc.com can copyprotect your DVDs if you send the porject on a DLT cartridge. THey cannot copy protect copies made from a DVD-R. The only program I have that writes the finsished project to DLT is Sonic ReelDVD (a hellishly cumbersome program to use btw).

Unit cost through replication is under 2$ Canadian, btw, if you are into runs of 1000 or so.

That's all I know.

Peter
JSWTS wrote on 8/30/2003, 1:46 PM
Your authoring application has to set the CSS so that a replication house can add the encryption to your disc. If you author with ReelDVD, you can output a project that can be re-opened and imported into Scenarist at some replication facilities and have the CSS (and Macrovision for that matter) added for additional cost. You would not be able to do that a project from DVD-A (or any other app without this option). Many replication facilities will accept a DVD-R for disc replication, when in the past they would only accept DLT. If you are doing large volumes, then having your project replicated (with or without copyright protection) might be the most cost effect way to go rather than duplicating your project via recordables. Recordable media can't have CSS, but I believe you can have Macrovision using the more expensive Pioneer S201 with authoring type media (the burner itself is around $4K).

I find that worrying about lost revenue from disc copying is not worth it. Many of the discs created don't have 'mass appeal' (how many of us actually watch our own wedding videos more than a few times, let alone worry about rampant copying of the discs for family members eager to watch someone else's wedding on a Friday night). The cost required to protect the discs just wouldn't be worth it for such low volume. Besides, you make your money on the front end by charging for you authoring skills and content. The disc itself is pretty cheap comparitively.

Jim

yirm wrote on 9/2/2003, 10:23 PM
> How many of us actually watch our own wedding videos more than a few times, let alone worry about rampant copying of the discs for family members eager to watch someone else's wedding on a Friday night

It's not the wedding video I'd worry about. It's video of what happens on the honeymoon that I wouldn't want copied. If ya know what I mean.

-jf
pb wrote on 9/3/2003, 12:37 AM
JSWTS is correct in recommending replicators for large volumes. My unit cost to make DVD-Rs with the Pioneer towers is about $4.00 Canadian for laser jet printable media and the ink (not including wear and tear on the machines and electricity). I'm sending a 40:00 project to a replicator and paying around 2.00$ per disc for media and two colour thermo print label for 1500 discs.

Peter
JSWTS wrote on 9/3/2003, 5:40 AM
"It's video of what happens on the honeymoon that I wouldn't want copied"

I think you are on to something here! This might be a means of increasing your unit sales per wedding. It could be an 'easter egg' of hidden content. If only DVD-A supported multiple audio streams, you could then add director's commentary.
;)

Jim