Something I've never understood

[rbandrews]

New Apple computers have HDCP, which is a nefarious copy protection system, built into the video-out ports. So you can't play HDCP-protected videos on non-HDCP-compliant (read: older than brand new) monitors. And everyone is up in arms about their civil liberties being infringed.

So here's my question: since when has watching TV and movies at a sharper resolution been that important? Why does anyone care? They released a technology that is totally superfluous, and then saddled it with oppressive DRM. The response here is to just not buy that technology, not to become self-righteous about the DRM.

You poor things, only standard-definition movies. However will you survive?

Comments

[wyrdone.livejournal.com]

To play devil's advocate here.

It's not civil liberties that people are that much up in arms about. It's the "We paid for HD content, and even though our display supports 1080p your stupid DRM won't let me playback the format I purchased."

If I pay the premium for HD content, I want to be able to play it anywhere I take the media and supports 1080p. Otherwise I would have just paid for the DVD to begin with and not the Blue-ray.

[rbandrews]

Yeah, in that case, sucks to be you. You definitely got ripped off, then, and I feel for you.

Just don't elevate being ripped off on a copy of Spiderman to a constitutional crisis, like a particularly annoying species of forum troll seems to. That's what I'm complaining about.