Legal Question/Copyright...?

[Patti Feinberg]

As I had mentioned some years back, I had worked at a video rental place.

A couple times a month, a man would come in to rent just a BLU-RAY for 1 day ONLY.

He eventually told me he was just 'downloading' them to his PC??

I didn't understand (knew it didn't sound right), but, wouldn't copying a blu-ray DVD onto your PC take up A L O T of space?
(I've meant to ask this for quite some time.)

Alright,  bought "Mirrors" (don't know why I bough it blu-ray, although there's times on Amazon when you can get a blue ray used for about same price as 'regular' DVD, again, used).

I open the box/case, there's instructions (printed, from I don't see the printers name), but it fits the case, and it's a professional job/gloss. There's how to transfer to Mac, for transfer to PC, with step-by-step instructions.

(I see a small print at bottom that the Serial Number will only be good thru 4/14/09.)

How/why is it legal to 'rent' a DVD & 'keep it' on your computer?

(Libraries rent DVDs for free; granted, I think most of these are contributions, I'm sure alot of us have given our local libraries DVDs we didn't want.)

"Insert disc 2 into your PC's DVD drive and click on the "Transfer Digital Copy" button from the menu"; to me, it sounds legal; if there's a system built-in to your computer to transfer.

Is it legal?
Why is it legal (I bought this USED copy, from someone who had obviously ALSO bought it)....
Wouldn't it take up enormous space (20-40 DVDs)?
Would blu-ray take up more space than a 'regular' DVD?

Patti

[KMR]

No, technically it is not legal to rent/borrow a disc and copy it for use after you no longer have possession of the disc.  (And the legality of using copied files even while in possession of the disc is questionable, depending on the use being made of the files.)  The same is true of compact discs.  Yes, "everybody does it"--but that doesn't make it legal.

As far as how much space it takes up:  If my memory serves correctly, a single-sided DVD can hold up to 5 gigabytes (single layer) or 9 gigabytes (dual layer), and a double-sided DVD up to 10 gigabytes (single layer) or 18 gigabytes (dual layer).  How much data is actually on the disc can vary greatly.  A Blu-ray disc can hold up to 25 gigabytes (single layer) or 50 gigabytes (dual layer).  Hard drives are getting to be pretty generous in the amount of storage, and you can get a 1 terabyte (1000 gigabytes) fairly cheaply--the last time I bought one it was less than $80, and it's been a while.  That would be enough space to hold at least 20 Blu-rays (how many more depends on how full each Blu-ray is).

[Gerard]

KMR knows more about legalities than I do, so I'd go with his response.  But it seems that copying of copyright material does seem "iffy."  Would it be illegal to xerox pages from a book?  How about if one DVR's something on their TV and then keeps it permanently?  From what little I know of law, people can copy material "for personal use" but cannot use it to make money - i.e., you can't copy a movie and then show it and charge admission.  I just don't know.  This is an example of where law has not caught up with technology.  Back in "da good ol' days," it was common to rent a video tape of a movie (remember those? - meaning a video tape) and making a copy of it and then keeping it to watch when you wanted.  Was that illegal?  Maybe.  I'd tape old movies, basically the sci-fi movies from the 50's that were once aired on AMC when it was "American Movie Classics" and watch them later.  I still have a shelf-full of those video tapes with a piece of masking tape on the spine with the titles on them.  Did I break a law?  I don't know.  And to end with standing on a soapbox, since corporations make gazillions of dollars on this stuff at the expense of consumers, if a consumer rips them off, good.  They rip us off.  It goes back-and-forth.  If "free-enterprise" means more money for someone, better it be me than some big-wig CEO.  Stepping off the soapbox.

Gerard

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Patti, many DVD/Blu-rays come with what's known as an Ultraviolet and/or Digital Copy that can be downloaded to your computer, iPad, Cell, Phone, etc. completely legally. BUT those downloads are only available to people who've already bought a copy of the DVD/Blu-ray. People who rent DVD/Blu-rays generally get a different copy of the disc than the people who buy it do and the UltraViolet and/or Digital Copy is not available to them - or at least it shouldn't be. Anyone who is otherwise getting a copy of a DVD/Blu-ray is usually doing so with what's known as ripping software - and to use that on discs other than ones you already own is most definitely illegal. And if you're ripping DVD/Blu-rays for use by anyone other than yourself, meaning you're uploading it to video sharing Web sites or even just giving a copy to your Cousin Bob, that's also illegal.

[Patti Feinberg]

When I pre-order movies/shows (2012 DS being a good example), it does list the Ultraviolet/Digital copy.

I didn't really understand it, but, since they were in fact purchased new by me, I felt it was legal.

Why would I want to d/l an add'l copy? Seems like it goes to 'the cloud' which I don't get.

Also, if I buy it new, why is there an 'expiration' date (only good to d/l ultraviolet until XX/XXXX)?

Patti