If iRecord can rip DVDs, why can't Real?
If I were one of the lawyers for Real Networks, I'd be looking a bit closer at a device called iRecord, which is being showcased this week at Macworld.
iRecord basically allows you to take video and audio clips from any source - cable/satellite, DVR, Video game console and, yes, even a DVD - and copy it to an iPod, PSP or USB device. No, you can't transfer it to a computer - and maybe that's the loophole that has kept the lawyers from knocking on the doors of the Streaming Networks Inc., the Silicon Valley company behind the device.
You'll recall that the Motion Picture Association of America slapped Real Networks with a lawsuit after its September release of RealDVD, a piece of software that allowed users to "rip" their DVD collections into a computer, much the same way iTunes allows them to rip CD music tracks into the computer. A court issued an injunction and ordered RealDVD to be shuttered until the issue could be settled in court.
The folks working the iRecord booth at Macworld were very quick to brush off questions about legal issues with Hollywood, noting that while the content can be copied to an external hard drive or USB drive that can be plugged into a PC for viewing, it's not actually copied to the PC. Ummm, what's the difference? The location of the hard drive that stores the video content?
While RealDVD - a $30 piece of software - was destined to be a seller, iRecord - priced at $250 - has yet to take off. Part of the problem is that it records in real-time. Let's say you wanted to rip your Season 1 DVDs of The Sopranos to your iPhone so you can watch later while on-the-go. That means you have to play the whole season to copy it. Kind of feels like it defeats the purpose.
Notice I said the lawyers at Real - not the MPAA - should be looking closer at iRecord? I always thought the lawsuits and injunctions against RealDVD were bogus. (What can I say? I'm a fan of fair use.) If a product like iRecord can be sold, shouldn't RealDVD also be allowed to be sold? Does it make it less illegal in the eyes of Hollywood lawyers that one product is destined to be a success while the other is still too awkward to gain any traction?