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Sony Unveils New Self-Destructive
DVD Player
By Brian Briggs and Christa Morse


Tokyo - Many industry analysts have wondered which way Sony would go in the copyright protection debate. Sony manufactures both hardware, which is harmed by piracy controls, and entertainment, which is helped by piracy controls. A recent release of a self-destructive DVD player shows that the entertainment division is winning that internal argument.

"Copy protection has been foiled too easily by pirates, and we need to do something more effective," said Sony Entertainment vice-president Harold Wang. "Self-destructive DVDs have been tried, but rejected by consumers. We feel that consumers will embrace the self-destructive DVD players, because it gives them that Mission Impossible I've-got-the-latest-gadget feeling. We even have the player say 'This DVD player will self-destruct in 10 seconds.'"


"Large amounts of pirated material were hopefully destroyed in the blaze," said MPAA officials.

Wang addressed the safety concerns of destroying a DVD player: "Sure there are safety issues, but most homes are equipped with smoke detectors these days, and are chock full of pirated material which would be destroyed in the blaze. OK, their house might burn down, but isn't that a small price to pay to combat piracy?"

Instead of the standard low-powered laser most DVD players are equipped with, the SD-DVD player from Sony has a high-powered laser which will eventually burn through the DVD and ignite the highly flammable material from which the player is made.

Other DVD player manufacturers such as Panasonic and Hitachi also announced self-destructive player. "I've seen the Sony model and it slowly catches flame and burns up. Our model is fitted with a small amount of plastic explosives which causes a much more dramatic destruction. Consumers will feel like they're in the movie when that thing goes off," said Ronald Misuki of Panasonic.

Hollywood applauds the move. Chairman of the MPAA Jack Valenti said, "Not having a DVD player makes it absolutely impossible to view pirated content, which makes copying a DVD entirely useless. Granted, it also makes watching the damn thing impossible, but we don't care if you can't see the content, just as long as you buy brand new, legitimate copies from your local or online store."

DVD rental chains Blockbuster and Hollywood video expect to reap a large benefit from consumers who forget to eject a DVD before the player self-destructs.

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Other important news articles about our industry can be found here.
 

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Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 10-19-2004, 06:22 PM:
 
I'm not going to even click on that link to confirm if the article is a spoof or not.

If it is a spoof, that's a well-written article.

If it's real, Sony must have beta tested the self-destruct circuit in the SDDS 2K units
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-19-2004, 06:41 PM:
 
Well if you click the link you get the same thing that Brad has posted here. I think Sony and the MPAA have gone too far this time. I know that Valenti wants to destroy and murder pirates, but what happens if someone who isn't a pirate buys one of these players? I think it's overly destructive and just plain rude. Perhaps Valenti rationalizes that everyone simply must be a pirate. Or else why would they have VCRs and other electronics? Recording on a VCR is piracy. Valenti likes to murder people.
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-19-2004, 06:42 PM:
 
Everyone is a pirate Joe. Jackeypoo says so.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 10-19-2004, 06:47 PM:
 
That article could have come from The Onion if it was funnier.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-19-2004, 07:06 PM:
 
I bet Valenti is a pirate as well. Anyone who has EVER recorded ANYTHING on a VCR is a pirate. That is an absolute FACT!!! This simply cannot be argued with. And all piracy is PURE EVIL!!! Another fact that CANNOT be argued with! People who record things on camcorders and even film cameras are pirating real life. Taking photographs is also pirating real life. Kodak is a gigantic corporation who is profiting on piracy.
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 10-19-2004, 07:10 PM:
 
Gosh Joe, reading your last post... I have just one question: Are you on dope?

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-19-2004, 07:11 PM:
 
Naw, cocaine. Why?
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 10-19-2004, 07:16 PM:
 
Cool! Coke is best! Pepsi sux!

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 10-19-2004, 07:44 PM:
 
Sounds to me like Joe is campaigning for Valenti's replacement. With that kind of attitude, he just might get it.
 

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Posted by Jennifer Pan (Member # 2035) on 10-19-2004, 07:57 PM:
 
Phil, I concur with all of the statements you made above.
 

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Posted by Jeremy Fuentes (Member # 2135) on 10-19-2004, 08:13 PM:
 
Joe, why did you call me a pirate?? I take that as a personal insult, and I demand that you ban yourself for breaking the rules!!
 

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Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 10-19-2004, 08:55 PM:
 
Why not just have undercover FBI agents working the booths at the flea markets where bootlegs are sold and shoot people trying to by them on site? Wouldn't that be easier?
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-19-2004, 09:53 PM:
 
What we really NEED are 2 or 3 FBI agents standing by each projector in every theater across the country since all projectionists and theater staff pirate movies. We should also force the audience to watch all movies naked so they can't sneak in camcorders.

I agree with Chris that people should be shot. Piracy is WORSE than murdering children! I am overwhelmed by emotion when I think about all of the profits the rich studios are losing due to piracy. Sure, they make multiple billions each year in profit, but they deserve oh so much more!!!!!!
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 10-20-2004, 02:30 AM:
 
The application of the so called "science" of photography has been demonstrated to steal the souls of living beings. This has been documented in many third world countries and societies. As such, photography must be declared a crime against humanity. Any entity which promotes or advocates the practice of photography must be rounded up. It would be very easy to do. There would be no need to waste time with trials. Automatic death sentences--plenty of trees and rope available! We could make Rochester glow for 10,000 years!

Death to the Great Yellow Father!

Pytlak, we're coming for you!

I'm Paul Mayer and I approved this call to action.
Paid for by the committee to appoint Paul Mayer as Lord High Executioner of the MPAA.
And God King for life.

Time for bed. Got students to torture in the morning...
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-20-2004, 03:50 AM:
 
Rope?! If Kodak's ESTAR base film can hold a Crown Victoria to a hydro pole, it can surely be used to hang someone!
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 10-20-2004, 07:33 AM:
 
Hydro pole?
 

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Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-20-2004, 09:38 AM:
 
I contemplated using the term utility pole, but decided against it, just as I usually don't butcher my spelling to agree with the spell checker.
 

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Posted by Kyle McEachern (Member # 2250) on 10-20-2004, 10:30 PM:
 

quote:

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"Copy protection has been foiled too easily by pirates, and we need to do something more effective," said Sony Entertainment vice-president Harold Wang.

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Only in an article like this would you find a reference to a guy named "Harry Wang".
 

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 10-20-2004, 11:02 PM:
 
Of all the members here, I'm glad that it was Kyle who noticed that.
 

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Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-22-2004, 12:55 PM:
 

quote:

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If Kodak's ESTAR base film can hold a Crown Victoria to a hydro pole, it can surely be used to hang someone!

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