Comments on: How iTunes could become the ultimate DVD ripper--and why Apple won't let it

Real's forthcoming RealDVD program brings DVD ripping into the legal realm--so why can't Apple do the same with iTunes?

[GadgetDon]

The biggest issue with what Real is doing, is how it deals with the ever-changing copy protection layered on DVDs. It's why DVD rippers (like MacTheRipper or AnyDVD) have to keep being updated. My guess is that Real is prepared to deal with just the basic stuff common to all DVDs, and maybe macrovision. But any Disney disk is going make it whimper.

They'd need the cooperation with the studios to make it reliable. Which they aren't going to get.

I do think it would be in Apple's interests. Yes, they make money from the media store...but they make a lot more on hardware.

[ev61]

I don't think Apple when I think of someone standing up for consumers rights, so no.

[UKStory1355]

I think that this is a natural and perfect progression for itunes. As the iPod line of media players is becoming more and more focused on video there will be a demand for people to transfer their DVD's to their iPod's. The third party software has been hit and miss for me. About three quarters of the time, the conversion happens without a hitch and I can enjoy watching the videos on either my nano or my iPhone. The other third of the time the videos will go on itunes, but they won't sync. Some major media player software, whether it is itunes or windows media player will have this ability soon and I hope that iPod doesn't have to play catch-up.

[kristomints]

While you're probably right that Apple wouldn't implement this feature out of the fear they'd shrink the market for movies through iTunes, I think it could actually increase their market.

I, for one, have no real interest in downloading movies. I likely wouldn't download many anyway, so I would have a small number of movies separate from my hard-copy DVD collection. I don't want to buy all my DVDs as downloads (and not everything would be available that way, anyway), so I'm not really big into downloaded and portable movies. However, if I could import my existing collection and make it portable, I would then be interested in supplementing it with a few downloaded movies.

It's the same way I use iTunes for my music. I download some music, and the rest I buy as CDs and rip. But if the only way I could legally put music on my iPod was to buy it through iTunes, then my iPod would get no use; I would go with whatever allowed me to use my existing collection first.

[ellenhart]

Yes! Apple should add DVD ripping .. especially considering the price you pay for a movie. If I'm paying $9.99 or $12.99 for a film, I'd like to be able to rip it to my hard drive. That said, I won't hold my breath. I doubt Apple will do this until they have an actual competitor who's willing to offer the service.

[umbrae]

Since there are so many good FREE ripping software, why would you want it from iTunes. All they will do is wrap it up and DRM and restrict anything you might want to do with it. Better to use software that cannot be sued or will not bend to the MPAA or RIAA.

[pjhenry1216]

You're missing the big component. It needs to retain the copyright protection. As far as I know, only iPod touches and iPhones could possibly be updated with firmware to utilize that copyright protection. Also, I'm not sure if copyright gives you a license to stream, nor am I aware of whether it allows you to manipulate the video (change the resolution).

Most of the points you're saying Apple could do are out of the question from a completely legal point of view. They'd have to acquire a license to do most of those things from the individual companies.

[atldsl]

I think dvd's are a pain and I hate getting one that forces you to watch xxx until you finally get to the main menu. Forget ripping them. All content should be had from the web for whatever the device you want to view it on. As far as the Real Networks product, I really don't want to wait for the rip and I really don't want a 4 - 8 GB file hanging on my pc where the file would look just as good at under a GB using an H.264 codec.

[fjgilroy]

I think in the long run this is inevitable and DVDs will follow the same path as Audio CDs. Around the same point most folks stop buying movies on physical media, the powers that be will realize they spent allot of money fighting a loosing battle and will give in.

[Techobserver]

Actually, apple can do one better. If the movie already is available on iTunes, they can just upload a digital copy to the library provided the DVD inserted for ripping is a legal copy.

[skidmore101]

I know I'm a few months behind, but that's a great idea. I wonder, though, how much that would cost Apple. Like, how much does it cost them to allow a movie to download?

Also, what about the videos that aren't on iTunes?

[Daniel L Smith]

Sure, the iTunes Store is a factor, but not because of the revenue stream. If this feature helps sell iPods, I'm sure that would more than make up for any lost revenue.

*But*, it's clear the studios don't like DVD ripping (for one thing, it's trivial for Joe Consumer to "buy" a $1 DVD from Red Box). And without the studios, the iTunes Store has no content.

[nyada]

Who really cares? Just another reason for someone to rag on Apple again. DVD ripping is so easy for anyone who wants to do it and it has been for the last five years. So lets not act like this is a big deal in any way...

[crsteele]

What would be great is if everyone just decided to stop supporting the studios that are too stupid to support the artists and their customers.
Then when the retards at riaa, viacom, fox etc started starving to death maybe, just maybe they would figure out that they need to start paying the artists that create the content and not screwing the buyers of that content, and the thing they will always be to stupid to figure out.... they need to stop ripping everyone off, because until the ripoff stops... everything they say is just noise... nobody is listening.

[jragosta]

"Then when the retards at riaa, viacom, fox etc started starving to death maybe, just maybe they would figure out that they need to start paying the artists that create the content"

Oh, right. Musicians and actors are starving to death. I guess Michael Jackson didn't really make $50 M per year. And all the other multi-trilionaire artists.

The 'studios don't pay artists' myth is ridiculous. 99% of Americans would just love the income of so many of the artists.

[pixelm]

aaa

[pixelm]

Your comment doesn't make any sense. Sure there are issues between studios (and other distributors) and the various people who contribute to creative products. Big dollar creative (for example theatrical motion pictures) requires lots of capital, plus thousands of people to pull off. How does piracy help the talented people who help get the pictures made. Everyone should want a bigger pot, not a smaller one - even if they disagree over how the pot should be split.

Underlying your message is a central point - of all people, why should Real - or Apple - which contribute absolutely nothing to the artist - profit from enabling piracy7

[twocentz]

Two things:

1) You assume the market of people who want to collect hard copies of movies is large enough for Apple to want to enter. It isn't. Most people are content to watch a movie once and be done with it. (The exception is parents of small children who schlep Shrek everywhere they go to keep the kid entertained.)

2) DVDs are soo '00s. The future of digital content (the present, in fact) is a move towards being able to watch anything anytime anywhere -- call it a Great Tivo in the Sky. We won't need no stinkin' DVDs.

[twocentz]

Two things:

1) You assume the market of people who want to collect hard copies of movies is large enough for Apple to want to enter. It isn't. Most people are content to watch a movie once and be done with it. (The exception is parents of small children who schlep Shrek everywhere they go to keep the kid entertained.)

2) DVDs are soo '00s. The future of digital content (the present, in fact) is a move towards being able to watch anything anytime anywhere -- call it a Great Tivo in the Sky. We won't need no stinkin' DVDs.

[albeat99]

Two problems with this scenario:

1. I do not need any more DRM in my life.

2. iTunes is already suffering from a massive case of feature bloat. Why can't it just be a nice music management program, instead of Apple's bloated Swiss army knife?

[jreuter]

Ultimately, who cares. There are plenty of free DVD rippers that are easy to use and allow portability to many different codecs, and therefore, devices. Granted, they're not legal in all locations thanks to legislative idiocy and lobbyists (think DMCA), but at some point, people just don't care, especially if they're ripping material they have purchased and are therefore not stealing. So who cares if the big players that want to lock everyone into restrictive approaches offer this or not.

[dpetrosky]

This may not be coming to iTunes any time soon but the only reason would be because of the legal threat/anger of the studios. It would have NOTHING to do with video purchases on itunes. We have already played this game with the iPod! To get people to purchase iPods you had to give them an inexpensive way to get a lot of content for them. So "RIP MIX BURN". The same is true with the AppleTV and more media rich iPods. You need a large number of consumers with the devices and then it is easy to sell them content. So adding DVD ripping, would just make AppleTV that much more valuable for it's target audience.

Once millions of AppleTV's are in home theaters, you would see a growing number of people who rather just purchase the movie ready to go instead of having to go out and purchase it and then rip it. Apple sells more hardware, more hardware equates to more online sales.

Because trust me! Just like the CD is not hurting iTunes sales the DVD will not hurt ether. IMHO

[dylan214u]

I think it may have more to do with studios that is creating the content and what it might do to sales. Apple needs the studios to sign on before anything else.

[MonkeyTrainer]

At this point in time, Apple won't go a single step in that direction. If they upset the film companies, the film companies say no more legal sales/rentals through the iStore for you. Look at music: Apple is ready and waiting to sell every song without DRM, but the record companies won't allow it because that's one of the few advantages they can provide for Apple's competitors, and the record companies desperately want Apple's negotiating position weakened.

I think it would be great for all concerned because it will create less distinction for customers between Disc sales and file sales - everything winds up a freely playable file in iTunes. As long as there is a clear distinction between the two after ripping, people will keep comparing them and seeing that DRM'ed file purchases are insanely inferior.