iTunes HD Doesn't Like Older Displays

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theiphoneblog.com/2009/03/20/itunes-hd-display-hd/' target='_blank'>http://www.theiphoneblog.com/2009/0...-hd-display-hd/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Yesterday, Dieter told us Apple had finally pulled the trigger on HD downloads for iTunes. Today, the internets (led by iLounge, via Gizmodo) are up in arms because said downloads are infected with Big Media-enforced DRM to such a degree that they can&rsquo;t even play on older, non-HDCP (high definition copy protection) compatible devices. What does this mean? Even if you forked over $2K for a ginormous Apple 30&Prime; Cinema Display, that &ldquo;cinema&rdquo; part of the branding will be just plain useless to you except for the very helpful popup you&rsquo;ll get reading: This movie cannot be played because a display that is not authorized to play protected movies is connected."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1237899247.usr18053.jpg" /></p><p>Just for the record, I'm still annoyed by this.&nbsp; <a href="http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/f381/apple-chastises-music-industry-jumps-bed-hollywood-91577.html" target="_blank">One of the first columns I wrote for this site</a> smashed Steve Jobs for his hypocrisy in regards to how he handles DRM on video versus DRM on music.&nbsp; I think little by little there's more backing for my opinion than there even was when I wrote it.&nbsp; Jobs has no problem telling the music industry they need to abandon DRM, but when the time comes for Hollywood to do the same, he blindly accepts their demands to the point where he allows them to tell you that on your authorized computer, you can't play a movie you bought legitimately if you don't have a certain kind of connection to your monitor.</p><p>No amount of arguing will ever convince me that this is anything else but a blatant double standard loaded with hypocrisy.</p>

[crimsonsky]

Well that stinks big time! And how are you supposed to know this before you purchase HD content? And if you don't have a compatible display, can you get a refund?

[Janak Parekh]

And, of course, Jobs has a very genial relationship with the movie industry, no doubt partially due to his involvement with Disney.

--janak

[Vincent Ferrari]

And, of course, Jobs has a very genial relationship with the movie industry, no doubt partially due to his involvement with Disney.

--janak

I agree, and you'd never convince me otherwise.

[doogald]

More industry dopiness: Obama's gift to PM Gordon Brown does not work due to "zone restrictions." (http://www.dailytech.com/Obamas+Gift+to+British+PM+Ruined+by+DVD+Zone+Restrictions/article14660.htm)

I think that we'll all look back on this in a decade or two and shake our collective heads.

(The HD movie restriction I understand, as they want to plug the "analog hole", but this stuff is all on torrents anyway, making this restriction a quaint, silly reaction.)

[jdmichal]

Oh... You do not even want to get me started on that, doogald. Probably the most embarrassing presidential moment I've witnessed in my short life-time.