http://www.dvdtalk.com/rce.html
this (cookie rich) address has some details on the quote enhancement
unquote of DVD that has absolutely no value whatsoever to any of us -- as
scholars, as teachers, and especialy as people who I guess have a stake in
the international flow of data. There is already copy protection coding on
almost every DVD I own. We are moving towards DVD as the medium of choice
for teaching and library: we have to show work in formats at least as good
as students often have at home; and laser media have a longer shelf-life
(and are less easy to destroy in faulty equipment). The latest
'enhancement' may well make it impossible for us in the antipodes to get
hold of titles that are of too limited interest to be worth releasing for
the smaller region 4 coding. What is the point? To maintain a stranglehold
on distribution. Otherwise I can see no purpose in it, unless pssibly to
maximise the revenues from theatrical release in territories for which the
distributors are too parsimonious to use other than bicycled prints,
meaning that they arrrive late and damaged if at all. Lord forbid we see
the film on DVD before this exploitative practice can take plae; and Lord
forbid we get the option of seeing something other than the BVI/ UIP
playlist. This egregious abuse of corporate power is more than aggravating.
It threatens the possibility of teaching, especially teaching international
and minority cinemas (and increasingly TV).
If there are reps from DVD distributors onlist who can explain this, I'd be
grateful. If anyone has ideas about how to protest, and people agree this
is a suitable issue for the list, likewise, I'd love to hear.
Other wise, I'm emjoying the show . . .
Sean
Sean Cubitt
Screen and Media Studies
The University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton
New Zealand
T (direct) +64 (0)7 856 2889 extension 8604
T/F (department) +64 (0)7 838 4543
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http://www.waikato.ac.nz/film/
Digital Aesthetics
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/slade/digita
The Dundee Seminars
http://www.imaging.dundee.ac.uk/people/sean/index.html
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