Itunes Video

[Jeff Muhlstock SOC]

I have a recollection of this being talked about before for demo reel use, but I cant find it in the archives. Who knows how to use Itunes movies in Final Cut Pro? I know there is licensing issues, but I am sure there is a way to beat the security features of these movies. My use is strictly personal so nothing illegal going on. What software removes the copy protection???

 

thanks,

Jeff

[Afton Grant]

Hey Jeff,

 

Have you tried looking for your movie on a torrent search engine? It's no more or less legal than removing the iTunes DRM, but it's far easier and you get an unprotected, usually FCP friendly, copy of what you're looking for right away - no converting or anything. Every time I've looked into DRM removal, the software out there that does it is frustrating, to put it nicely. So much so I usually just give up.

[William Demeritt]

Look for the latest version of an app called "Requiem". When you drop the DRM protected file onto the droplet, it removes the DRM and leaves you with a clean version of the video. For example, if you purchased the m4v file from iTunes, drop it onto the droplet and it removes the DRM and saves it as a separate copy in the same folder.

 

NOTE: keep in mind, Requiem and this method ONLY works on computers AUTHORIZED to play back that particular video or music file (yea, it works on iTunes m4p audio files). The machine you're doing this on must be authorized to play the content you purchased from iTunes.

 

Afton: actually, removal of DRM and copyright protection techniques is a different kind of illegal. Removing DRM is in violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1996, which explicitly criminalizes the creation of software that circumvents digital rights management techniques, and also criminalizes the use of any software which circumvents DRM.

 

Copyright law basically forbids unauthorized duplication and transmission of copyrighted materials without the authorization of the copyright holder. When it comes to film/video, the copyright holder authorizes playback via very specific mediums: DVD, VHS, compact disc, cable television, etc. You buy the DVD, you can watch it off that DVD, that's it (supposedly).

 

Basically, every mix tape or CD you've ever made since you were a kid? Yea, illegal.

 

When you make a copy of a DVD you purchased in a store, you're actually breaking both laws; 1) DMCA when you decrypt the CSS encryption that protects DVD's, and 2) copyright law prohibiting unauthorized duplication.

 

Things get funny when you purchase things from iTunes. Some of the music is still protected, even though even Uncle Steve has fought hard to have DRM removed from all music sold on iTunes. When you purchase DRM protected music, you can of course remove the DRM using iTunes' built in CD burning capability. Make an audio CD of any protected music, import it back into iTunes and boom... DRM free music.

 

Seems that everyone hits a loophole where everyone's common sense just doesn't mesh with the letter of the law: "I bought this video from iTunes for the same cost as buying the DVD, why can't I watch it on my WDTV playback device? Or my Zune? Or my Linux computer, my home theater PC, etc?" Basically, the major networks where copyrighted music and movies are traded en masse do not get their videos from iTunes. They get them from standard definition DVD's and Blu-rays. Simply put: the quality of iTunes videos are not up to the standards of the file-sharing community.