[mythtv-users] DVD Rip and Recent DVDs

[Bill Chmura]

On Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:52:14 -0400 (EDT)
Justin Moore <justin at cs.duke.edu> wrote:

> 
> >> I don't know a solution,
> >> but if you own the DVD's, you could just download them, since you own
> >> them it wouldnt be illegal, and from my experience downloading doesnt
> >> take much longer then ripping them
> >
> > Do you mean to suggest that there is a standard procedure of
> > downloading a movie if I already own the DVD?  I'm not aware of
> > anything like that, I could certainly go that route.
> 
> Disclaim: IANALBIDTACLC (but I did take a copyright law course).
> 
> Under U.S. law, the idea that you can legally download an .iso of a DVD 
> you own is a myth, unless the .iso is coming from a studio-authorized 
> channel (I am not aware that any of these exist).  If some third-party 
> is making an iso available without permission from the studios, they are 
> illegally distributing copyrighted works.  Just because it might seem 
> "fair" to some people, it doesn't make it legal.  And just because you 
> may be able to create digital copies of audio recordings doesn't mean 
> that the same exemptions exist for videos (the exemption comes from the 
> Audio Home Recording Act of 1992, also known as the law that killed the 
> DAT format).
> 
> This is not legal advise, consult a lawyer, these views are my own and 
> do not represent those of my employer, spouse, cats, etc, etc.

Regardless of your status of IANALBIDTACLC, I would say that downloading is NOT a good idea because as we have seen with the RIAA and music downloaders that they shoot first and ask questions later.  Not that the RIAA would do this, I think its the MPAA...  

So even if the law says you can do it, you'd have to hire a lawyer and go and defend yourself in one of these bulk lawsuits...  Not worth it by any sense of the word.