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AnyDVD is falling behind!!!

Pursuit of Happyness

This is an excellent example of what I was suggesting concerning Sony.
My wife and I are interested in the "Pursuit of Happyness" dvd, because we like most Will Smith films, and the trailers made the film look good (yeah - it can be misleading when you realize the scenes in the trailers of some movies were the only part of the movie worth watching . . .) and maybe we're a couple of sappy/softhearted folks who like films like this.
But, I refused to buy it when it came out because it surely would have autorun initiated executables on it - and I want no part of any Sony optical media with executables on it because Sony is not to be trusted. I will rent the movie for a few dollars instead, whereas I most likely would have purchased it otherwise.
On the other hand, we are still out there purchasing titles by other studios who seem more willing to put movies with higher bit-rates resulting in better video quality - instead of filling up the disc with phony vts's, unreadable sectors and executables no one needs or wants and extras that I watch only once - if that.
Most people probably couldn't care less about what Sony sticks on the dvd's. They buy no matter what until some damage is done to them.
But is it possible that the nonsense Sony goes through on dvd releases does more damage than good - as far as their sales of dvd's goes? It surely does in my case at least, because I generally avoid Sony dvd releases now unless it is something I am sure I really want to own. Choosing between 2 titles in a store is really easy these days if one of them is a Sony release - the Sony goes back on the shelf!
However - when it comes to televisions - I am unable to ignore Sony products - they are really excellent imho.
 
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As I said, we all protest in different ways. For me I look at it this way...I'm going to buy the Sony title, NEVER play the thing anyway because I'm going to immediately back it up without any protection or stupidity at all. The original will end up on my shelf and we'll only watch the backup that has none of the garbage on it. It doesn't send a message to Sony, true, but, again I hit them in other ways. :) However, if there are people like you out there that aren't buying the Sony titles as a result of the ridiculous crap they put on them, well, I applaud your effort. :)
 
As far as I'm concerned: You all have my permission to rent and back-up any of the new Sony titles (main movie only). Further, I command you to make 5 copies of each one you get - and distribute them free to friends and relatives. (Evil Grin) :D

-W
 
Hehehe

I was going to suggest this earlier. Just wasn't sure how forum mods :policeman: would react.

Why stop at main movie, Fabdecrypter does whole disk.
 
Hehehe

I was going to suggest this earlier. Just wasn't sure how forum mods :policeman: would react.

I do not practice nor condone piracy.

But I am coming close to either locking this thread or moving posts that have nothing to do with the subject of the thread.
 
I do not practice nor condone piracy.

But I am coming close to either locking this thread or moving posts that have nothing to do with the subject of the thread.

This thread has sort of become a free form complaint thread. It seems to also be one of the most popular on the forum.

Can I suggest just letting it run it's course. So long as we don't give anymore bad advice. :doh:

This thread is very enjoyable and covers a wide variety of topics in an active dialog. It is serving it's purpose as an answer to the topic question, then comes discussion and rebuttal or agreement. Right now it is a running as a complaint about Sony, but that can change with one post.
 
Ok, WTF, Sony?!?!?!!?!!

http://sonystrikesagain.wordpress.com/

That is absolute ********!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA! I love it.
Someone tell me again why I should continue purchasing Sony dvd releases?
Not a chance!
Any purchased Sony dvd which does not play on every player and computer with a dvd drive in your house should be returned as defective to the place of purchase, demanding a full refund of your money.
That's what I will do - assuming I ever buy one again . . .
I plan to demand any rental money be refunded if a rental does not play also.
 
Ok, WTF, Sony?!?!?!!?!!

http://sonystrikesagain.wordpress.com/

That is absolute ********!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


No one here should be overly surprised, Webslinger and I were talking about this very fact a couple months ago.
Spny thinks they have enough juice in the business to get away with anything.
So go ahead, you silly people that think Blu-Ray outta win the HD-DVD format wars, you'll get what you deserve.

-W
 
HA! I love it.
Someone tell me again why I should continue purchasing Sony dvd releases?
Not a chance!
Any purchased Sony dvd which does not play on every player and computer with a dvd drive in your house should be returned as defective to the place of purchase, demanding a full refund of your money.
That's what I will do - assuming I ever buy one again . . .
I plan to demand any rental money be refunded if a rental does not play also.

Actually..... it would be better to organize a big run at a retailer like Best Buy on the next Sony relese. If they got 20% of the Sony stuff back - they'd bitch to Sony. And Best Buy has the juice to make Sony listen.

-W
 
No one here should be overly surprised, Webslinger and I were talking about this very fact a couple months ago.

Yeah, it's old news. Entertaining to read though, nonetheless . . .

But try troubleshooting a problem where someone is complaining that Anydvd can't see these discs at all. Well, of course not, because the optical drive doesn't see the discs either. But you can't convince the average person that Sony's disc structure is so brutal that not all devices with a "dvd-rom" label can read these newer releases. "Well, the disc plays fine in my standalone dvd player. The problem must be Anydvd--and not my reader."

If some Sony standalone dvd players can't read these discs, it stands to reason that some dvd-rom drives (and burners) can't either.

Sony probably figured that the percentage of Sony customers being inconvenienced is tolerable in relation to the amount of money saved by people not being able to pirate Sony releases. Stupid decision. Pirates will always pirate; this isn't going to slow them down. The decision to mess up disc structures simply hurts Sony's customer base.

Germany is hit with, in my opinion, an even more disgusting issue with the Protect-dvd releases. Without Anydvd, some of those titles can't even be watched on computers.
 
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All excellent points.
Nothing to do - but return defective merchandise and demand your money back!
 
Agreed!

I used to work for Sony, and luckily I got permanently layed off. I absolutely hated them. They treated their workers like garbage. I assure you, I had nothing to do with the dvd area. However, if one thing will open Sony's eyes, is money. If their DVD's are boycotted or returned, they will listen.

Evidently, they assume every person that backs up their movies is in fact, not backing up, but simply copying (RI4Me??). I'm not supporting piracy either. However, what I would like to see is people buying every new Sony release, and returning it a day later due to unplayability, whether it plays or not. This would be on behalf of all of those unfortunate people that can't even play a movie that they BOUGHT AND PAID FOR on their own dvd player. I remember how mad I was a couple years ago when I bought the new Velvet Revolver cd (non-Sony) only to find it was unplayable on my computer. I've been fortunate enough that the few Sony's that I have purchased play fine on my equipment. I sincerely feel for those who can't even watch something they bought.

Retuning their movies would get their attention. However, I know for a fact that stores like Walmart and Bestbuy will only give you an even exchange for opened items instead of a refund. So what I'd like to see is not really feasible.

While the DMCA might prohibit reproduction of someone's work, there is also something called the Fair Use Act. Basically it states that one may backup something they've purchased as long as it is for private, non-profit, or educational purposes. Isn't Sony violating this? Backing up may be a gray area, but to not even be able to play/view what you've purchased? That may very well violate the Fair Use Act.
 
No one here should be overly surprised, Webslinger and I were talking about this very fact a couple months ago.
Spny thinks they have enough juice in the business to get away with anything.
So go ahead, you silly people that think Blu-Ray outta win the HD-DVD format wars, you'll get what you deserve.

-W

Oh HELL no! BluRay must die. This is even more proof of that. This really pisses me off...it's one thing to try to protect their product, but, completely crippling it and then telling their own customers to essentially piss off? Yea, um, NO.
 
I used to work for Sony, and luckily I got permanently layed off. I absolutely hated them. They treated their workers like garbage. I assure you, I had nothing to do with the dvd area. However, if one thing will open Sony's eyes, is money. If their DVD's are boycotted or returned, they will listen.

Evidently, they assume every person that backs up their movies is in fact, not backing up, but simply copying (RI4Me??). I'm not supporting piracy either. However, what I would like to see is people buying every new Sony release, and returning it a day later due to unplayability, whether it plays or not. This would be on behalf of all of those unfortunate people that can't even play a movie that they BOUGHT AND PAID FOR on their own dvd player. I remember how mad I was a couple years ago when I bought the new Velvet Revolver cd (non-Sony) only to find it was unplayable on my computer. I've been fortunate enough that the few Sony's that I have purchased play fine on my equipment. I sincerely feel for those who can't even watch something they bought.

Retuning their movies would get their attention. However, I know for a fact that stores like Walmart and Bestbuy will only give you an even exchange for opened items instead of a refund. So what I'd like to see is not really feasible.

While the DMCA might prohibit reproduction of someone's work, there is also something called the Fair Use Act. Basically it states that one may backup something they've purchased as long as it is for private, non-profit, or educational purposes. Isn't Sony violating this? Backing up may be a gray area, but to not even be able to play/view what you've purchased? That may very well violate the Fair Use Act.

Actually, when involved in something like this, I tell the store I am willing to take a replacement copy, but if it behaves the same way as the originally purchased one, it will be returned as defective also. They usually relent and just give me my money back. I've only had this happen a couple of times due to a truly defective batch of pressings of a dvd title.
 
Oh HELL no! BluRay must die. This is even more proof of that. This really pisses me off...it's one thing to try to protect their product, but, completely crippling it and then telling their own customers to essentially piss off? Yea, um, NO.

I think this really sums it up for me and Sony.
http://maddox.xmission.com/ and then go to the Sony link. :agree:
 
Please refrain from using swear words, even if they aren't that offensive (this helps prevent people complaining to me in PMs and makes the forums more community friendly, I suppose). Thank you.
 
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