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Who Will Benefit from Vista? Monitor Makers, For One
from the that-upgrade-just-got-expensive dept
It's not uncommon for people to add more memory or a bigger hard drive for a new version of an operating system, but it appears that Microsoft's forthcoming version of Windows, Vista, will require users to buy new monitors too. There's some wiggle room there -- users won't need a new monitor per se, but if they don't already have a monitor that supports the HDCP copy protection that's becoming prevalent in TV and video, protected video they watch will be displayed at a lower quality. Most people don't feel too strongly about DRM because they don't really see its effect on them. They buy songs from iTunes, they play on their iPod, it's all good. But when they're confronted with an effect of DRM that hits their pocketbook like this, they'll notice, and they won't like it. So who does this DRM technology benefit, apart from monitor manufacturers, who should be in for a nice windfall? Somebody from Microsoft says "Digital outputs of any system need some form of copy protection, as without it, digital protection upstream has much less value." Why does anything "need" DRM? To sell more monitors? It's not to protect content's value, when DRM quite often makes things less valuable by reducing their flexibility and limiting their resale.
Reader Comments
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DRM is just evil
Leave it to Microsoft to actually embrace some Orwellian technology like this. I honestly thought DRM was dead, since I haven't heard about it for years.
This just makes me that much happier with my decision to go linux-only.
Not that it makes that much of a difference. Considering history, I imagine it'll be cracked long before Vista ever ships.
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Re: DRM is just evil
Microsoft has been a big part of this nightmare all along, the 'Palladium' Trusted Computing business. I think it's something they mostly remain low-key about. I'm guessing any idiot in Redmond can see it's a PR nightmare.
Maybe. Maybe not so easily, who knows. This crazy crap has lots of companies on-board like Intel, Creative Labs, manufacturers of CD/DVD drives. These guys have all been quietly designing this to take control of the hardware we buy at every level.
But circumvention misses the point: People pay money to get this operating system, and then have to engage in shady behavior in order to do what they want with the system they own. I hope people in general take offense at being treated this way. I think it's wrong.
Yup, our entire home has been Linux-only for 3 years. Best move we made in 20+ years of using computers. I don't have a single piece of software on any system that's illegal. No stolen keys, no keygens, etc.
To me, it's this simple: Using a closed-source operating system is unacceptable. Period. (This means you, too, Apple. It's looking like you're part of this)
For more information on these technologies and how they'll be screwing you soon right in your own home: Against TCPA
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No Subject Given
I'm fairly sure you mean HDCP or HDMI and not DHCP.
HDCP = High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
HDMI = High-Definition Multimedia Interface
whereas
DHCP = Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
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Re: No Subject Given
Yep, I meant HDCP. Thanks for checking up on me.
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No Subject Given
They know they can't stop me from taking a video camera to their monitor, or snapping a photograph? There will always be a way to do stuff like that, I understand making it "difficult" but that's absurd.
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It's already there
It's already out there.
I was on the team that tested this for the next version of Windows Media Center ... on XP.
Truthfully, this won't really be a factor for a few more years.
and, for most people, downsampled HD content is still "good enough".
The people that it matters to will be buying high end equipment that already supports it, so it won't be an issue to them.
If it is an annoyance, since it's all done in software anyway, I'm sure people will find a way around it.
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Re: It's already there
It's not all done in software, that's why new hardware will be needed.
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Follow the money.
Expect makers of kinds of hardware to have to pay for the privilege of being "approved" by M$, not to mention having to agree to M$'s licensing terms. So M$ will probably get some revenue from every piece of compliant hardware sold and dictate how hardware is made. Also expect the DMCA to be used to enforce this scheme. Open-source and DIY hardware need not apply.
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You forgot one thing...
Nobody in their righ mind is going to want to watch "protected" video on their computers.
Anything decent is already out there on DVD. Everything else pretty much sucks and blows at the same time.
Good luck Hollywood, you bunch of freaking losers!
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Yay!
Well, atleast I wont be buying any HDCP content or playback devices anytime soon.
Those bastards.
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REQUIREMENT OF MONITOR FOR CCD CAMERA
DEAR SIR,
WE REQUIRED THE CCD MONITOR OF " VISTA" MAKE FOR TYPE : MA9B AT THE EARLIEST ANOTHER PLEASER SEND YOUR AGENT /DISTRIBUTOR /SALES OFFICE DETAILS I INDIA AT THE EARLIEST.
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Cost of DRM
http://www.cs.auckland.ac.nz/~pgut001/pubs/vista_cost.html#
good read on quality output and system performance for Vista users
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