Keith Hurst

It seems that Sony are putting a 'stronger' version of AACS on some of their discs.

Now whilst I'm all in favour of companies trying to protect their work, I am after all a software engineer myself and not too keen on people stealing my code, you've got to wonder if this is taking it a little too far.

Any digital copy protection will ultimately be cracked there's no doubt about that. What Sony are currently doing though means that my own valid discs and valid paid for software...

Well been busy this weekend finalising the Deliverance review and putting together another HD enabled HTPC for a friend.

Hardware... 550 quid all in for both HD-DVD and BluRay. Had 3 phone calls since he got home praising it over his standalone Tosh HD player and his US PS3.

Took me a long time to realise the benfits of HTPCs. Only when I needed both formats did I realise what could be done with them.

One of the best moves I've made in video entertainment since...

Well I'm queued up for a refund for WinDVD. I really do want some other functioning HD/BD player to test though.

In the meantime I've reconfigured my Harmony 659 so I can control PowerDVD HD/BD via a remote. It's damn easier than the mouse I can tell you, certainly for HD stuff anyway. can't seem to program in a MENU button, apparently if I have access to a Meridian remote I can simulate a key-press so thats my next hunt.

I'm also after some OPA2134PA Burr-Brown OPAMPS...

So... I've been using Cyberlink's PowerDVD Ultra as the software player of choice to play and review the HD-DVD anf Blu-Ray discs for AVPlay.

However it seems that WinDVD Platinum is available and it's downloading now...

I must admit I hate installing new software on what seems currently to be a stable HTPC but PowerDVD's a bit clunky so I've been tempted.

I'll keep you informed...

KH

[EDIT] Pants.... well it tried to install, only...

Well I thought I would give this a bash.

Had a pretty relaxing weekend, quick kip in the afternnon yesterday. Furious movie watching and writing afterwards. Normally Margaret, my most patient other half, will have the odd dig about the time it all takes but seeing as she was nose deep in a PowerPoint presentation... well I was free to do as I see fit.

An almost perfect Sunday roast cooked up by yours truly was only slighly let down by the fact I should really have had a...