Self Destructing DVD article on CNN

Follow this link to Self Destructing DVD

What next, throw away PC!!

 

Sounds just like the DIVX format which was introduced along with DVD in the early days. You would purchase a disc which would allow one or two plays, but then you would be charged for each subsequent viewing (the disc being useless otherwise).

Fortunately it never took off...

 

The difference with previous attempts to lock content is that previously the content will still be on the disk so it was just a matter of unlocking (legally or via more "dubious" means).

In this case, however, the technology is chemical - so I'd say it's pretty much hackproof.

 

ok, so it uses a chemical reaction to make the disc 'laser' opaque. The timing depends on the chemical mixture used to make the disc's.

So what stops someone making a copy of the disc using a PC before it becomes unreadable ?

Quite a good idea for teaser discs though but not likely to be used in the rental market as you would need a new disc every time you wanted to view after the initial period has expired (instead of the pay per view system of charging to unlock).

Generating more rubbish for a throwaway culture.

Cheers
Si

 

the product in question in three stages of reaction...

 

Like the felt tip pen trick with music cds, Im sure one of your nerdy types will discover an (shall remain nameless household chemical) to coat the disc with to prevent the process

It wasnt me.

 

From the site:

Imagine - you buy a new piece of software. Install it. Hunky dory. a month later you PC crashes. You go to re-install the software . . . hmm

Pardon

 

It was widely known that certain audio cds have been protected by an inner ring on the under side of a cd. If you covered this ring with a black marker pen, it renders the protection useless.