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Hands-On with Digital Copy
Family Guy Digital Copy courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment
Last week, during the MacWorld event, Fox and Apple announced iTunes Digital Copy. The first release to utilize this technology was Family Guy: Digital Harvest, which I received the other day. Many people have questions about how the Digital Copy works, so I'd like to walk you through my experience with it.
The "Blue Harvest" release is a two-disc set, with the second disc devoted to the digital copy. I inserted the DVD-ROM into my Mac laptop and a window popped up with a single icon. Double-clicking the icon launched iTunes, with "Blue Harvest" listed under "Devices." Clicking on the DVD launched the iTunes store and took me to a special "Blue Harvest" page where I entered my 16 digit code. Pressing "Redeem" took me to a new iTunes Store Terms and Conditions screen which I agreed to. A little over 2 minutes later the file had been copied to my computer, with the movie appearing under my "Purchased" tab. The resulting file was 496 megs, 640x480 MPEG-4 (H.264) at 1451 kbps.
I have a bunch of networked computers in my place, and decided I should try playing the digital file on the Mac Mini hooked up to my TV. I opened iTunes on the Mini, connected to my shared iTunes library on the MacBook Pro, and authorized my Mini iTunes to play files associated with my iTunes account. It worked perfectly.
The Fox Digital Copy website says that the file can be copied to one computer, which sent up a big warning sign for me. Will I be able to watch the file on a new computer if I decide to upgrade in the future? I decided to do a test by copying the file from my MacBook Pro to the Mac Mini to see if it works. The computer was already authorized to play the file from my previous network test, and the copied file played instantly once I opened it. The file on the DVD has the same DRM as other iTunes files that you purchase from the iTunes store, so it won't be a problem if you get a new computer and have to move the files to it.
Mac users are only able to copy the file to iTunes, but PC users have the option to transfer it to iTunes, or Windows Media Player, for use with a PlaysForSure device. Fellow DVD Team member Dave Lambert has a PC, and the Family Guy disc, so I had him do a few tests with his setup. Dave had already installed the file on his Archos player using Windows Media Player, so I had him install the iTunes version of the file as well. It worked fine, so now Dave can enjoy "Blue Harvest" on his Archos player, up to 5 computers through iTunes, and a video iPod, if he had one. The Sony PSP and the Microsoft Zune aren't supported devices.
I was impressed with the ease of copying the file to my computer, and the flexibility I was given once it was copied over. A lot of people are worried that they won't be given the ability to make "fair use" of the movies they buy, especially for the HD formats, but Fox has found a safe and secure way to protect their movies while allowing their customers the flexibility to move the content onto home media servers and portable devices. I applaud Fox for this move, and hope we see it rolled out on many of their future releases, and those of other studios. The next Fox title to utilize the Digital Copy feature is Hitman, which appears on DVD and Blu-ray March 11. Yes, even the Blu-ray copy will feature the Digital Copy; it'll be placed on a DVD-ROM along with the BD. — Gord Lacey
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Jan 25, 2008 2:47 PM
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My dvd of die hard 4 has a digital copy, I haven't downloaded it yet though. Do you know if that's something different?
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Jan 25, 2008 3:33 PM
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That version doesn't include the iTunes file, nor does the version on the Harry Potter movie. I don't have either one to test myself, but that's my understanding.
Gord
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Jan 25, 2008 3:48 PM
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Actually, when I did the Live Free or Die Harder digital copy to my Archos the other day (it's only on the Unrated DVD version, I understand), it DID give me an iTunes option as well as a Windows Media (WMV file) option. I didn't try the iTunes option because that particular PC of mine (my laptop) doesn't have iTunes installed on it, but I'm sure it would work just fine if I tried. — David Lambert
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Jan 25, 2008 3:53 PM
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I need to download that before the code expires.
David, which model of archos player do you have? How do you like it? I looked at those for awhile, but got a zune and I really love it. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's not a plays for sure device which makes absolutely no sense, since they're both microsoft.
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Jan 25, 2008 3:59 PM
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I like the Archos; I'm still learning to use it. It's a 605 WiFi that I got for Christmas. I'll have a review of it for the Gadget Guide blog in a week or two. — David Lambert
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Jan 25, 2008 4:03 PM
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awesome. I'll watch for it.
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Jan 25, 2008 4:08 PM
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Let me backtrack on what I said before: Live Free or Die Harder's digital copy function does NOT support iTunes format, after all. What I remembered as being an option for iTunes was only a matter of clicking the on-screen "help" button, and then being taken to a website that has the help documentation there. At the bottom of the first page at that site is a couple of large buttons to click, saying whether your preferred format is iTunes or Windows Media. However, that page is decorated with material for the Family Guy Blue Harvest title. So it's only that the newly updated-for-FGBH help page which shows iTunes as an "option", but only for the purpose of giving you the right kind of help.
When I actually tried it with the Die Hard 4 disc anyway, it proved that it won't work; there is simply no option there for iTunes. Then there is fine print on the bottom of the outer "o-ring" sleeve of the DH4 DVD box that says the digital copy function won't work for iTunes (or PSP or Zune).
About that part: now, I don't have a Zune, so I don't know what the story is there. But the reason these digital copies won't work on the PSP is because that unit won't play this kind of WMV Windows Media file format. It would come up as "unsupported data" if you tried moving the file to a memory stick and putting it in your PSP. So Sony could potentially fix this by adding WMV file support in a future BIOS upgrade on the PSP.
For that matter, it would be cool for that memory stick to also be stuck in my PS3 and also work from there.
If you ask me, this concept is the RIGHT way to do digital media. I have no desire to buy a movie by download, stick it on my hard drive or on the drive of my Archos (or iPod), and have that drive crash or the device lost/stolen and lose my whole movie that way. I'd rather have the physical media of a DVD disc that I buy in a nice factory package (no generic-looking "burn on demand" junk, either) and be able to play my media on my actual stand-alone DVD player(s). But to have the option to stick a digital copy onto my Archos or iPod or wherever? Great way to take what I've already paid for and enjoy it what waiting at the waiting room of the doctor office, on a trip, or anywhere else I am away from home and have some time to kill. Good job, Fox (and Warner, who did it with Harry Potter 5 on DVD) for leading the way on this sort of thing. More, more! — David Lambert
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Jan 26, 2008 7:43 AM
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I agree. I like the option (except for me it won't work) to download the movie. I think I will always want the physical dvd. Once in a while I'll download cds, but more often than not, I buy the physical cd. I just want to have it. And usually, I just rip them and put them on my computer/zune and don't touch the cd again. But I still want it. Same with books. I gotta have a book in my hand.
RIight now, I just convert my dvds to wmv using this. It works for me. I just convert a movie at night when I go to bed or set one of in the morning when I leave for work. It's great. I love my zune.
I still haven't found any program that works well converting itunes video to wmv. It starts out ok and then messes up. I have a couple of tv shows I wanted to see again and itunes was my only option. (that would be my shows on the-n)
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Jan 26, 2008 9:44 AM
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