"every copy of the DVD will include an iTunes digital version"

[TheTominator]

As you may recall in the Keynote it was announced that some new DVDs will have a "digital copy" of the content for you to use in iTunes. The first one is Family Guy: Blue Harvest.

That is great for DVD purchasers. I'm pleased since this has the potential of being a time-saver and providing superior quality compared to making the copy yourself from the MPEG-2 content.

My question is this.

What about DVD rentals?
When a place such as Netflix or Blockbuster rents you a DVD will you be able to simply copy the digital version into your iTunes? This sounds to be exactly what the motion picture (and TV) industry wouldn't want.

That makes me think the studios have already solved the problem.
Did they...
(a) Forbid DVD rental store from stocking these DVDs and requiring them to stock old-style vanilla versions of the same content.
(b) Provide special DRM on the iTunes-friendly file so that it won't work unless you are the original purchaser.
© Something else
(d) None of the above
(e) I'd like to use one of my lifelines.

Does anybody have one of these DVDs and would like to comment?

[cbelt3]

I don't know, but I'm sure the evil geniuses at Sony are trying to find a way to embed their root-kit malware into their DVD's as well. Even after repeated disastrous forays into the audio CD field.

The constant battle between Digital Rights Management and the Data Shall Be Free crowd reminds me of the endless battle between armor and armaments. The armor always loses, from the English Longbow defeating heavy French plate armor to the current self-forging fragment and plasma jet shaped charge weapons defeating the most advanced composite tank armor.

[Bubba3K]

There is a special key that you type in to authorthize the itunes version.

[pinkoos]

I read that the Family Guy retail DVD package comes with two DVDs: the regular one and the one that contains the digital copy. Additonally, as was mentioned above, there is an insert in the packaging that contains a serial number that you must type in to activate the "copying" of the digital copy to your hard drive.

So, for rentals, I'm sure the DVD with the digital copy/insert with serial number won't be included.

See here:

http://appletvsource.com/content/view/500/45

[TheTominator]

That makes sense.

Having it on a separate DVD simplifies both the production (nothing needs to be changed in the traditional DVD process) and the use by DVD rental places.

I sort of expected that the "digital copy" would require activation so that the FairPlay system of iTunes could key the copy to your account. I wouldn't be surprised if it also requires an Internet connection to perform the activation.

In a nutshell it sounds like they have chosen both (a) and (b) from my initial post.

[MacMagus]

> Having it on a separate DVD simplifies both the production (nothing needs to be changed
> in the traditional DVD process) and the use by DVD rental places.

Nothing needs to be changed in the DVD production. It's pretty common to include computer data on a DVD in its own folder. It's permitted by the spec'.

[TheTominator]

[quote MacMagus]> Having it on a separate DVD simplifies both the production (nothing needs to be changed
> in the traditional DVD process) and the use by DVD rental places.

Nothing needs to be changed in the DVD production. It's pretty common to include computer data on a DVD in its own folder. It's permitted by the spec'.
I was considering all of the legacy DVDs that may be repackaged under this scheme. They won't need to be remastered.