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RE: Sheesh, you still don't get it...

Posted by Jazz Inmate on September 6, 2009 at 08:05:50:
>> Distribution rights, even if they were relevant to this (they're not, you are now stretching far afield from your original assertion), are an issue between the producing STUDIO and the disc distributor. <<

The studios are the distributors. The regional coding is their approach to compliance. Noncompliance undermines distribution. Do the math.

>> Distribution rights have nothing whatsoever to do with the hardware manufacturer, whose only license obligation is to region lock the player according to the region of sale. <<

Nonsense. The only reason the manufacturers are obligated to region lock the player is because of distribution rights.

>> Once again, distribution rights have NOTHING whatsoever to do with the consumer, <<

Repeating that lie doesn't make it true.

>> You are getting even worse in trying to equate the copying and distribution of music files with modifying a blu-ray player. <<

I didn't equate the two. I brought up the former to point out that people ripping music illegally in the privacy of their own homes had a similar sense of entitlement and justification that some of you seem to have in "getting around" region locking. Eventually the industry had to go after music pirates because they were costing the labels too much money. As I said before, I don't think the studios will ever go after those of you who modify your players. You're more interested in titles that don't sell well in any region.

>> But modifying a blu-ray player and viewing discs from other regions is no violation at all of intellectual property laws, nor any other statute. <<

Of course it is. For example, Cinderella Man is distributed in Asia by Mirimax/Buena Vista. But in the US it's distributed by Universal. If everyone in Asia decides to import the US version or everyone in the US decides to import the Asian version, the studio that owns distribution rights is basically being robbed blind. Regional coding is the method to ensure that doesn't happen.

>> Bottom line - flat out, full stop - you are 100% wrong, there is NOTHING illegal in ANY country about modifying a Blu-Ray player to be region free. <<

The medium is home video and you seem to think that "home" i.e., the consumer, is not a dog in this fight. But ultimately it's the only dog that matters to studios. Electronics manufacturers and sales of disc machines are just a delivery mechanism to reach that dog. If such modification became widespread and cut into studio profits in regions where a studio had exclusive rights for a film, you would indeed see the studios take mod'ers to court and demonstrate just how illegal this practice is.

>> I'm happy to write the Blu-Ray Association today giving them my full confession that I have modified my OPPO BDP-83 to be region free, with my full name and address, and invite prosecution. <<

Go for it. I'd be interested in an official position on this by the association, which is of course made up of manufacturers who frown upon modification of their products for any reason. You've probably voided your warranty in addition to violating the region locking properties of the player. But since you've obviously gone to some lengths to get your OPPO mod'ed, you're experiencing a bit of cognitive dissonance and are unable to evaluate and discuss this issue in a logical manner.