MPAA Bans Google Glass In Theaters 357
An anonymous reader writes: The Motion Picture Association of America, along with the National Association of Theater Owners, have banned Google Glass and similar devices from being in movie theaters. They said, "As part of our continued efforts to ensure movies are not recorded in theaters, however, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward using any recording device while movies are being shown. As has been our long-standing policy, all phones must be silenced and other recording devices, including wearable devices, must be turned off and put away at show time. Individuals who fail or refuse to put the recording devices away may be asked to leave." This is a change from the MPAA's stance earlier this year that Glass was "no threat" in terms of copyright infringement. A spokesman said the ban is geared toward combating more sophisticated wearables in the future.
Enforcement (Score:2)
No sympathy for either side (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't like people being able to surreptitiously record things; I don't like the MPAA or RIAA on principle alone (they're leaches sucking blood from the artists.)
So I've no sympathy for either side in this debate. I think they're both wrong.
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The THEATER ITSELF surreptitiously records you. Your ATM records you, most business record you. You are surreptitiously recorded all the time, what is your beef with personal recording?
You appear to think that people think other surveillance is okay. To many of us, it isn't, and we treasure having a "reasonable expectation of privacy". In most of the world except USA and UK, that includes in public places.
Freedom without privacy is a hollow freedom. Cameras restrict the individual as much as batons do.
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"The THEATER ITSELF surreptitiously records you."
Which, funnily enough, means you have the right to record back in some states.
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Also, I can't kick very hard.
Laywer fight (Score:2)
It will be fun to see this go up against the Americans With Disabilities Act (et al) in court in a few weeks/year when citizens rely on digital devices to augment their biology.
EG, as soon as my spectacles have on-board tech this fails fast.
Hey, would someone get on that? Why can't I snap picks like Spider yet?
hth
adric
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It will be fun to see this go up against the Americans With Disabilities Act (et al) in court in a few weeks/year when citizens rely on digital devices to augment their biology.
https://www.vsp.com/google-gla... [vsp.com]
Done.
Re:Laywer fight (Score:4, Interesting)
This isn't a future issue. I have prescription frames that I use with my Google Glass. Those glasses are my only glasses with my current prescription. The Google Glass is actually one arm of the frame, so you can't remove it and still use the glasses. To tell me that I can not wear the Google Glass in the theatre means that it would eliminate my mechanism to correct my near-sightedness.
I am happy to turn the Glass off at a movie. I do the same at other performances that do not allow videos/photos. My cellphone is turned off. Why do I have to remove my glasses completely? It is okay though. I will stay at home instead. Someday we all will have something similar to Google Glass. It may not seem like it and it may have to come from someone other than Google, but the experience and benefits will one day compel us all as the cell phone does today.
Re:Laywer fight (Score:5, Insightful)
Wait you could afford a $1500 Google Glass but you cannot afford a set of normal frames? You sir have screwed up priorities.
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He didn't have the $1506.95 to order Google Glass and order a pair of prescription glasses from Zenni Optical [zennioptical.com] as a backup.
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Smart phones still acceptable. (Score:5, Insightful)
So I can't use Google Glass, but I'm free to bring in my smart phone, which has an HD camera and likely better quality? Good work there, MPAA.
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You got mislead by the trollish title. They didn't ban people from bringing in a Google Glass, you just have to put it away and not wear/use it during the movie. Just like a cellphone. The theaters forbid you from holding up your cellphone and recording currently also.
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What is their alternative? Attaching it to nonprescription lenses and then walking into walls repeatedly?
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Because the 128GB of flash in your phone isn’t enough to cap a two hour movie without a network connection? Math much?
I don’t spend two hours in places that have no reception. It doesn’t happen. Yes, my phone is on silent & in my pocket. No, I don’t pull it out & light up the screen in the middle of the show. But if one of a handful of distinctive vibrate patterns goes off while I’m watching the film, I’m out the door in the lobby to answer it before it stops
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Btw, this thread is a good argument to ban ACs. So many of the entitled nitwits in this thread are posting as AC.
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And battery life to actually capture the end of the movie too, bonus!
You can do it with glass... You just have to see the movie 10 times.
Anyone still going to the movies? (Score:5, Insightful)
Waiting half an hour to buy a ticket for about ten bucks, then suffering for 3 hours in 100+ degrees heat to ensure you need to buy something to drink, sitting and standing in the leftovers of the previous show and getting to choose to either not understanding any dialogue or getting a tinnitus from explosions and music (or rather, having that choice being made for you)...
Seriously? Anyone still masochist enough for that "authentic experience"?
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Perhaps you should find a better theater to go to. The last movie I went to, St. Vincent, was quite enjoyable. Heard everything quite clearly. Temperature was quite comfortable. My feet didn't stick to the floor. I must have waited a whole 3 minutes for my tickets, but most of that was because the printer was misbehaving. The $10 was more than I like to spend, but aside from that I didn't have a problem.
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Are you going to a circle of hell that only caters to people who don't like movie theathers because almost nothing you've described accurately resembles a movie theater run in the last 50 years except maybe the price and cleanliness.
Re:Anyone still going to the movies? (Score:5, Funny)
"Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded." - Yogi Berra
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There's a handful of movies I still want to see in the cinema ... lately, mostly stuff put out by Marvel and other blockbusters.
But, increasingly, I simply don't go. I wait until it comes out on BluRay, watch it in my leather recliner, where I can pause, drink beer, and not have to deal with everyone else in the cinema.
I figure for the price of two people going to the cinema, buying the overpriced snacks, and all of the other stuff ..
Where are you going? (Score:2)
Waiting half an hour to buy a ticket for about ten bucks
I have NEVER waited more than about 5 minutes for a movie ticket ever. Not once in over 40 years.
then suffering for 3 hours in 100+ degrees heat
Ohh bullshit. Movie theaters are almost always too cold if anything.
Anyone still masochist enough for that "authentic experience"?
We can talk about it when you actually describe one. I get people not liking the experience at a movie theater but it's nothing like the nonsense you were claiming.
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I buy my tickets online, but even when I don't I can't count the last time it took me 30 minutes to get a movie ticket. I go to the movies around 5-8 times a month and generally have a great time. Dont' know what bug crawled up your ass.
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I went to see Gone Girl in a UK cinema a couple of weeks ago. Ticket and food purchases were quick (although shockingly expensive), there
Re:Anyone still going to the movies? (Score:5, Funny)
Waiting half an hour to buy a ticket for about ten bucks, then suffering for 3 hours in 100+ degrees heat
We should go see the Wizard of Oz to add some more strawman to this argument.
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Seriously? Anyone still masochist enough for that "authentic experience"?
Nope, I either wait for a DVD release or I acquire it through other means if I want HD quality as I refuse to ever own a BluRay player.
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Where are these mythical places? The places that care whether their rooms smell like the average high school locker room where they don't have to use some sort of artificial butter because even REAL butter would stay liquid? With a sound system operated by someone who isn't just subscribing to the "one knob is all you need to adjust it" philosophy (or who knows what the others are there for)?
Seriously, you get what you pay for, and movie theater employees don't tend to be among the best paid ones...
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Where the fuck are you going to the movies? Liberia?
Where I am, the theatres are actually too cold a lot of the time (but then again, Canada) and it takes maybe 5 minutes to get a ticket at most, thanks to automated ticket booths. You need to find a new theatre.
Re: Anyone still going to the movies? (Score:2)
Yeah even amc 24 (in a good area) in Houston which is shit..doesnt smell..3min for a ticket, is cold as fuck, and has reasonable volume....but $12 cokes and $15 popcorn.
Movie tavern is amazing, reasonably priced food (REAL food - full meals), a full bar, and plush-ish office chair seating.
Where do you live? Ukraine?
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No, sorry, it is not. It's the same crap as with those "super big" popcorn boxes which are only a dollar more than the small size, which is nothing but a cheap trick to keep you from realizing that 8 bucks is too fucking much even for a "big" box of popcorn.
"Just a dollar more" for a decent movie experience "only" means that you'd have to pay more for a 3 hour movie than for a month of an online game subscription (or 10-15 empty BluRay discs if that's more your thing).
Go ahead, restrict yourself out of business (Score:3, Insightful)
They could have embraced new technology by releasing a multi-language subtitles glass app. Instead, they further alienate people to combat an unrealistic threat. Early gadget adopters may not be numerous, but they have outsized influence in creating trends. In this case, trends towards not going to movie theaters.
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Early gadget adopters may not be numerous, but they have outsized influence in creating trends.
And very nice home theather systems...
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That is actually a very good idea, and it is something that I would appreciate given that I sometimes have difficulty hearing dialogue over background noise.
However, that would also entail some sort of arrangement between device manufacturers and theaters since the only way it's going to happen is if they're guaranteed that the device cannot record audio and video in the theater. While I'm not against that in principle, I am against it in practice. (Telling a device, "no recording," is one thing. The lay
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Alas, the largest non-enlish-speaking markets all dubb the Hollywood films, and the english-speaking markets don't have much interest in non-english films. Such an app, although cool and much needed, has a very small market.
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Do you think Silicon Valley is not an important market? English is a second language for half the folks here, and frankly many movies are noisy enough that native speakers with perfect hearing can't follow the dialog.
The anti-piracy ads were enough for me (Score:2)
Haven't been to a movie in over 10 years.
I do have a very nice home theater; I'm guessing over that span it was cheaper.
Hope the theater operators enjoy the grave the MPAA is helping them dig. They can get cozy with the cable operators next door..
Glass-pirated movies (Score:2)
Do the MPAA have any actual say on this? (Score:2)
The Motion Picture Association of America, along with the National Association of Theater Owners, have banned Google Glass and similar devices from being in movie theaters.
It reads like the MPAA are the ones mainly doing the banning, but I'm curious to know if they actually have any real power in the matter, or whether it really all lies with the National Association of Theater Owners.
If a theatre isn't part of NATO (hah) will they still have to follow the MPAA's ruling on this?
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Even NATO members are not required to follow the policy:
Despite the voluntary nature of the ban, NATO — yes, the theater owners group calls itself NATO — expects most of its 32,000 theaters will adopt the policy.
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Haha... (Score:2)
I don't even spend my precious bandwidth on camera recorded movies... But if some MPAA lawyer want's make his job look more important, then kudos for him...
Screw the cinema (Score:2, Informative)
Re: Screw the cinema (Score:2, Insightful)
You dissapointed your sons over a bottle of water? When there are signs saying no outside food or drinks?
You might be an asshole.
Oh yeah (Score:2)
Because "cams" are so great, the only thing better would be one that included EVERY SINGLE MOVEMENT OF THE WEARER'S HEAD. Fucking A.
Given advancements in technology... (Score:2)
Can Google Glass record for 2 hours on one charge? (Score:2)
Americans With Disabilities Act (Score:2)
While Google Glass is not an FDA approved medical device, it can contain medical devices such as prescription lenses.
Additionally, it is used by people suffering from various medical conditions as an assistive device.
Not only do they run the risk of being sued for discriminating against those with disabilities, but it seems unlikely that someone intent on pirating movies would choose to wear expensive, conspicuous Google glasses with their bright-red "record" LED on the front when there are much cheaper and
More proof they are morons. (Score:2)
Google Glass even when heavily modified cant record more than a couple of minutes. Are these people complete morons?
They should ban the Samsung top of the line Smartwatch as it has a camera on it ZOMG!!!! it can be used to violate the precioussssssss.....
Out (Score:2)
I have the impression that Google Glass is already 'out' before it's even being sold.
How about actively limiting phone use? (Score:3)
we paid money to watch a movie and are instead distracted by the texting and one-sided phone conversations.
Texting wouldn't be so bad if they just mute the damn alert tone and stop reading their texts out loud.
Easy fix (Score:2)
.
I wonder (Score:3)
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Re:how is this news (Score:5, Informative)
I'm pretty sure they'd ask you to remove your GoPro-equipped helmet, too.
Re:how is this news (Score:5, Insightful)
"I am sorry but you have to take off your glasses to see the movie."
"If I take off my glasses, I can not SEE the movie!"
Yet another reason to watch movies at home.
Re:how is this news (Score:4, Insightful)
You didn't keep your regular glasses when you received your Google glass?
Maybe you should purchase a pair for a backup anyway?
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Perhaps they shouldn't have forked out for a pair of glasses they knew were banned from movie theaters?
Because I base all of my life choices based on what is (currently) acceptable in movie theaters... (smh)
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Perhaps they shouldn't have forked out for a pair of glasses they knew were banned from movie theaters?
And then we can ban service dogs from restaurants, because blind people shouldn't have got a dog they knew were banned from restaurants.
Really - do people even bother recording movies at the theatre anymore? And what are they going to do when hearing aids eventually get Bluetooth or some other method of recording?
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Afford a second pair of glasses, yes. Carry a second pair with you at all times just in case some idiotic movie cartel decides that they don't like the pair you're wearing, no. With this rule, for Glass users, going to the movie theater becomes a bit like going to the airport. You have to think about it ahead of time, to make sure you aren't carrying prohibited items, and to make sure you have all the extra items you're going to need to have with you. Gone are the days when those folks can walk by the m
I suppose this means... (Score:4, Funny)
that I can't bring my 70mm camera and tripod in, and can no longer tap into the theater sound, either. what a bunch of spoilsports!
Re:I suppose this means... (Score:5, Funny)
Sure you can. Just slip the projector girl $20 and you're golden. They're paid so poorly, they're probably let you set the theater on fire for another $10.
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let's ban people too! , movies are being recorded by their brains
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or the belief that movie theaters care very much about what happens after the popcorn money has been collected unless someone makes a huge deal out of it. I do my level best to ignore everyone else in the theater, I certainly won't notice google glass unless it's blinking like a discoball and singing stay'in alive...
even that won't cut it for anything Michael Bay...
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That is one nice thing in Austin... one local chain, the Alamo Drafthouse will eject texters, glassholes, and people on their cellphones from the theaters with great prejudice. It isn't as good as The Oatmeal's glass dome... but it makes it worth it to go to a theater. The fact the Alamo chain serves decent food and beer also is a plus.
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Indeed. We have one in Winchester, Virginia. Same policy, same pleasant experience.
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Since I live in Austin, and visit the Alamo Drafthouse, I would argue two things:
1) Their "popcorn money" isn't sold until the bill is cashed out (15 minutes before credit roll, usually). Thus they have more supervision, assuming people are using that somewhat expensive service. This model will never be "normal".
2) They tend to ignore you unless you're disturbing someone, or else the manager happens to be filling in for someone on break.
The only person I've ever seen thrown out was a) being a blatant asshol
Re:I dunno what's worse... (Score:5, Insightful)
So instead of politely putting your google glass in your shirt pocket and wearing normal glasses, you'd rather make an ass out of yourself and get the police involved? I may be able to see your point if they just arbitrarily picked you out of a crowd, but if they went through the trouble of placing signs up at the entrance informing you of their restrictions then I'll have to side with them.
By having the sign out front saying no recording devices, you made an educated decision to use the theater instead of looking for a different theater that is more lenient or waiting for the movie to come out for home viewing. You making an ass out of yourself won't change the theater's policy, but loss of admissions will.
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Absolutely. I don't even own google glass on the premise that it might make me violently nauseous, but if I saw someone kicked out for it I'd make a shit-storm, UNLESS he was also bothering other people, then he's on his own. I'm not about to enable anyone to set policy like this or set a precedent for toleration.
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I may be able to see your point if they just arbitrarily picked you out of a crowd, but if they went through the trouble of placing signs up at the entrance informing you of their restrictions then I'll have to side with them.
By having the sign out front saying no recording devices
Are they enforcing this restriction consistently? Are they allowing people to bring other recording devices, like smartphones, into the theater?
What exactly is the restriction?
If it's "no recording devices", then they're enforcing it selectively and I can see why people would be upset.
If it's "no recording the movie", then they're enforcing it prematurely/incorrectly and I can see why people would be upset.
If it's "no glassholes", then that's rather arbitrary and I can see why people would be upset.
If
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We need one of those here. I'd happily pay more for a ticket if they'd kick out idiots who come to movies to play with their phones.
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Quite frankly, with the quality of a good deal of movies today, NOT watching it is probably the only thing that could keep the audience in the theater...
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There was no reason to wear them while watching a movie.
Uh... Vision deficit?
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Re:Let's be serious here (Score:4, Insightful)
This has been posted 10 times probably in this thread, but ideally an eyeglass wearing Glass wearer would just have one pair of glasses on their person most of the time. Most of us who wear eyeglasses keep a spare pair in the glove compartment if our prescription is severe enough, and you'd think that a Glass wearer would understand the social issues around Glass enough to keep another pair nearby, but if I went all-in on Glass, I probably wouldn't have another pair in my pocket - and despite allegations to the contrary, I don't carry a murse.
The idea behind Glass is that you just wear them. They become the norm.
Look, I'm with you. I agree that you should have the foresight to put on your normal glasses when you go to the theater - the same sort of foresight that says, "Hey, 3D movie, maybe I'll wear my contacts today, because 3D glasses." - but if you're all-in on Glass, you've probably just adapted to the fact that they're just your glasses.
Re:Let's be serious here (Score:4, Insightful)
I do not believe a single Google glass wearer is surprised that they may be asked to remove them at a theater, bar, or restaurant. It's been all over the news since the thing was first released. I place these google glass wearers in the same category as smokers who are surprised that they have lung cancer.
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Actually with right apps it can be a great experience enhanced by delivering personalized content during the movie. Like multi-language subtitles, or facts on actors / previous plot reminders.
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Advice? More like a demand. It's not like theaters own their own theater anymore. Bend over to your MPAA overlord or no movies for you!
Not a Fan of Google Glass, But... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not a Fan of Google Glass, But... (Score:5, Insightful)
Copyright infringement is not theft.
Stop referring to it as such.
Or the terrorists win.
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Copyright is a monopoly. It just happens to be a monopoly defined by the Constitution, and protected by legislation bought and paid for by Disney. It's a monopoly that, if limited to a reasonable amount of time, enriches our culture. If that monopoly is permitted to go on too long, it harms our culture instead -- though I admit it's hard to argue that putting Mickey Mouse in the public domain would improve American culture.
While I don't mind being able to profit from sales of my books for the rest of my lif
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Yeah, fuck them! How dare they try to protect themselves from theft on PRIVATE property that no one is REQUIRED to go to. Fuck them indeed.
It is not "theft". Whatever you may think of copyright infringement, IT IS NOT THEFT. It is a legally completely distinct area of law.
When you steal, you deprive someone of the use of the stolen item. When you copy, you aren't depriving anyone of use of the item.
That may seem like an ethically immaterial difference to you, but I assure you the difference is actually quite enormous.
Re:for once I agree with the MPAA (Score:5, Funny)
Can't we put MPAA lawyers and Google Glass enthusiasts into one room and have them duke it out?
Whoever loses. We win.
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Let's be honest. Go to the front page of TPB, click on movies, sort by most seeders or most leechers, and while most of the most active movies are DVD/BluRay/HDRIP, there's almost always cams of recent releases.
Some films, comedies, romcoms especially, can be perfectly watchable in cam version -- especially if you're just going to play Clash of Clans on your phone while you walisten to it anyway. Additionally, some people don't want to wait, and on a 21" computer monitor in a bedroom, lots of low-resolut
Re:To the surprise of no one (Score:4, Interesting)
Of course, I'm not sure what the value of crappy, head mounted recording it going to be, or how much it devalues the product.
I agree you shouldn't be recording the stuff in a movie theater, but a head mounted recording it going to have limited sound quality, is going to move around as the watcher does, and you'll probably hear them eating popcorn.
Do crappy recordings like this actually get watched and cut into DVD sales? I sure as heck wouldn't be interested in watching one of these, and I want my full surround sound in my home theater, not some dodgy stereo recording of the sounds inside the movie theater.
This sounds like it would be like watching Mystery Science Theater 3000, but without the good stuff.
I've never seen one of these recordings (I've never actually downloaded a movie, except for digital copies I've bought) -- but I can't imagine they're worth watching.
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Re:To the surprise of no one (Score:4, Interesting)
As someone who works in the content industries (I am a musician and 3D animator & VFX guy) I care less about the 'poor unwashed masses' consuming movies and music early in release schedule via *rrents for ticket sales reasons, and care more about people being able to experience creative works with some kind of quality control in place. Which imo is the same reason people care about cel phones going off in a theatre. As a content producer though cams and crappy mp3's are only going to worsen the experience regardless of how good or poor a script or composition may be. Quality control is paramount...
Thus it follows that MPAA is trying to insure that only HIGH QUALITY cams are created, none of that horribly low res head-shake-vomit-inducing cams for the proletariat thank you very much! (/sarcasm)
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To play devil's advocate here, why? They "took the most restrictive course possible on keeping their movies from being reproduced without them getting a share." You bought a copy of a movie to watch on their terms. That does not give you a right to watch it on other terms. If you don't like their terms, don't buy the DVD or Blu-Ray.
Watching a movie purchased on DVD or other physical media does not require clicking "I Agree" first before it can be viewed. And even if it did, so what? If I purchase a movie on DVD, and I want to run it through DVDFab to turn it into an ISO to watch right off my hard drive instead of having to have the physical disc in the drive, I will. If I want to convert it to a format that I can view on my PSP, or on a tablet, or even on my smart phone, I will. I will do whatever the hell I want with the copy I l
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Well, they're only going to ban you if you use the smart phone to actually record.
There's pretty much no way in hell they could try to stop anybody with a cell phone from entering a movie cinema .. pretty much everyone carries on these days.
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I banned the MPAA in 2000, I haven't gone to see any of their shit since then. My life is the better for it. *gently strokes PC* it's solved allllll my entertainment issues.
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I banned the MPAA in 2000, I haven't gone to see any of their shit since then. My life is the better for it. *gently strokes PC* it's solved allllll my entertainment issues.
If you're using your PC and, presumably, the Internet for *all* your entertainment "issues" and stroking your PC, you're doing it wrong.
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