Zune Piracy Filter?

The Zune and the Zune Marketplace certainly have their strong points, but let's face it: video is not one of them.  While our iPod/iTunes brethren have access to many movies, and more TV than anyone could watch in a lifetime, for us Zunies we're more audio focused in what Microsoft sells us.  However, the screen on the Zune 80 is simply so nice, that it's a shame to not put it to use with some video goodness. 

In order to watch videos on the Zune, most users convert their own video content.  There are plenty of options to do it, but they tend to be involved, labor and processor intensive, and not for the less than computer savvy (see one method here).   Still, for those willing to invest the effort, mobile video is currently many clicks away.

With the above in mind, it is annoying to hear a story that they are working on a "piracy filter" for the Zune.  Here's an excerpt:

NBC Universal today revealed in a discussion with the New York Times that Microsoft is working to implement an anti-piracy filter into its Zune media players. While not outlining the amount of progress, the studio's digital chief J. B. Perrette says that Microsoft has agreed to work on a "cop" that would check the legitimacy of videos loaded on the device; those deemed illegal would refuse to play. The implementation would function similarly to automatic blocks being tried at YouTube and other sites, which are claimed to stop easy bootlegging by checking such data as the title or basic track information.

This immediately brings up all kinds of issues in my mind.  For starters, my Zune experience isn't stable enough to add this type of nonsense to the player.  How about fixing the Zune software?  And don't get me started about the random freezes that occur on my Zune once a month or so that require resets.

This all speaks about greed to me.  I'm allowed to watch NBC television at home, after all that's how the network makes money.  I'm allowed to record the show on a VCR or Tivo for later viewing.  I can record the show on a Microsoft Media Center PC, and watch it later.  But I take the show, reformat it so I can watch it on my Zune on the subway in the morning, and now I can't because of some piracy filter?  How does this make any sense?

In the end, how could they really implement it?  Don't they think that folks just wouldn't upgrade their firmware, or use an alternate form of Zune software?  This whole plan sounds like nothing but greed on their part, and it's just not gonna fly.  Perhaps they're realizing it, because the story got updated to say that Microsoft won't filter the content from NBC.  Then again, I don't even watch anything on NBC, but this still annoys me.

Comments

[Sean]

Why not just wait an see what the filter does? If you do get your video through legit sources, what's to say it won't work? This may be an over-reaction.

Then again, it may not.

[John]

Hopefully this is all kind of a bluff for Microsoft to get NBC shows on the market place. if however this plan prevents me from playing most of my songs and vids then you can expect me to say bye bye to the Zune and hello to Creative ZEN!

[Pnut]

I agree with John %100

[techproject]

Time will tell

[Saul]

I was 90% sure I was going to buy a ZUNE v2
within a few days. After reading this article, I've changed my mind. And it's not because I don't understand the piracy issue, it's because I'm tired of M$s big brother tactics on every damned thing they do This is the last straw.

[Sean]

Saul, there is nothing Big Brother about it. If you are breaking the law, you are breaking the law. If people didn't pirate movies in the first place, we wouldn't be in the situation. The unfortunate thing is that tis punishes the rest of us who aquire our video through legal means.

[John]

how is downloading youtube videos piracy is what i wanna know. they are out there on the internet for us to enjoy and why can't we take that joy with us on the road, in a bus or on a plane. also if i download a DVD onto my Zune, which i already own, why can't that be allowed either? i don't have a TV/ Computer with me 24/7

[Marc]

Why are you all jumping to conclusions so damn quickly? this is just a speculation from a frustrated Zune owner. Just because it's in the papers or on the internet doesn't make the claim concrete yet. I have a couple friends that have the Zune and i actually just ordered one 10 minutes ago and they all don't have anything really bad to say about it except for the DRM and occasional freezes. And remember that this is an MP3 player still in it's infancy. how crappy was the Ipod when it first came out? how many bugs and Paranoid articles were there about what Apple is going to restrict on it? Just calm down and let it actually be released before you jump the bandwagon and ditch MS completely. I still think it is way better than Ipod for the simple fact of the Wireless capability and Zune marketplace (I mean come one! have you seen it compared to Itunes??). Now the big thing that would launch it sky-high is bluetooth, but thats off the subject. and John, if you download vidz of tv shows off of youtube from a user that has no affiliation with the network that the show is being produced then that is piracy. It also doesn't say anything about restricting your personal DVD collection that you rip to your computer. All it says is "deemed illegal", which is an extremely broad statement and could encompass any sort of video from the internet or not purchased directly from MS. So for now I'm not going to sweat it at all and when (or even IF) it gets released, do not worry for a hacker will release a patch for it and strip the stupid restriction. Have a nice day everyone!