[photopress:hd_dvd_videos.jpg,full,left]
Now here’s something to think about: Now that HD DVD is dead, do you see anything wrong with HD DVD disc owners breaking the DRM on their discs to make backups of the media that they’ve bought in an effort to future-proof their investments?
Think about it: when you buy a disc, whether a DVD or CD, you’re really paying for a copy of what’s on the disc more than the physical media. So if you’ve paid for the media, but the playback mechanism is a deprecated format, shouldn’t you be allowed to make that media usable to you, even if it means breaking DRM?
Or, conversely, when you purchase media on a disc, it could be said you’re entering a contract with the rights holders saying that you’ll only play back from that media, and if the format expires, well, tough crackers?
So I put it to you, our readers: Should HD DVD disc owners be exempt from the DMCA in order to salvage content they’ve paid for? Or are they screwed for being brave, but foolhardy, early adopters?
Let’s hear what you’ve got to say, either in the comments here, or if you’ve got a larger argument, we invite you to sound off on BFF.