We’ve got good news and bad news. Soon you’ll be able copy your Blu-ray discs. Only once though and that’s not the bad news.
Oh no, the bad news is that under the recently-approved AACS license that includes Managed Copy, the studio can charge you to do this. And it will require new hardware when it hits the market in 2010.
The process will work something like this: Somewhere within the menu of a Blu-ray disc, there will be an option to make a copy. The system will then hook-up with the main server to ensure that the disc hadn’t already been used for this purpose. If it’s given the go ahead, either a DRM-locked down WMV or a Blu-ray disc image will be made. The disc’s serial number will then be recorded in some master database to ensure that the evil consumer will never be able to backup that Blu-ray disc ever again.
Don’t even think your current Blu-ray player supports this. Nope, you will need new hardware. Also since Managed Copy isn’t a specific requirement for Blu-ray, it will be up to manufacturers to include it within their players.
The only thing this ludicrous plan will do is spur more piracy. That’s it.