DVD Streaming Company Zediva Ordered to Close For Good
DVD Streaming Company Zediva Ordered to Close For Good
Posted 11/01/2011 at 2:32pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
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Zediva thought it had things all figured out. Allow users to rent a DVD player in a data center someplace with a hot new release movie in the slot, then stream them the output from the DVD player. Zediva claimed that was no different than the consumer renting the disc themselves. The courts didn’t agree and have now upheld a preliminary injunction and shut Zediva down for good. The company has also been ordered to pay the MPAA $1.8 million.
The judge in the case ruled on Friday that Zediva had not, in fact, found a loophole in copyright law that would allow them to stream any film in existence. Zediva never acquired streaming licenses, which Hollywood is famously reluctant to issue. By skipping the licensing deals, the company was able to charge just $1.99 per rental.
Certainly Zediva had to expect a legal challenge, but the service had barely gotten off the ground before it was cut down, and now the judgement is permanent. Did you ever use Zediva? is this a great loss for the internet, or just another hair-brained scheme down the tubes?
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aarcane
November 02, 2011 at 12:44pm
Copyright still entitles you to make a digital backup of your owned physical disks, so you can still watch your content (including HD!) however you want, you just have to rip it and strip the DRM first.
praack
November 02, 2011 at 7:44am
so if I read this right- the player had the actual movie DVD in it, the physical disk. and they streamed it as well. Same as some MP3 sites keeping a physical copy of the CD when you buy the download version (yes they do that)
In this case the MPAA probably got upset because they only got the initial purchase price on the disc and streaming royalty and not both disc rental and streaming royalties.
if we can stop being involved in conflicts around the world (looks like somalia the sequal is next) maybe we could convinve our politicians to do something about the digital millenium act
it is a bit outlandish
Holly Golightly
November 01, 2011 at 10:17pm
I say the judgement is unfair. Of course, with the right kind of lobbying and a tempting bribery, of course the MPAA is going to win. Who wouldn't? With that said, I use an even more sneakier way to download movies for free. No torrents, no small business websites, but something that can download it for me from other sites connected to different sites that host files from other sites. So far none of these businesses have been shut down, I save money in the process, and my family gets entertained. No more paying for things the old fashioned way. Let Hollywood starve!
LatiosXT
November 02, 2011 at 8:00am
And watch as your source of entertainment suddenly dries up. Unless you don't mind watching old movies.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 9:20am
Hey, they priced themsleves out of the market. They had it coming. Come on, $40 blu-rays? $60 games? $100 Cable TV packages? Come on people, that is waaay too much money to spend on a movie, show, or game that I may or may not even like! Not everybody can afford to drop $200 a month just on entertainment. Just get the 1 broadband bill and do everything with that. You know, some countries have their entertainment prices more reasonably priced. For the record, I love old movies from the 1920s to the 1960s. No modern movie can beat a classic. Hollywood is just not the same anymore, and defnitely not worth paying $200 for sure.
Holly Golightly
November 03, 2011 at 8:14pm
That is superb. Unfortunately I live in an anti-Walmart state, so all the businesses are free to charge premium prices for regular things. So yes, in New York, the consumer loses. Blu-rays are $40 here.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 9:26am
Maybe people should do things out of the kindness of their own heart? Hollywood is pricing themselves out of the market with content that is not even original. Come on, how many super hero movies are they going to make? I think even half-ass heros are now getting high budget flicks. At some point, they would have made every single super hero their own movie. If Hollywood wants some of my own money, they need to be a bit more original. However, Hollywood is not even trying. Produce good stuff, and I will buy it. NO questions asked. But for real though, entertainment should be for free. Trust me, a lot of people would do stuff for free just to earn a little fame. That is what it all falls down to really. Nobody is cheating anybody.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 4:38pm
Are you working at your job with kindness of your heart? With no pay. You think that Hollywood should make every content free. How do you think Hollywood should pay people they use to make that movie or show? Please explain. Now don't get me wrong somethings Hollywood does is wrong.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 4:53pm
These big budget movies don't even compare to the classics we grew up to. They are definitely not worth the $40 they are asking for. To be honest with you, if I had a choice to be famous, I would do it for free. Heck, have you seen the small percentages these musicians get paid by? Out of that 99¢ you for each song, the musician collects about 2% to 7% which means that the all that money is going to the executives who produced the content. They got to pay their marketers, but those high priced executives pay for it and they have 0% of the talent. So why pay some white collar dude that just wants to rob my favorite artist? There is a difference between working a regular job and being famous. Most of the celebrities never get to be as rich as Trump or Rockerfeller. Heck, many of them end up in the poor house. Just look at MC Hammer.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 5:01pm
You again don't explain how do they pay for like the directors, actors, technicans, camera operator, etc,.
Are the exec getting paid too much, you won't disagree with you. But what you're advocating is just not realistic.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 5:32pm
I don't pay for all that political mumbo jumbo. I only care about my favorite talent. The technicians, camera operators, make-up artists and all those people get paid even less than the actor who only gets just 2%! I think it is fair to say the executives get atleast 50% of the profits. That means out of each $40 blu-ray you buy, $20 of those dollars are going to make an executive more richer than you. Why care about them? So I say go ahead and pirate that movie.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 5:53pm
how is what I say is even political? your're evading the question.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 5:59pm
I am not evading your question. I answered it already. All those people get paid far less than the talent you are watching. The actors and singers get paid less than their executives. So if all these people get 1% or 2%... Where does the rest of the money go? To the executives. I say to hell with them! Why would you even care about paying for an executive in the first place? The best way to enjoy movies and music is for free.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 6:11pm
Yes you are, if you think all content should be free without any compensation. How are you going to pay them? Remember, you said all entertainment should be free, where are they going to get their revenue from?
P.S. Before you reply, really really think about your response.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 7:29pm
No I am not. Look, if I could pay my favorite actor or musician directly, I would. Out of the kindness of my own heart. Otherwise, to hell with the people I do not care about. We are in a recession. No time to spend like millionaires.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 7:45pm
So your solution is you will pay for the actor's pay and the other expenses associated in making the show. Hope you have ALOT of money because a typical production is in the 500,000 + easily. Yes, we are in a recession, and everyone one wants to get paid for what they do.
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 8:15pm
First off, these high budget movies suck. Maybe what they should do is focus on quality and not on budget. Not everything needs to have some sort of big explosion. This is the problem with movies now a days. They focus on too many special effects. None of these high budget movies are worth it. They priced themselves out of the markets... So hey, they had it coming.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 8:30pm
I'm not even talking about movies. I'm talking about just one show. Cost of production. If you're talking about movies, those are in the millions. You bitch about those big explosions, but sometimes those big explosions make the movie. Just think about Avatar, movie rely heavily on "special effects". Do you think without those effects, it will still make the movie good?
Holly Golightly
November 02, 2011 at 8:37pm
Some movies are great with special effects no doubt. Some need them like Jurassic Park and Avatar. Without special effects, how would they ever exist. Problem is EVERY movie released right now has special effects. Sometimes I just want a plain romantic comedy without the pupetry involved. Not everybody can relate to heros and villans. You do not need to spend millions to make a movie good. Heck, Charlie Chaplan made movie history with a cast of pretty much himself and a few dollars. Heck, he was the producer, director, writer, and lead actor. Do you think his movies suck? Fact is, you do not need to spend big bucks to make good flicks. The proof is in the history.
Carlidan
November 02, 2011 at 8:57pm
Again, to the point, how are you going to pay for production costs? Are you going to shell xxxx amount for every show you watch? Let's say 20 dollars per show? In a crowd 100 people, they are only making 2,000 dollars, how the hell are they going to make any money?
Holly Golightly
November 03, 2011 at 8:17pm
You do not need such a massive production staff. Like many movies before, they only had like 10 people do 1 film together, and yet somehow, they are bigger masterpieces than these new over-staffed high budget movies. I mean, they have a production of 250 people and they STILL can't do a good enough movie. I mean, how many assistants does a cameraman need these days? At some point, it becomes redundant and the prices are passed onto to us consumers. If viewers can not afford to pay for it... They will find other ways.
Carlidan
November 03, 2011 at 8:39pm
Your answers are best, vague at answering my question. The reason you watch commericals is that the sponsers are paying for your free entertainment. They pay most of the cost of making the shows. That's how you answer a question. Showing how your going to pay for it realistically.
Carlidan
November 03, 2011 at 8:39pm
Your answers are best, vague at answering my question. The reason you watch commericals is that the sponsers are paying for your free entertainment. They pay most of the cost of making the shows. That's how you answer a question. Showing how your going to pay for it realistically.
Holly Golightly
November 03, 2011 at 9:26pm
Who said I watch the commercials? Heck, I do not even watch TV. I use my computer as a TV and run Ad-Blocker of FireFox. Best combination ever. The best part? I do not have to pay for a cable bill. I just pay for 1 bill which is to cover broadband and I do everything with it. Watch TV, listen to music and radio as well as make phone calls through it. Why spend all that money in the first place? Commercials are alienating. I do not want to be told what to buy. If anything, it would make me want to buy the competition. Believe me, I watch my stuff totally for free. Never had I once whipped out my credit card for an advertisement. Not one.
Carlidan
November 03, 2011 at 9:33pm
Again where I said you watch commericals. I'm saying commericals are paying for those shows you watch. Holly, you seem not to understand that their is a business side in making shows. Really. You think everyone should entertain you for free. You never explain how, without sponser, aka commericals are they suppose to make money. You say you will directly pay them, but that will probably bankrupt you for ever show you probably watch. Nothing is really free, someone has to pay the bill, and I see your not the one paying for it.
Holly Golightly
November 03, 2011 at 9:59pm
Of course I am not going to pay for each and every single one. What if the show sucks? Then all that money wasted for nothing. You do not want to regret your purchases now, do you?
I say let the sponsors be suckers... I am not here to watch commercials. I am here to be entertained. All of which should be for free. Not everything has to be a multimillion dollar exposion movie.
Carlidan
November 03, 2011 at 10:15pm
Yes let's see when sponsors decide not to sponsor any of your shows, I wonder where you're going to get your entertainment. Again, nothing is ever free, someone pays for your free entertainment. Your just saying nothing really constructive, just basically saying I'm not really willing to pay for anything, and everyone should entertain me for free. Same message, just diffrent approaches.
Holly Golightly
November 03, 2011 at 10:19pm
Oh, believe me, money or no money... People will do it for the fame. Just look at those popular webisodes. They aren't getting paid at all, but people are more interested in fame than money. I say let the greedy one starve and let the kind hearted ones get what they want. Art should be free no matter which form it is.
Carlidan
November 04, 2011 at 2:59pm
Actually your example just counter agrue your position. Who do you think get more of the pie when you watch those webisodes? Those evil greedy bastards you talk about. Who get's the least amount of money, those "people" who do it for fame. You don't and will not starve them. They will always get their cut, it's just how much. People who do art still have to make a living. How do you expect them to do that?
Holly Golightly
November 04, 2011 at 4:48pm
Well, all I know is that I use an ad blocker, and I do not use my credit card to watch any content. So I watch for free. As far as other people using their credit cards and watching commercials, that is on them, but in the end, the people win.
Carlidan
November 04, 2011 at 5:32pm
Not really. The creators or the "artists" are the losers. Ad blocker doesn't block the ad your watching when watching a video. So again, the greedy bastard still get paid.
Holly Golightly
November 04, 2011 at 9:02pm
The ads may have found their way through Chrome, but not through FireFox. Believe me, I know what I am talking about. For added safety, I use Ghoustry to prevent them from tracking my history... Should companies fing a way to break my add-on, then I will simply start using Russian torrrents, which there are plenty of those. The people will always find a way to defeat capital greed.
Now... If you are talking about Product Placement... That really depends on which TV show we are talking about. I watch a lot of cartoons, and sometimes I see characters like Lisa Simpson using a MyPod... Not to be confused with iPod. As for regular shows, luckily I do not have too much product placement. Again, these show display the occasional Apple product. Although in real life, we are going to see mobile Apple products everywhere. When it comes to product placement... Just ignore it. If they have too much of it... They are destined to fail. Like I said, I am not spending for it, and I am not taking out my credit card for commercials... They can just blow it.
Carlidan
November 06, 2011 at 12:03am
I wonder why people are so frustrated with you when debating with you. You seem not to understand with reason.
Carlidan
November 06, 2011 at 12:03am
I wonder why people are so frustrated with you when debating with you. You seem not to understand with reason.
Holly Golightly
November 06, 2011 at 1:30am
I am not going to allow people to brainwash me. I want what is best for the people... Is all.
Carlidan
November 06, 2011 at 5:11pm
Brainashing you now.WTF? Really. I was asking basic questions. Your answers were basically they should do it for fame, screw "executives", I'll pay for a show if I could, watch wepisodes, etc...,.
You never really answered how you going to pay for production. Never really explain how anyone is going to make money. You know a living. Expect everyone to do everything for free for you. Even in communism, they pay for people's services, just really cheap.
Holly Golightly
November 06, 2011 at 10:44pm
Well... Maybe we should be more like the Soviet Union and just pay really cheap instead of hundreds of millions of dollars on movies that really don't sell well in the first place. Like I said, those people who make their own shows on Youtube do it for the fame. Just look at those viral videos. All low budget or completely free, yet they get hits. It was always about the fame.
ManRay
November 01, 2011 at 9:56pm
I agree with the courts. This isn't the same as having a DVD mailed to you or renting a movie in the store. It's streaming. It may be a different way of streaming, but it's still streaming. The judgement was fair.
compro01
November 02, 2011 at 7:10am
This isn't the same as having a DVD mailed to you or renting a movie in the store
No, it isn't. It's like using a very long cable from a DVD player to my screen.
iceman08
November 01, 2011 at 6:02pm
Well, it's like the companies that had edited movies you could watch, until Hollywood took them to court, reasons being they were infringing on the artists' vision and for ripping off hollywood and not giving them money. Now you can't buy the edited movies. and this was back in 2006
Been quite some time since I've bought a new movie
Asterixx
November 01, 2011 at 3:24pm
Actually there is a third option: Bittorrent. And with it, MPAA gets nothing. So I guess this literally makes it an "All or nothing" choice for the MPAA...
Keith E. Whisman
November 01, 2011 at 2:54pm
This is BullShit. So you are going to view content only the way the MPAA allows you to view content or not at all. This is fucking crazy. These Aholes have way too much power.
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