Home Movie Server Technology Facing Legal Challenge

by Glen Shapiro, LawAndTax-News.com, New York

10 December 2004

Kaleidescape, a US high tech firm which manufactures home movie servers, has found itself facing a legal challenge launched against it by the DVD Copy Control Association, according to reports.

The high capacity systems allow users to upload as many as 500 DVDs to a home server and browse through them at at a later date without making use of the actual DVDs. If a network is established within the system user's home, up to 7 films can be accessed from different places in the house.

However, the DVD CCA has taken issue with the fact that the system requires the circumvention of Content Scramble System (CSS) protections.

"The express intent and purpose of the contract and CSS are to prevent copying of copyrighted materials such as DVD motion pictures," the Association's attorney, Bill Coats announced in a statement. He continued:

"While Kaleidescape obtained a license to use CSS, the company has built a system to do precisely what the license and CSS are designed to prevent - the wholesale copying of protected DVDs."

The company, meanwhile, has expressed surprise at the legal action, and has vowed to countersue the DVD CCA.

"We are flabberghasted by this lawsuit," CEO Michael Malcolm told the ZD Net news service, explaining that:

"We have gone to great pains to make our system comply 100% with licences and all the associated technical procedures and requirements."

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