VLC Media Player Legality

[Caged Anger]

This program is a great multimedia player platform.

It has this great feature that allows you to stream a DVD or other content across a network. I've also noticed though, that you can send it to a specific IP addy. Is it legal to stream a video to a buddy's house?

I'm guessing not, but any ideas? :confused:

[Death Engineer]

Streaming privately is no less legal than streaming DVD data through your DVD player to your television. However, if you are broadcasting, then that is something entirely different. The ease of copying digital media is what scares the MPAA. Makes you wonder why they didn't come up with something a little more complex than the current DVD encryption scheme.

[Caged Anger]

you've used this program then?

[Death Engineer]

Nope. Just talking concepts here. If you don't provide a link, you think my lazy butt is going to look it up for you? ;)

[Caged Anger]

http://www.download.com/VLC-Media-Player/3000-2194_4-10410655.html?tag=lst-0-1

Linked!

So going by what your saying, you can't find fault in a private stream, just so long as it isn't a broadcast to the masses?

[Death Engineer]

The word "broadcast" is where you are going to get in trouble with this. Notice they use the word "multicast" on their site.

Think about it like this....is it illegal to invite someone over to watch a DVD you own? Of course not. Now, is it illegal to invite someone to view a DVD you own over a WAN/LAN? This is where things get hazy. My guess is that this will not get attention from the MPAA until there is enough bandwidth on consumer ISPs to support 10s of connections streaming real time DVD quality video/audio.

[<<Hybrid>>]

IMO... legal xD

[Caged Anger]

thats good to know...and will make Movie nights much easier to schedule :thumbs:

[BobtheCkroach]

if you have broadband, you can always just allow a remote connection (via VNC, remote Desktoping, etc), and if your friend calls, you could stick a disc in for him and let him view that way, so I don't see the big deal id doing this, if you're doing it for one person.

I mean, in physical form, you can own as many copies of DVD for backup purposes as you'd like, if you own the original. So if you let your friend borrow the original, it's legal, as long as you're not watching one of the backups while he has the orig. I'd say this is about the same. If you stream it to one person, it's the same as letting them borrow it. If you stream to many/stream it and watch it personally simultaneously, then you're going to get in trouble (in theory), as you're violating the copyrights, at least, as I understand it.

Of course, the legality of owning copies of DVDs for personal, backup purposes is argued constantly, so who knows? There's some things where you can respect the law, but it really comes down to moral standings much more than law. (for goodness' sake, it's illegal for me to drive without my shoes on in Michigan!, ya know?)

Of course, once I say that, how can I say anything is straightup "bad" and not up to "moral standing"?

Oh my gosh...where did that comes from?! :dunno:

[Caged Anger]

woa! Bob's goin psychological on me