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Robbing DVDs Gets a Little Bit Harder

by Tom Conlon on May 10, 2007 at 07:36 AM

Stealing DVDs Just Got HarderWith all the cries of bloody murder coming out of the MPAA about people stealing movies online, it's easy to forget that folks haven't given up on stealing them old-fashioned way from off of store shelves. But, it appears those days may be drawing to a close.

Two companies have recently joined forces to develop a new technology that will render ripped-off DVDs unplayable. The system, invented by NXP Semiconductors and Kestrel Wireless, involves covering the bottom of a DVD with a thin coating that prevents the DVD from being read. A tiny radio frequency identification (RFID) chip is also placed on the DVD that sends an electronic pulse through the coating, which turns it clear and allows the DVD to be read. The chip is activated at the register only after the disc is paid for.

The companies are currently in talks with movie studios and expect to have deals in place by summer. But DVDs aren't all they've got their sights set on. This RFID technology can also be applied to other electronic products where, at the register, the chip would activate an otherwise disabled feature critical to operation.

We're not fans of this technology, and here's why: Nowadays, when you buy something at a store, how often do the alarms sound when you walk out the door because an employee improperly disabled the security tags? At least it happens right there in the store. With this new system, you'd be all the way home before discovering that the genius behind the counter forgot to activate your DVD.

From USA Today

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Tags: dvd, mpaa, piracy, theft

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