Tag Archive: RealNetworks

U.S. District Judge Marilyn Patel has ruled that a court injunction barring the sale of RealNetworks‘ RealDVD DVD-copying software will stand for at least another month until she has an opportunity to ramp up on the details of the licensing arrangement, how the software functions, and copyright issues involved in the case.

Judge Patel indicated after the hearing that the case raises serious issues of licensing and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and she wasn’t satisfied at first hearing that RealDVD was not in violation. As such, she is letting the current injunction blocking the sale of RealDVD stand, and indicated she is next available for a hearing on November 17.

RealNetworks‘ RealDVD DVD-copying software is officially on sale, and its debut has been marked by a salvo of lawsuits: RealNetworks has sued the MPAA over “threats” made against it by the major movie studios, and the MPAA has sued RealNetworks (PDF) alleging RealDVD violates the Digital Millenium Copyright Act by bypassing copy protection built into DVDs.

“RealNetworks’ RealDVD should be called StealDVD,” said MPAA general counsel and executive VP Greg Goeckner, in a statement. “RealNetworks knows its product violates the law and undermines the hard-won trust that has been growing between America’s movie makers and the technology community.”