Would free replacement CD/DVD's be useful?

[Sparky191]

Not this is not a dicussion about illegal copying of licenced media. So don't go there.

I find these days, espeically with DVD's, less so with CD's. That they get damaged easily. Actually kids DVD's and PC game DVD's it happens a lot, and its really annoying and expensive. No one wants to be making illegal backups if they own the media already, and obviously you don't want to have to keep buying the same media over and over. Do the various companies offer replacements if you send them back damaged media.

And don't go on about those resurfacing kits, I've never found them useful.

 

[NickXX]

I think companies will replace CDs, usually for a nominal fee.

 

[Chris1712]

Yeah, check out the back of game manuals and whatnot. They actually have warranties in a lot of cases

 

[Gooner14]

We (Global Software Publishing) generally charge £3 for a replacement CD

 

[daven1986]

just make a backup and use that instead of the actual cd / dvd.

 

[Energize]

Some games don't have copy protection so it's not illegal to make a backup.

 

[Efour]

I thought if you own the original Media you can freely back up for your own personal use? If not dont tell F.A.S.T im in deep!

 

[Energize]

I thought if you own the original Media you can freely back up for your own personal use? If not dont tell F.A.S.T im in deep!

As long as it doesn't have copy protection yeah. It's only things like dvd-videos and audio cds that you can't backup.

 

[PikeyPriest]

As long as it doesn't have copy protection yeah. It's only things like dvd-videos and audio cds that you can't backup.

Do audio cds have copy protection? (only ever heard of the sony root kit disaster and the one that could be bypassed by holding shift)

Is it illegal to bypass any form of copy protection? Does that extend to region coding which doesnt stop media being read, but limits the areas it can be sold/played?

 

[Sparky191]

just make a backup and use that instead of the actual cd / dvd.

Thats such a pain and uses vast amounts of disk space.

 

[Sequoia]

I thought if you own the original Media you can freely back up for your own personal use? If not dont tell F.A.S.T im in deep!

It's not about personal use at all, but about legal use.

The situation is different for computer software, and other forms of media.

For somputer software, a legitimate user can make back up copies necessary for their legitimate use.

For non-computer software (such as audio and video discs), copies without the rights holder's consent are illegal, unless the copy falls under one of the statutory permitted uses. That does not include personal use.


There seems to be a conflict in relation to copy-protected computer software. One piece of legislation suggests you can make necessary backups, while another makes it illegal to bypass copy protection. I suspect we'll only get a clarification of that if someone actually takes a test case to court (unlikely, in my view) or subsequent legislation overrides one or other current laws, and clarifies it (I'm not holding my breath).

All the above comments relate to the UK. Other jurisdictions can be and often are very different.

 

[Energize]

Thats such a pain and uses vast amounts of disk space.

Not if you copy it to a dvd rom.

Do audio cds have copy protection? (only ever heard of the sony root kit disaster and the one that could be bypassed by holding shift)

Is it illegal to bypass any form of copy protection? Does that extend to region coding which doesnt stop media being read, but limits the areas it can be sold/played?

Audio cds aren't allowed to be copied anyway. No idea about region protection.

 

[james.miller]

Not if you copy it to a dvd rom.

Its not as if hard drive space is expensive anyway, with prices down to 22p/gb.