[mythtvnz] Frontend access of backend DVD drive?

[Wayne]

On 2010/01/1, at 1:50 AM, Stephen Worthington wrote:

> On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:47:35 +1300, you wrote:
>
>> yuri wrote:
>>>> Personally I rip all our DVDs to a file then store the media.
>>>
>>> This seems the technically right thing to do, but what if it's a
>>> rented DVD? Who but a saint would have the strength of character to
>>> delete the ripped copy when the DVD is returned? I know I wouldn't.
>>
>> The moral dilemma comes when a legally bought and paid for disk  
>> doesn't rip.
>>
>> Or even worse, the newer DVDs that have a serial number on a piece of
>> paper inside the case, allowing a free download of the digital  
>> version
>> of the movie   (Ice Age 3, and Harry Potter the most recent one)
>> Great idea, but the file is a WMV and doesn't work in myth.
>
> So far I have found very few WMV files that fail to play with mplayer,
> so I have just set MythTV to use mplayer for WMV and ASF files.

I suspect the issue is DRM rather than playing the file. I expect that  
the paper slip functions as an authentication token, allowing one  
download of an encrypted wmv. The problem is then the encryption in  
the WMV, and associated key management problems rather than the  
ability of Myth to play. If you have the key, it's then possible to  
create an unencrypted WMV, but even that may still be watermarked with  
your individual details...

A good write up here:
http://www.iskysoft.com/article/remove-wmv-protection.html

Cheers
W