Leading consumer electronics retailer in the UK removes circumvention devices
Posted on 03/02/04 19:15 by Dennis                             
Leading consumer electronics retailer in the UK removes circumvention devices

Submitted by companycare:

Leading Consumer Electronics Retailer in the United Kingdom Removes Circumvention Devices in co-operation with Macrovision

London '“ 3 February 2004 '“ Macrovision Corporation, the leading provider of digital rights management and copy protection technologies, today announced that Maplin Electronics Limited has declared that they will fully comply with the European Copyright Directive, which was implemented in the UK on 31st October 2003. The new law brings into force important new measures prohibiting the sale and advertising of circumvention devices designed to illegally circumvent Macrovision copy protection technologies on DVDs and VHS cassettes that protect the copyrights of content owners and their publishers.

Maplin Electronics Ltd., a specialist electronics retailer with 781 stores in the UK, has agreed to destroy its entire stock of video enhancers, which could be used as circumvention devices.

Maplin Electronics Ltd additionally declared that 'Maplin is fully aware of the recent changes to the copyright law and is keen to comply with this change in the legislation."  As a consequence, Maplin has withdrawn the range of three devices that may be used to circumvent copy protection technologies.

David O'Reilly, Commercial Director of Maplin Electronics Ltd, stated,  'We acted promptly on this matter because it its important for us to provide our customers with products that do not contravene the law. We have discontinued these items following the change in the legislation, and out of respect for the law."

'We appreciate Maplin Electronics Ltd's prompt compliance with the broad scope of the new IP legislation," stated Martin Brooker, European Director of Sales for Macrovision.  'As part of an ongoing enforcement programme, Macrovision will be working with retailers to ensure compliance with the law."

About Maplin Electronics Ltd

Founded in 1972, the specialist electronics retailer, Maplin Electronics Ltd., with 81 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland offers 12,000 products through the catalogue e-commerce and store network. The product range is very diverse, and the broad categories are Sound & Vision, Computer product and Hobbies & Electronics. Maplin Electronics can be found on the Internet at www.maplin.co.uk.

About Macrovision

Macrovision develops and markets copy protection, digital rights management (DRM) and electronic licensing technologies for the video, music and software markets.   Macrovision has its corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California, with international office in London, Frankfurt, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul. Macrovision can be found on the Internet at www.Macrovision.com.

Source: webitpr

Reactions
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By GristyMcFisty, Wed 4 Feb 2004 12:39
GristyMcFistyIf they need a law to make the copy protection work, then why not stick with the law, remove the copy protection, everyones happy...consumers win...manufacturers win (they don't have to waste money on copy protection that doesn't work)...Macrovision...I guess they lose, but there again I think they lost ages ago. Macrovision = Macrocrap = money down the drain...why don't they wake up and smell what they're shoveling!
By Shayde, Wed 4 Feb 2004 14:56
"The new law brings into force important new measures prohibiting the sale and advertising of circumvention devices designed to illegally circumvent Macrovision copy protection technologies on DVDs and VHS cassettes that protect the copyrights of content owners and their publishers." Wouldn't make more sense if the law wasn't designed to benefit the Macrovision Corp? It should read more like "...prohibiting the sale and advertising of circumvention devices designed to illegally circumvent copy protection technologies..." Doesn't 'fair use' come into play here also?
By c@tbyte, Wed 4 Feb 2004 18:45
c@tbyteI'm afraid that as consumers, 'fair use' will never come into it for us.

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