UK Internet access costs to come down?

Richard Smith rdls at jezebel.demon.co.uk
Thu Feb 17 10:19:23 GMT 2000


Josef Karthauser wrote:
> 
> At some point in the future I expect that we'll be able to create our own
> DVDs from our personal computers, like we can do now with music.  Bear in
> mind however that digital video is a new thing compared to digital audio.
> When CD's were first released you needed a piece of equipment the size
> of a tumble drier that cost half a million pounds to burn a CD.  Two decades
> later any Joe can do it on their personal computer with two button clicks.
> DVD will follow.  At the moment however there are only a few production
> houses who have the equipment and software to author DVDs.  I don't see
> a consumer version coming for a long time.  On the other hand this may all
> be circum-navigated by a new generation of DVDRam/Data devices and
> unencrypted mpeg2 for consumer use to write our own material.  The second
> generation DVD player would be able to read the current stylee DVDs and
> read and write raw mpeg on data disks for personal use.

I noticed that someone has launched a dual CD deck with record/copy
capability. No doubt digital video decks will travel a similar path.

What invariably happens is that when a new technology emerges, the
copyright lobby together with the high costs of the recording technology
effectively obstructs the ability of the mass market to copy. As
technology costs plummet, which can take several years, the
manufacturers, flying in the face of the copyright lobby, release
products with recording capability anyway. Market forces :-)

Richard.





More information about the Ukfreebsd mailing list