A court has ordered RealNetworks to temporarily suspend distribution of its controversial
RealDVD product until Tuesday so that the judge can review all of the papers filed in the case, according to an email from a RealNetworks representative. A visit to the RealDVD site shows a message from the company saying “RealDVD is currently unavailable.”
RealDVD allowed users to make personal copies of DVDs became embroiled in legal hot water with Hollywood as soon as the product became available. Real and the Hollywood studios launched dueling lawsuits almost simultaneously, with Real getting the first punch in, pre-emptively asking for a declatory judgment and the studios wanting sale of the product blocked, saying it violates copyrights.
Real scored a small legal victory by having the case moved from a Central District Court of California in Los Angeles (the studios’ home turf) to a Northern District court, where the company hopes to find a more favorable setting. Now we wait and see what happens Tuesday, and whether the blocking of the product will be extended and if so, for how long.
10-05-2008, 08:28 AM
MPAA Kills RealDVD
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