On February 11, 2007 the master encryption code or “processing key” for AACS (copy protection for the rest of us) used on HD DVD and Blu-ray discs was posted on the Doom9 forums by a hacker named arnezami. According to him, it was as simple as recording the changes in memory at the start up [...]

Filed under: HDTV
It seems that DRM just can't catch a break these days. First the all-important processing key required to unlock and decrypt HD-DVD and Blu-ray discs was discovered, now just days later comes news that the folks at SlySoft have updated their AnyDVD "backup" software utility to allow for "on the fly remastering" of HD DVD discs, although not Blu-ray discs. As you might expect, they aren't exactly spilling the details on exactly how they achieved this considerable feat, although those that have tried out the beta software are reporting that it works as advertised, with copying HD DVDs a matter of a simple drag and drop. While the software is available as a free beta download for now, SlySoft's existing AnyDVD software is far from free, meaning you'll likely have to fork over the same fifty bucks (or $100 for SlySoft's complete bundle of apps) for the new HD-ready version once they've gotten all the kinks worked out.

[Thanks, Oliver] 
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A second user has claimed to have found a method for cracking and decoding the AACS encoding protecting HD DVD and Blu-ray discs. Meanwhile, a company, SlySoft, has already begun offering beta software to copy HD DVDs.

Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Check it Mini-ITX fans, we've got the FLeX 4.2 home theater PC for you straight from Italy's P.Guerra. On one side of the folding chassis, we've got 400W RMS ICEpower audio amplifiers from Bang & Olufsen which work just fine without turning the PC-side of this HTCP on. A special IR receiver and software developed by P.Guerra allows the Flex 4.2 to be integrated into other B&O A/V systems. On the other side of the chassis then, we've got an Intel Core 2 Duo Mini-ITX motherboard with choice of up to a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo T7600 processor; 3.5-inch vibration-damped SATA disk offering up to 750GB of storage at 7200rpm; up to 2GB DDR2 667 memory; Intel GMA950 graphics; choice of satellite, cable, or terrestrial DVB tuners; WiFi; 7.1ch analog audio or TosLink digital; dual-layer DVD±R±RW writer; Gigabit Ethernet; a slew of Firewire and USB; and DVI, VGA, Component, S-Video, and Composite video outputs. They ...

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment

That's it folks, let's pack it up and go home: the format war is over. Or at least so says Sony, which is bragging about some solid numbers from the month January. Reportedly two Blu-ray Discs were sold for every one HD DVD last month, and while HD DVD standalone players still edge out Blu-ray by a slight margin, PS3 sales have given the Blu-ray camp a solid win for the month. Numbers are still hard to read, due to disparate launch titles and quantities for Blu-ray and HD DVD, but the 25 Blu-ray movies and 11 HD DVD movies give a good impression of the current trend. Reportedly HD DVD sales are growing, just not as fast and Blu-ray, and Sony seems to think they have it in the bag: "We have a critical mass of content, we have the biggest mass of consumer electronics companies in the world supporting this format. That has moved Blu-ray into the forefront." And despite the fact that Universal Studios is still holding out on putting its mov...

Opening the "processing key" that protects high-def DVDs is surprisingly simple. Happy Valentine's Day, AACS. In Gadget Lab.

The guys at the Doom 9 forum are marking February 11, 2007 as the day when digital rights management was defeated on Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. It turns out that cracking the high definition disc formats was much easier than was originally thought. The processing key that can unravel the DRM on all HD DVD and Blu-ray discs has been found by a clever encryption fighter named arnezami.
It gets better:

The first-reported cracks for HD DVD and Blu-ray discs were not completely effective, because each individual title had secret codes that were needed to unravel the rest of the encryption on that disc. But now this newly-found processing key is apparently the holy grail that unlocks the DRM on all HD DVD and Blu-ray discs released so far. The guy found it by simply watching his computer memory, where the secret code—which we won't publish here for fear of doing jail time—simply appeared. Incredible. Let the free downloads begin! – Charlie White
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Filed under: HDTV
Those cooky kids over at the Doom9 forums hate themselves some DRM. Not more than two months after discovering a means to extract the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc "volume keys" to decrypt AACS DRM on individual films, we're now getting word that DRM hacker arnezami has found the "processing key" used to decrypt the DRM on all HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc films. Let's break this down for what it is: instead of needing individual keys for each and every high-definition film -- of which there are many -- the processing key can be used to unlock, decrypt, and backup every HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc film released so far. As arnezami points out, "nothing was actually hacked, cracked or even reverse engineered." All he had to do was keep an eye on his memory, watch what changed, and voila... the processing key appeared. So kick back and watch the trickle of HD titles hitting the torrents quickly turn into a flood (at ~20GB a pop, that's not an exaggeration)...

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Sea-Monkeygate. While at the Toy Fair here in New York, I stumbled upon two products that essentially do the same thing (let you grow small animals in a small water tank): Sea-Monkeys and Triops. You've probably heard of Sea-Monekys, those weird things that come in packets and grow in water. Triops are similar, but according to the guy who was promoting them, they're so much better. He ranted for several minutes (just ask Noah) on why Sea-Monkeys are really a scam because they don't grow instantly as promised, among other things. Then he went off on a tangent and Noah and I hurried away. Luckily, I ran into the Sea-Monkeys people a few minutes later. And boy were they hot under the collar when I told them about Triops stylin' on them.
The Sea-Monkey response? That Triops are "gross." The reps— two lovely young ladies, not that that affects my judgement, mind you—then lauded Sea-Monkeys and how they're the original, um, sea c...