By Rob Welham
BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Real Networks and the Motion Picture Association of America have reached a settlement that called for Real to stop selling RealDVD, or any similar products, and to pay 4.5 million U.S. dollars to reimburse the studios for legal fees.
In addition U.S. District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel has issued a permanent injunction that bars RealNetworks from selling RealDVD, the DVD-copying software that Hollywood claimed in a lawsuit violated copyright law.
Daniel Mandil, the MPAA's general counsel, said he was, "Gratified by the successful conclusion of this important matter." He said that Judge Patel's rulings affirmed that "it is illegal to bypass the copyright protections built into DVDs designed to protect movies against theft."
It is nothing less than total defeat for Real in the court battle with the MPAA, a trade group representing the six largest Hollywood film studios. RealDVD was intended to offer consumers the ability to back-up DVD films onto a hard drive. They were also planning to market a player codenamed Facet which could store up to 70 films on its hard drive
Real had argued it was just trying to offer consumers the means to back-up their own DVD collection and that it amounted to a fair use policy. The judgment has cost Real in excess of 10 million dollars. In a statement Bob Kimball, president and acting chief executive of RealNetworks, said, “We are pleased to put this litigation behind us.”
(Agencies)
