Judge Halts RealDVD Sales

October 9, 2008 World Screen

LOS ANGELES, October 9: The sale of RealNetworks’ RealDVD
software has been temporarily halted by a federal judge, extending a temporary
injunction granted last week after the Hollywood studios filed suit against the
company alleging copyright infringement.

Last week, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA),
on behalf of the major Hollywood studios, filed suit to prevent RealNetworks
from distributing the RealDVD software. The studios contend that RealDVD
circumvents the Content Scramble System (CSS) built into DVDs, which prevents
unauthorized reproduction and distribution.

Judge Marilyn Hall Patel issued an injunction on the sale of
RealDVD last week and has now extended that order, with plans to schedule a
hearing on whether it should become a permanent ban.

—By Mansha Daswani