How would I find out of this is legal or not: DVD ripping...

[Stan]

So heres my question... how do I find out of this is legal or not:

Lets say I run an institution of some kind with a network at a school (college). Currently every dorm has movies that people can check out.

What if instead all the dvd's were ripped.. and some kind of software was developed (or purchased?) that limited viewing. The server keeps track of the movies that it has.. and number of licenses. If we have two copies of MovieXYZ two people can concurrently stream it on campus.

When your done watching the movie, someone else can watch it.

 

[Hossenfeffer]

Hire a lawyer to check it out for you?

 

[randalee]

Originally posted by: Stan
So heres my question... how do I find out of this is legal or not:

Lets say I run an institution of some kind with a network at a school (college). Currently every dorm has movies that people can check out.

What if instead all the dvd's were ripped.. and some kind of software was developed (or purchased?) that limited viewing. The server keeps track of the movies that it has.. and number of licenses. If we have two copies of MovieXYZ two people can concurrently stream it on campus.

When your done watching the movie, someone else can watch it.

You would be totally fine doing this. Think of your movie just like a book. Only one person can read a book at a time. So if you're photocopying your "book" so many people can all read at once, NOT GOOD! But if it's like a "checkout" system that streamed it to them (only one copy of movie going at a time per copy you own) you are set! Let us know how it goes! It sounds like a most awesome idea.

 

[EyeMWing]

That *SHOULD* be fine in practice... But actually ripping it is illegal and a violation of the DMCA.