Originally posted by tabletpc:

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you cannot remove the watermarks on these dvd's there high encryption most of them are not easly ripped

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Umm... actually I am sure you could find something that would remove the watermark. Its probably extremely small and heck, if the movie companies are smart they might only include it on one or two frames so the human eye doesn't notice it.

The movies could easily be ripped as they are often put online for download but, removing the watermark would take a little bit of work.

depending on where the watermarks are at on the dvd's they can be blurred out, also most of Oscar Screener dvd's have special players that will play the special disks, for theese Screener disks, also once the disk has been copyed the encryption is gone, also pop_smith,you state (if the movie companies are smart they might only include it on one or two frames so the human eye doesn't notice it.) they tryed this years ago it is called sublimitall advertivising and it is against the law, so nice try, also the person who let the screaner out of thier hands get in trouble, and dose not get this again, and as far as stores that have the boot screeners they should know better, so they get what they deserve,

It appears that this Screener problem is bigger than Hollywood or CINEA wants to admit. I'm willing to bet someone on the inside is leaking these titles to the street circumventing the internet all together. In turn these screeners are purchased on the street and the buyers are ignorantly uploading them to websites were they can be monitored. The reason I say this is because an unbelieveable amount of new movie titles (still in theaters)are out there in DVD format some with menus even? These title don't even have a DVD release date yet and the watermarks have been edited out.

On the topic of watermarks, though it is true that it is nearly impossible to remove them there are titles that I assume have been re-edited reducing the aspect ratio i.e. a movie that has say an annoramic ratio of 1.85:1 with the help of editing software is being altered to be viewed at a letterbox aspect ratio 2.01:1 thus covering the watermark which strangely enough runs along the bottom of the screen instead of maybe the middle and viewable portion of a given film? Add a Menu screen and chapter menu and your left scratching your head as to where these well edited screeners or DVD copies are coming from?

Hollywood has a problem and the problem is companies like CINEA have oversold their capabilities and Hollywood is foolish to trust anyone to privately view its unreleased product in DVD format for any reason as people in general just can't be trusted in this age of internet access and file sharing. Why not not send these select viewers free passes to scheduled private screenings? Sounds too much like right, right. These screeners are a pirates wet dream as they reduce their need to hang out in movie houses or theaters with portable digital movie equipment that produce poor quality copies. Instead the expected DVD quality is being produce and served up by none other than Hollywood themselves in the form of a DVD screener:(?