A judge in the United States has banned RealNetworks from selling a software program that copies DVDs, ruling that the technology violates copyrights held by Hollywood production studios.
District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel issued the ruling earlier this week that prevents the company from selling the RealDVD software and any other products that uses the same technology.
The ruling comes as the culmination of a lawsuit filed by the Motion Picture Association of America, along with the DVD Copy Control Association.
While the software only allows the copying of a DVD to a computer, and not file sharing, the judge still ruled the software violates the rights held by copyright owners.
RealNetworks wrote in a statement that it is “disappointed” in the ruling, and has not made a decision on whether to appeal.
“We have just received the judge’s detailed ruling and are reviewing it,” the company said. “After we have done so fully, we’ll determine our course of action and will have more to say at that time.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
