Cathy Is DRM-free!!!

[PontiusFeeb]

That's really not fair. No one has accused YOU of being a criminal, but it IS true that Rifftrax stuff gets pirated, and you can understand why they guys might not want that.

I too believe that DRM is going to keep the buyers away, and only make the idea of a pirated, converted copy way more appealing, but I can understand where the guys are coming from.

No, I can't understand where they're coming from with the DRM. Forcing me to jump through all these hoops to prove I bought the short before I can watch it on my TV sure seems as if they're assuming I might have stolen it. Even the DRM on iTunes doesn't make me connect to the internet every time I listen to a song or force me to track down secret codes.

I don't know the ins and outs of providing bandwidth, but it sounds really fishy that Rifftrax can provide bandwith for the entire audio catalog and two shorts (the DRM-free ones), but not for other shorts. Given some of the other responses in this thread, I don't think I'm the only one who would rather pay, say, $1.50 or $2 for a short if it were DRM-free to cover bandwidth. $1 per short seems really cheap anyway. Maybe you could privide the shorts both ways, one for those who have figured out how to watch the DRMed shorts, and a more expensive one for those of us who haven't.

And I really, really appreciate that the new short up on the front page is DRM-free. These shorts are like having brand new MST shorts, especially when we can watch them on our TV.

[torgosPizza]

Forcing me to jump through all these hoops to prove I bought the short before I can watch it on my TV sure seems as if they're assuming I might have stolen it. Even the DRM on iTunes doesn't make me connect to the internet every time I listen to a song or force me to track down secret codes.

In all fairness, "all these hoops" is really an exaggeration. Some people can get the DivX thing working in 5 minutes, others can't. That's fine. But the same is true about the mp3 riffs in general - we understand you can't please or provide for everyone, and that's why - even in the DRM shorts that people have demonized - we provide the mp3 so you can do what you want with it. Even pirate it, which has happened - and will always happen - because people are douchebags.

...but it sounds really fishy that Rifftrax can provide bandwith for the entire audio catalog and two shorts (the DRM-free ones), but not for other shorts.

You would really be surprised how much bandwidth it takes just to provide our regular mp3 offerings. But trust me when I say, it's a lot, and to add these files (the smallest, formatted for iPod, is still almost twice the size of your average RiffTrax mp3) would cause a huge spike in outgoing bandwidth. However, we are planning to have a content delivery network in place soon to allow for a better user experience and take the load off our servers.  And it's not JUST shorts - we have a VOD library of full-length features too.

And I really, really appreciate that the new short up on the front page is DRM-free. These shorts are like having brand new MST shorts, especially when we can watch them on our TV.

Glad to hear it.

[repeter]

Didn't realize that this wasn't DRM free. My divx player keeps saying that there are network errors. When I pay money for something it should just work.. None of these stupid hoops to jump through.. You guys have lost my business forever..

[Conor]

You guys have lost my business forever..

I hope that's not the case.  We made no effort to deceive you and will be happy to refund your money if you can't get the file to work.

[repeter]

Nowhere does it say that it is not DRM free.. You may want to add a note at the bottom of the description.

[torgosPizza]

Seeing as how the majority of our VOD content is DRM, it might be too much to put that kind of a notice on all of them. Which is why we put "DRM-Free" on those specifically. Not a bad suggestion, but I think if each product contains "a mention" of DRM whether it's with or without, that might prove to be even more confusing. At least that's my opinion. Thoughts?

[Bob]

I think everyone should assume it has DRM unless it is marked as DRM-free.    That is how most things are labeled and marketed (e.g. "Chicken Noodle Soup" and "Salt Free Chicken Noodle Soup").

[Edward J Grug III]

I didn't have any trouble unerstanding what was going on.

[MrTorso]

Didn't realize that this wasn't DRM free. My divx player keeps saying that there are network errors. When I pay money for something it should just work.. None of these stupid hoops to jump through.. You guys have lost my business forever..

Which is probably good if you are the same "repeter" that regularly posts RiffTrax to USENET. If you are not the same "repeter" you might want to change your display name. IF you are the same "repeter" than you are a complete and utter douche bag and a moron for using the same name on usenet on this forum.

[torgosPizza]

If that is him... no wonder why he's pissed!

[MrTorso]

He is not as prolific as some of the other posters (Col AssholeFruit I am looking at you)

[Bob]

To be fair to "repeter" (he pets again and again?), the product description also failed to mention:

1.   The download link does NOT contain links of free plasma TVs
2.   The file does not include a free copy of "Citizen Kane"
3.   That downloading the file does not make you smarter, taller or faster.

You have lost me forever too.

[Conor]

All good points.  Thanks for pointing that out mrtorso, I emailed him just to see if there was a reason he was posting them.  Maybe he has a sick uncle who can only communicate via usenet or something.  I will let everyone know what he says. 

[gammer]

because people are douchebags.

Some bigger then others...

[Conor]

Well, he claims that he has never heard of usenet (even though he found out about RiffTrax from a torrent site) and that it's just a coincidence that most  of the files uploaded to the usenet using his same unique user name are also the ones that he has purchased from us.  Guess we were wrong to suspect anything!