Paramount Digital Copy - Star Trek - Blu-ray ... Codes not working

Question

Level 1

8 points

Paramount Digital Copy - Star Trek - Blu-ray ... Codes not working

I bought the Star Trek Blu-Ray including the digital copy for iTunes. I cannot download the movie. iTunes says "This code is valid for customers of the Ireland or United Kingdom store". So I contacted Paramount. They answered and sent me a new code, which is for customers of the US or Canada iTunes store.

I am registered in the Luxembourgish shop. Paramount was not able to send me a working copy valid for my country. Here is what they mailed me:

+"Sorry to hear that you are having problems. The reason you are unable to download the digital copy is due to the Geo filtering imposed by ITunes. However you should still be able to download the digital copy for Windows Media Player.".+

So the official statement of Paramount for using an iTunes movie is to switch to Windows and use Windows Media Player to get things working. 😟

iMac and MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 29, 2010 6:54 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,223 points

Jan 29, 2010 7:43 AM in response to Lux Metty

I don't know much about these things but even if you download the WMP version you might not get it to play. VLC can play Windows Media on a Mac, as can adding Flip4Mac to a Mac. However, I suspect the download might be DRM protected and that requires you use WMP under Windows.

Apple's distribution of media is controlled by the media companies (not Apple which would probably be very happy to be able to sell anything to anybody) who have different policies for various countries, hence the geo filtering.

Reply

Answer 2

Lux Metty Author

Level 1

8 points

Jan 30, 2010 6:59 AM in response to Limnos

May be I should note, that the digital copy, which is part of the Star Trek Blu-Ray, needs to be downloaded via iTunes. On the Blu-Ray it says, the download via iTunes is compatible with the iPod, iPhone and Apple TV.
The regional copy protection is controlled by Apple and nobody else. Paramount explicitly stated to me, that they do not want this regional protection.

Apple advertises this movie as part of their iPad promotion. So why don't they deliver it to a customer, which has already paid for it? I cannot see any reason for this behaviour. Additional this is illegal in the european union. But who forces a lawsuit for a single movie...

Reply