Re: new laptop: DVD or Blu-ray
Hi,
> We should keep in mind that it was Sony Music whose published cd's
> contained code to check the kind of drive it was being played in, and if
> the drive had a digital output such as the usual 40 pin atapi drive
> cable, then it was in a computer, and they bricked the drive.
Sony et.al. have a secret alliance with LG et.al. that
certain bit patterns on the medium shall render the drive
firmware unusable or the damage the drive physically ?
(Ok, Sony stands on both sides of this. But why should LG join ?)
Can you share links to reports about this incident ?
I am well willing to believe that video player software
plays such tricks on its owner.
But Blu-ray drives do not contain video player software.
That software is part or application of an operating system
running on the other side of the bus (as seen from the drive).
It can cause firmware updates of the drive by sending
proprietary SCSI commands. Just like the updater binaries
from the manufacturers do, for which you usually need to
boot MS-Windows.
But if i do not run such software, then i get no inadverted
firmware updates.
I checked for LG's habits. They seem to pop up a message
when an update is deemed necessary. The owner may then connect
to a server in order to get new player software and/or
drive firmware.
That's their self presentation at least
http://www.lg.com/us/support/answers/blu-ray-players/updating-your-firmware
Note well, this is for video players (with operating system,
video player software, and a drive) not for the builtin
SATA attached drives themselves.
Show me credible reports with some technical information
that computer attached drives got manipulated by content of
inserted media without help of operating system and its
application software.
I.e. without Microsoft, Apple, or other software from
DRM supporters being involved.
> Nope, read what I wrote above, the firmware in the drive is the attack
> target.
Well, the attack target named by T.J. Duchene was "WinDVD 8",
obviously a software to run on top of MS-Windows.
I am curious to learn more about the Sony-CD incident.
Have a nice day :)
Thomas
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