Nothing lets you know spring is in the air like fevered cat-and-mouse DRM activity. The AACS LA (Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator) has seen fit to try the "proactive renewal" strategy, hoping that changing up the encryption keys will keep Blu-ray Region B users securely under thumb. Good luck: the ominous-sounding MKB v7 is already "supported" in SlySoft's AnyDVD HD version 6.4.1.1, released yesterday. The end result is exactly zero "downtime" for users, as discs utilizing MKB v7 aren't due out until the end of this month. To add insult to injury, SlySoft then turned around and loosed version 6.4.1.2 today with "Improved region lock removal from Blu-ray discs which contain signed Java code." SlySoft doesn't look like it's willing to relinquish its role as fox in the henhouse!


[Via Afterdawn]

The world of DRM is a cat and mouse game and will be till the content creators finally figure out DRM doesn't work. The latest titles from both HD formats includes the latest version of AACS (MKB v.4) and as a result they can't be ripped. SlySoft (the makers of AnyDVD HD) are working hard to update their software, but at this point it's been at least a week -- it might end up being the most resilient update since AACS was originally compromised, as they usually they have an update in a few days. But this isn't the worst of it, as most of the new Blu-ray titles also include BD+. Some say it isn't crackable; but we know how that goes, and SlySoft seems to think they'll have it worked out in about six weeks.

Just in case you didn't already piece it together, many (if not all) of the new HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles set for release on May 22nd will feature the latest revisions to AACS. Right, the update hinted at by those forced user updates to the WinDVD and PowerDVD software. Yeah, well no worries... it's cracked. That's right, a week before the disks have even hit the shops, the kids over at Slysoft have already released AnyDVD HD 6.1.5.1 (beta) which kicks AACS MKB v3 swiftly to the curb. Thus you can continue to rip all your newly purchased HD DVD and BD flicks for playback any damn way you like. The update has already been demonstrated to work with an early-shipped release of The Matrix Trilogy on HD DVD and will likely work for Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest when it arrives on Blu-ray. Come on AACS LA, you're gonna have to at least try. Better yet, why not just give up this silly charade.

[Thanks, Garth M.]