RIP Red Fox

[jcs913]

You served me well over the years, you SLY devil...
Congrats Hollywood...

[dannyd77]

I had a lifetime license...

[Pyoko]

This is really terrible for anyone using HTPC to play BDs.

I didn't want to have to use it, this wouldn't have been an issue if there were any decent alternatives, but there aren't. It was a necessary "evil" because it was the only way to have any sort of customization or control of the playback.

PowerDVD is a terrible piece of software. WinDVD is a terrible piece of software.

Soon we will again have to contend with region locking, downconverted audio due to PAP nonsense, and deal with slow-loading menus, unskippable trailers and inane "swoosh" animations. Gone will be the ability to use custom renderers like madVR, load custom subtitles, use custom shaders, control audio mixing, have high-precision RGB conversion, do proper IVTC, customize hotkeys etc.

And no more screenshot comparisons either.

One thing's for sure though, this is going to make me cut down drastically on BD purchases. Don't really feel any great enthusiasm for the hobby if I'm not allowed to enjoy it on my own terms.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Ugh. As a filmmaker and someone who is owning their own studio now, it annoys me how the U.S. Government has their hands in Hollywood's pockets instead of putting the time and effort towards other things. The other big software, which won't be named per se, got slammed and shut down here in the U.S. but stays active elsewhere in the world was great for me with the abilities it had to convert video files over. Yes, there's Handbrake which I use since Vegas hates .mov files that one of our cameras shoots in. But, said program also did 3D conversions which I loved using and it's what gave me the inspiration to put my first feature into 3D. So, a program that is used as a means of piracy helped me out.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

"I'm coming Elizabeth!"

[dubious]

If you're going out with a bang, they could have open sourced it. Take that and shove it!

I think they must be shopping it to other vendors in countries that permit, but you'll have to license it again when somebody else gets it.

[gretzky2010]

what a shame i used it to playback my blu rays on my non hdcp capable video card and monitor ...thanks hollywood the only thing you guys deserved is all of us burning our entire dvds and blu rays collection and stop supporting you and i'm tempted to use the f word...

[applemac]

Something big must have happened for this and for DVDFAB to come out and say they wont touch UHD BDs

[josuv22]

last Sunday I used paysafe to invest in a lifetime licence. safe to say I am not happy.
had no interest in ripping just wanted to be able to use different mediaplayers

[Pyoko]

Originally Posted by applemac

Something big must have happened for this and for DVDFAB to come out and say they wont touch UHD BDs

Remains to be seen but it's been hinted/rumored that the latter may have relied on the red fox, so without the fox they're dead in the water too.

[Codec]

This is absolutely devastating to me. I've been a lifetime customer of theirs for one reason and one reason only: To strip away user prohibited operations like unskippable PSAs and trailers. I REFUSE to put up with unskippable content.

I also like being able to play my discs in superior open-source media players like MPC-BE which completely blows the crappy commercial Bluray software out of the water.

This development will make me vary wary of future purchases. Any info about unskippable content will make it an automatic "do not buy" for me until another solution comes along that gives us consumers control back over our discs.

PowerDVD, WinDVD, DVDFab Media Player.. they are all trash. Only the open source ones like MPC-HC, MPC-BE, VLC, Pot Player, etc provide the usability and featureset I demand for my HTPC experience.

Most commercial BD software like PowerDVD doesn't even support bitstreaming/WASAPI Exclusive Mode... it uses DIrectSound and so Windows futzes with the audio in ways that introduce aliasing and basically results in a garbage output to your receiver. Not to mention the awesome software scalers in madVR that you can use with open source video players.

This will severely hamper my experience going forward unless an alternative pops up. I only play BDs on my HTPC, as with all other media. And I will very unlikely downgrade to using garbage like PowerDVD to play them.

Originally Posted by applemac

Something big must have happened for this and for DVDFAB to come out and say they wont touch UHD BDs

IMO, its likely that DVDFab was relying on the hard work of Sly for their product. The same is the case with other so-called "alternatives" being touted in the media. It was Sly doing the heavy lifting, and then DVDFab, et al would reverse engineer it and incorporate the new workarounds into their own products. But now that they have shutdown I am guessing the other projects are left rudderless as a result.

So that is probably why DVDFab announced they won't be working on AACS 2.0.

[Pyoko]

100% agreed Codec. Once you've gotten used to just selecting "Open BD" and having it immediately start playing the movie with the correct audio track selected there's no going back.

And just look at PowerDVD, they've been at it pretty much from the start, charging nearly $100 for each yearly update, and in terms of usability and player functionality pretty much nothing worthwhile has been added since then. Nothing. You still can't even customize hotkeys. Ridiculous beyond all comprehension.

[newgen2005]

Originally Posted by dannyd77

I had a lifetime license...

Me too

[DVD Phreak]

I don't condone breaking the law, but I also hope more companies abandon copy protection like the Polish game company CD Projekt Red does. Here is a successful, awarding-winning company that not only embraces a DRM-free philosophy, but also has the wisdom to think that "pirates are misunderstood customers", and even goes so far as to help out those who pirated its games. What's more, this company creates GOG.com, a big online game stores that sells DRM-free games. The company has been successful for many years without inconveniencing its paying customers with DRM.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by posthaste

http://www.myce.com/news/former-slys...lopment-78706/

Former Slysoft employees are openly discussing the possibility to continue development of copy protection circumvention software AnyDVD (HD). Although no actual decision has been made, first signs are very positive. According to posts on the Slysoft forums ex-employees still have access to servers and sources of the software. The only problem holding back further development of AnyDVD appears to be the transfer of intellectual property.

The Red Fox has risen from the ashes.

[James Freeman]

The king is dead, long live the king !!!

New king: https://forum.redfox.bz/

[st39.6]

so the question now is ... is there ANY alternative? As a BD reviewer, I need anything that allows me to take screenshots and analyze discs ...

[posthaste]

The new redfox.bz domain is protected by the service PrivacyProtect.org which means it’s impossible to find out who registered the domain. This is different from the old Slysoft domain which was registered on the name of the company’s CEO.

It’s unclear why RedFox is based on Belize, according to the Wikipedia page of the country, its laws are modelled on the common law of England. The country’s copyright law can be found here.

It’s however not the first time a company that sells software to circumvent copy protections is located in Belize. Also the resurrection of DVD X Copy developer 321 Studios was in Belize were it continued as DVD X Copy International.

[jcs913]

FYI: the software works and can access the servers. You have to modify a few things, but the steps you need to take are very easy and available on page 1 of this thread. Now works for me. Have not tried any of the new discs released this week yet. Seems to not work with newest ones, but who knows. Enjoy for now!!

https://forum.redfox.bz/threads/key-...uctions.68345/

[newgen2005]

Glad to see their back with 7.6.9.1

At least they are looking after their customers.