Online video sites like YouTube are Hollywood's hottest new marketing tool. And in a way similar to what their theatrical counterparts are doing with new movies, studio DVD marketers are scrambling to harness the power of viral marketing by posting trailers of upcoming DVD releases to these nascent sites and hoping they get passed along -- again, and again, and again.

The German computer magazine c't has discovered that it is possible to use screenshot functions to circumvent the copy protection built into Blu-ray and HD DVD player software.

Prodisc Technology, one of Taiwan's leading optical disc makers, has reported a fire at one of its Taiwanese factories through a company filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE).

Resident DVD adept Flash has started a new series looking at common questions around the theme of DVD writing. His third article answers the question that is often asked: how do I put my VHS tapes onto DVD? If you have a question you would like Flash to answer please email him.

With so many options to watch various content including new DVD formats, new releases and rereleases, it comes as no surprise that studios are starting to slow their DVD output.

Philips has been hit with a setback in its actions against alleged violations of its optical disc patents, as authorities in some European countries have ruled that the company does not have the right to demand that authorities seize DVD-R shipments.

Microsoft will start selling a wireless digital music and video player to compete with Apple's iPod by Christmas, according to a reuters report, citing sources close to the matter.

Analyst firm DRAMeXchange is predicting that the price for DDR2 will increase in August as there is a supply shortfall of 10-20 percent. The market watchers said that the reason is that industry players are starting to prepare for the release of Vista.

LG Electronics have announced that its 4x GBW-H10N Blu-ray Disc burner will be landing on Taiwanese shelves later this week at a recommended retail price of NT$29,900 (US$923, £500).

A lawsuit has been filed against Russian music download site AllofMP3.com by the British recording industry. The High Court said it will hear the suit even though AllofMP3.com is based in Russia, the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) said yesterday.

Microsoft has shot down reports, based on comments made by an Australian Toshiba executive, that Microsoft plans to release an Xbox 360 with an internal HD-DVD drive.

In a move that Apple has dubbed 'State Sponsored Piracy', the French government has ordered the outfit to stop using its iTunes software like a monopolist and to open its formats to its rivals.

UK satellite TV broadcaster Sky last week quietly released a firmware downgrade to fix dozens of old Sky+ boxes rendered inoperable by a firmware update transmitted earlier in the week. PVRs affected include almost all machines equipped with upgraded hard drives.

Britain is attempting to crack down on film piracy by appointing its first investigator into the crime of recording blockbuster films in cinemas to sell as counterfeit DVDs.

BenQ has unveiled it's next generation 'trio' optical writer. The BW1000 incorporates three types of lasers to support multiple media formats - CD, DVD and Blu-Ray.

Manufacturers of DVD recorders are pessimistic about shipment volumes during the second half of this year due to decreased sales in Japan last year and potential competition from next-generation blue-laser DVD players/recorders, according to industry sources.

Ulead's Blu-ray Disc recording applications for rewritable and recordable discs have been certified by the Sony Blu-ray Test Center.

Following news that Spain has introduced a mandatory copyright tax on blank media, another intellectual property law has finally banned unauthorized peer-to-peer file-sharing, making it a civil offense to download content from such networks in Spain.

Sony updated its Vaio UMPC (Ultra Mobile Personal Computer) pocket PC devices and replaced their 30GB hard discs with 16GB flash memory. The new VGN-UX90PS and VGN-UX90S devices will go on sale in Japan July 3.

Virgin France has been fined £414,147 for music piracy after it was caught nicking popular beat combo star Madonna's single Hung Up to flog on its own website.