Real throws in towel in RealDVD case

RealNetworks has folded in its dispute with the major movie studios over RealDVD, ending its appeal of the injunction against distribution of the DVD copying software and agreeing to pay $4.5 million of the studios' litigation fees. The move comes after Judge Marilyn Hall Patel last August granted the studios' motion for a preliminary injunction under the anti-circumvention provisions of the DMCA, and then dismissed Real's antitrust claims early this year. The settlement agreement will be enforced through this stipulated consent judgment and permanent injunction.

The MPAA hailed the settlement:

"We are gratified by the successful conclusion of this important matter," said Daniel Mandil, General Counsel & Chief Content Protection Officer for the MPAA. "Judge Patel’s rulings and this settlement affirm what we have said from the very start of this litigation: It is illegal to bypass the copyright protections built into DVDs designed to protect movies against theft. We will continue to vigorously pursue companies that attempt to bring these illegal circumvention products and devices to market."

And Real said it just wanted to move on:

"We are pleased to put this litigation behind us," said Bob Kimball, president and acting CEO for Real. "This is another step toward fulfilling our commitment to simplify our company and focus on our core businesses. Until this dispute, Real had always enjoyed a productive working relationship with Hollywood. With this litigation resolved, I hope that in the future we can find mutually beneficial ways to use Real technology to bring Hollywood's great work to consumers."