One of Vista’s new features is something called Protected Video Path-Output Protection Manager (PVP-OPM). In a nutshell, the thing checks to see how new of a monitor you have connected to your Vista PC. Nice of them to check for me.
After they check, if your budget allowed for a new (or newish) monitor, Vista will allow the highest quality content to be displayed on your screen (for example, from the DVD you just purchased and are attempting to watch on your Vista PC).
But, if you are a bottom feeder (like me) and use an older monitor (my 19″ Gateway works just fine, thank you very much), then Vista will possibly show you a lower quality version of the DVD you purchased OR possibly prevent content display altogether. Not cool.
So why would they offer this type of “feature?” Jim Rapoza of eWeek has an interesting translation for us:
We don’t trust you and your old monitor. We think you’re going to record the movie and share it on Bit-Torrent. And, even if you aren’t, we’re going to sabotage your system just on the off chance you will.”
Thank you, Jim for breaking that down for me. I wish he would start writing the EULAs for everyone too, I might actually read them :).
Jim muses that consumers support Microsoft, PC hardware vendors and the movie industry by purchasing Vista, new computers to run Vista and DVD’s. How are we thanked? With “features” like Microsoft Vista’s PVP-OPM. Nice.
