Sony software updates breaks movie theater projectors
Sony digital cinema projectors and servers stopped working around New Year’s after DRM certificates expired, forcing some theaters to close screens and raising questions about long‑term support for expensive, tightly locked‑down hardware. Commenters link the incident to a broader pattern of software and firmware updates degrading or disabling devices owners rely on—from TVs to medical equipment—often without meaningful recourse because of restrictive licenses and DRM. Many argue for stronger consumer protection laws, rights to rollback or bypass updates, and limits on time‑locked cryptographic controls that can brick otherwise functional machines.
Impact on theaters and Sony’s responsibility
- Theaters lost revenue when Sony-based projection systems stopped working around New Year’s.
- Some argue there should be contractual or legal recourse when vendor updates or dependencies break otherwise functional hardware.
- Others see it as a business-to-business risk that should be managed via contracts and SLAs, not new laws.
Contracts, EULAs, and role of government
- Many note that standard license agreements disclaim liability and offer no real recourse.
- One camp argues consumers and small businesses have no bargaining power, so government must set minimum protections.
- Another camp says buyers can choose other vendors and that existing contract and antitrust law is sufficient, unless there’s a true monopoly.
- Debate extends to whether laws must imply criminal penalties (several point out civil-only frameworks are possible).
Proposed regulation for updates
- Suggestions include: user control over updates, rollback rights, mandatory security backports, and service compatibility with older versions.
- Critics highlight technical and security downsides: downgrade reintroducing vulnerabilities, huge cost of indefinite backward compatibility, UX and “update fatigue.”
- Supporters counter that higher engineering standards would reduce forced obsolescence and abuse.
Technical cause: certificates, DRM, and Y2K24
- Cinema techs in the thread say this likely wasn’t a software “update” but expired DRM or device certificates (a “Y2K24” issue).
- Sony exited the digital cinema projector business around 2020; with certificates expiring and no renewal path, projectors effectively brick.
- Studios require expiring certificates and tight DRM; some argue long-lived certs or “fail-open” after copyright expiry would be better, others note technical and legal obstacles.
Broader frustration with forced updates and smart devices
- Multiple anecdotes of TVs, air conditioners, Windows PCs, and other devices getting slower or partially broken by updates.
- Complaints about underpowered hardware, forced “features,” and no rollback options.
- Some want mandated source release or right-to-repair style rules for abandoned devices.
Safety‑critical DRM failures
- A medical device for a pediatric procedure failed due to a licensing issue; staff had to obtain an override code from the vendor.
- Commenters worry similar DRM or license failures could affect medical or military systems, with potentially lethal consequences.
Copyright and long‑term access
- Some argue current copyright and DRM regimes, including time-limited keys, harm preservation and public access.
- Proposals include mandatory archival copies that become public when copyright expires.