San Francisco - A federal judge on Tuesday ruled to extend an injunction against the sale of RealNetworks' (NASD: RNWK) DVD-copying RealDVD software, while a lawsuit targeting the software lodged by the Hollywood movie studios proceeds, according to reports.

The studios argue that RealDVD violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which says it a crime to circumvent the anti-copying technology on digital devices, like DVDs.

For its part, Real argues that RealDVD makes an exact copy of a DVD -- keeping even the CSS encryption intact -- and therefore doesn't circumvent any copyright protections or violate the DMCA.

The company also says that its software is "fair use" in that it lets consumers to save back-ups of DVDs they have already purchased.

In her ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel said that she is "not satisfied that in fact this technology is not in violation of the DMCA," and ordered an extension of a temporary injunction that was granted on Friday.

"We are gratified that the court recognized the harm of RealDVD to the motion picture industry and the strength of our arguments that their product circumvents the copyright protection built into DVDs," MPAA spokesman Seth Oster told Wired.com.

Related Links:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10060481-93.html

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/judge-renews-de.html

http://snipurl.com/44jiz (DMW previous coverage)

http://www.realdvd.com