If you don't recall, RealDVD was a late, unusual addition to the DVD copying field. By late, I mean the latter half of 2008, and by strange, I mean not free. Surprise! The MPAA is outraged, and the product is pulled from shelves literally days after launch. Now the controversy is making its way to a federal court, where Real attorneys will square off against whatever reptilian law-creatures the movie industry is employing these days, and the fate of RealDVD will be decided.

But the NYT thinks they've uncovered RealNetworks', ehh, Real™ intentions: to build ripping capabilities into mainstream DVD players. It's all part of a project called Facet that actually predate RealDVD, at least internally, by some time. Real wants to license this software on the cheap to major DVD player manufacturers, who could then produce reasonably priced (sub-$300) DVD-saving players.

Fun, right? Well, the underlying technology is pretty much RealDVD on Linux, so it—and pretty much any other integrated DVD player backup solutions—is depending on courtroom victory this week. If this is really their strategy, then RealDVD was might have never even a serious product—just a sad, legal, sacrificial lamb. [NYT]

Warner has also yet to determine what'll happen if your digital copy gets wiped off your hard drive. With Fox, you get a single phoenix down code to revive it if disaster or life strikes, and that's it. Forever. On the more positive side for Fox, the PC version of Die Hard runs along at 1.6Mbps, with the portable running 768 kbps. This tops Warner's 1Mbps and 700kbps, respectively, for Potter.

Both studios are planning to expand the program, with the execs PC World talked pretty pleased with themselves for offering customers more choices. Fox's exec VP of technology strategy, Danny Kaye, says that they "have full confidence that it will be very appealing [to consumers] and [they]'ll be doing it again and again."

Hopefully part of that expansion will be into other platforms and players, since right now that fancy new choice doesn't exist for millions of iPod and Zune owners. And though we're not holding our breath on them dropping DRM, entering a 16-digit code every time I wanna copy a movie is thoroughly annoying—it's like installing a game on my PC, but without the replay value. [PC World via paidContent]

Warner execs also noted that they will soon roll out an on-demand form of DVD burning that will help bridge the gap between in-store purchases and downloading. Again, CSS copy protection will most likely be part of the equation, but they claim that these releases would not be platform specific. It may not be perfect, but it should help movie fans who have been ripping video save a little time. Order of the Phoenix is due on store shelves December 11th.[Electronista]