Restraining Order Issued Against RealNetworks

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against RealNetworks Inc. (RNWK), blocking it from providing its DVD copying software, in the latest development in a high-stakes court battle between the company and a list of Hollywood movie studios.

RealNetworks responded today with a countersuit, claiming the TRO is essentially without merit and that its DVD copying software protects content copyrights. In the meantime, however, the vendor told interested parties on its Web site that "Due to recent legal action taken by the Hollywood movie studios against us, RealDVD is temporarily unavailable."

RealDVD enables users to copy DVDs to their PCs, which has triggered fear of piracy from the companies that produce the content for them. An official ruling on their request that the software be stopped is pending.

The movie houses took RealNetworks to court over the issue, filing a lawsuit against the firm roughly a week ago.

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