Let's get the lawyers out of the way! According to a CEA SmartBrief report, a film industry group plans to remove some of the hurdles that have prevented the legal recording of movies onto blank DVDs -- a further sign that Hollywood studios are preparing to expand what consumers can do with downloadable movies.

Here's the details: Under rule changes expected to be finalized soon by the DVD Copy Control Association (DVDCCA), retailers could create movie jukebox kiosks with which customers can select a movie and burn it to a DVD on the spot. Also, online music sites, like iTunes, could start to allow video downloads to be transferred onto DVDs.

These impending changes involve the copy group's proprietary technology known as the Content Scramble System (CSS). The DVDCAA licenses the encryption technology to makers of DVD players and other electronics companies and applies it widely to movies on DVDs to restrict illegal copying.

Soon, licensing will expand to movies that are digitally distributed on demand or a la carte — and not just for movies that are mass produced on DVDs. The group also is working with disc makers to produce CSS-compatible blank DVDs.

This move would eliminate the problem of hardware and software compatibility, like faced by CinemaNow customers' whose downloaded movies sometimes don't play on standard DVD players.

For those of you who can't get enough of kiosk technology and future trends, there's actually a trade show next month -- the Self-Service & Kiosk Show -- in San Antonio, TX.