This is a most interesting interview that was held by BetaNews with a representative from the HD-DVD camp. A troubling aspect for the future of both the new High Def formats is they are both hinging the success or adoption of their formats on Hollywood content. This, like many things, is a two way street. After all, what good is high definition and players, if their is nothing to watch? On the other hand, we as consumers, will be holding in our hot little hands, veritable digital masters of multi million dollar projects. For that reason, the studios are apprehensive to say the least to start passing these things out with the Internet throbbing in the background and PC enthusiasts sitting with dual core CPU desktops with near terabyte storage systems at the ready. At issue as well is, there are differences of opinion on just how much freedom Joe Blow the consumer should be allowed with said content.
For a while, there was a bit of wrangling going on with one aspect of the AACS or Advanced Access Content System. This is known as Mandatory Managed Copy. The purpose of this in very simple terms was to make it possible to use these discs in a variety of ways other than just play them on a television from a high definition player. For instance, one should be able to stream the content over a home network, or even play it on a PC. Both camps finally were able to promise the inclusion of Mandatory Managed Copy. However, due to the many agreements that had to be struck with Hollywood, things may not be as rosy as it would seem at first glance.
On January 7th, BetaNews sat down with HD DVD representative "expert" Mark Knox, to discuss how the Microsoft-backed format will compete with Sony's Blu-ray. Knox of course, is not going to be very positive about the rival camp Blu-ray. In fact, in this snippet from the interview, he lets it slip that Blu-rays flavor of Mandatory Managed Copy may have some nasty tricks up it's sleeve, tricks that could confuse most consumers or at least they may get an unpleasant surprise, if they purchase any Blu-ray discs containing content from Fox Studios:
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Knox said Fox was unhappy with the decision to let consumers watch movies where they please using Mandatory Managed Copy. Managed Copy has become a contentious point in the next-generation DVD battle, with HP demanding that Blu-ray require the technology on all discs. However, as Fox's proprietary DRM will run after AACS, the studio could theoretically restrict such portability. This proprietary format is also rumored to have delayed the PlayStation 3, which will include a Blu-ray drive for the masses. Pioneer is set to launch a $1,800 Blu-ray player in May. |
Nothing like a little proprietary DRM icing on an already unpalatable cake, yummy! You should take a moment to go over to the BetaNews site and read this interview in it's entirety. They also go into a lengthy explanation of how they feel the Blu-ray strategy is a failure from the get-go due to technical issues. I am sure that those CD Freaks out there that are very knowledgeable in writing strategies, will be very interested in Mr. Knox's negative comments on Blu-rays writing scheme! In addition, you can also read an interview with the Blu-ray camp, dated January 6, in an article entitled "What format war?" that may be of interest as well!
Source: Beta News
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Don't you love all those private personal computers, committing suicide when playing these new corrupt video formats.
Oh well, back to the drawing board!
P.S. I hear Pioneer have now drafted plans, to create a computer Blu-ray unit, that is fully capable of playing standard CD roms, as nobody wanted to buy the plain first issue unit, due to it's lack of versatility and usefulness!(it seems users indicated, the first one to be as versatile as driving a car without any brakes)
Lets see:
1.AACS-can disable your player
2.BD+ Creates a virtual machine and can stop playback or disable your player if it does'nt like the playback environment
3.Rom mark-Player sees that disc is a pressed disc and checks for the mark. Not there? No playback
4.HDCP-Not on the disc but is in the hardware/firmware after content leaves the disc. Actually the absolute worst copy protection for the consumer. Renders all old dvi connection monitors useless and can also disable your hi-def tvs HDMI input.
5. Image Constraint Token-To punish you with standard def for using component
6. Digital Output Only Token- Disables all analog output
7. CGMS
8. Macrovision- Who cares about 7 and 8? You would lose too much quality at this level
9. Verance audio watermark- May have something to do with cammed movies but can be used to check if recordable disc has no aacs but knows the watermark was passsed onto a recordable disc treat it as a pirate disc and stop playing
YARRRRRGGHHH!!! I got another call from a customer that got all THREE of his hi def tvs blacklisted from his hi def cable box with this hdcp copy protection. It looks like they are still letting the signal through in this case, but limiting it to only 480P resolution. Told him to take 'em tvs back(to Best Buy) and let them know WHY the tvs are going back. Its happening already. Hollywood is disabling tvs in a moment of idiodacy. My co worker got two such calls about 2 hours apart. This is starting to get old 
