Blu-ray Disc gets a comprehensive copy protection system
Posted on 09/08/05 18:23 by Johnny                             
Blu-ray Disc gets a comprehensive copy protection system

Fox recently announced its support for the Blu-ray Disc (BD) format and specified BD's better copy protection as one of the main reasons it selected BD over the competing HD DVD format. Today the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association) has officially announced that the copy protection the BD format is going to adopt is AACS, just like HD DVD already has done, but it will additionally support "BD+" and "ROM Mark" protections:

The foundation of the Blu-ray content management system, AACS(1), is a state of the art content management system that is many times more powerful than that used in DVD. Additionally, AACS enables new consumer usage models around network functionality and internet connectivity including managing copies, in an authorized and secure manner.

 

In addition to AACS, the BDA took a dramatic step in the battle against mass production piracy with the adoption of ROM Mark. ROM Mark, which is unique to Blu-ray Disc, is a new technology designed specifically to thwart large scale, mass production piracy, a problem that experts estimate costs the movie industry alone in excess of $3 billion per year in lost revenue. To combat this, the ROM Mark technology embeds a unique and undetectable identifier in pre-recorded BD-ROM media such as movies, music and games. While invisible to consumers, this ROM Mark can only be mastered with equipment available to licensed BD-ROM manufacturers, essentially preventing unauthorized copies of a disc.

 

The BDA also adopted "BD+", a Blu-ray Disc specific programmable renewability enhancement that gives content providers an additional means to respond to organized attacks on the security system by allowing dynamic updates of compromised code. With these enhancements, content providers have a number of methods to choose from to combat hacks on Blu-ray players. Moreover, BD+ affects only players that have been attacked, as opposed to those that are vulnerable but haven't been attacked and therefore continue to operate properly.

 

(1) The Blu-ray Disc Association's adoption of AACS is subject to the BDA's approval of the final AACS specifications and license terms and conditions.

 

The complete press release is available here.

 

"BD+" sounds like it's based on SPDC (Self-Protecting Digital Content) which BDA has been rumoured to have adopted.

 

How do you think will BD's presumably better copy protection affect the format war: Will it scare consumers away from buying the format or can it possibly make HD DVD supporting Hollywood studios to switch side? An interesting scenario is if vulnerabilities in AACS are found which "BD+" can take care of. Please feel free to share your thoughts below.

Source: Business Wire

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By Controller, Tuesday 09 August 2005 20:32
The copy protection schemes in both new formats will keep me using the plain old DVD format for the foreseeable future.
By shimman, Tuesday 09 August 2005 22:03
fox must think that having near impossible copy protection would promote bd as a replacement for dvd; however, the sucess of dvd came from the broken copy protection. with such complex schemes will only cause major problems amoung the users which will only delay the adaptation of bd. for serveral years from now, dvd will hold its crown long live dvd! devil
By VirusHack, Tuesday 09 August 2005 22:47
VirusHack"...essentially preventing unauthorized copies of a disc." Now who eles has said that? People WILL find a way! If it can be read, it can be ripped! Simple \\VH//// Smilie
By ghost_zero, Tuesday 09 August 2005 23:41
@VirusHack: It is nearly always possible to do so although the question is how much that costs and if because of BD+ the same thing will work with the next BDs too... @all: The protection schemes are not that different... the question first is how many people will know about those and be interested in those... all those who are interested and know about the copy protections will avoid both formats (although quality would be much better)... same as for Windows Vista: all who know that the next Windows (Vista) will control which media files (music and movie) you can play and which you can not (aborts playback)... I don't think many will like this... especially because I think that many legal media files will get recognized as illegal media files... and also that hardware DRM things a.s.o.
By Zeroi786, Wednesday 10 August 2005 02:37
Zeroi786Well it was once said that DRM protected Music could not be copyed. All that needs to be done to copy DRM protected Music is to play it back and Record it with a sound editor then save it in a mp3 format. There is always a way around copy protection, it might take six months at most to beat the copy protection. Then over time better and better HD movie Rippers will be introduced so on and so forth. The only way to have 100% copy protection is for the MPAA to hire a MPAA officer to go with the purchase of every movie and even then you might be able to pay the officer to leave your home. I see a big advantage for BD DivX players WOW 100 movies on one disc.
By ChiefNuts, Wednesday 10 August 2005 06:17
ChiefNutsLet's get cdfreaks to call 'DVD Jon' and see what he has to say about this!!biggrin
By jasaiyajin, Wednesday 10 August 2005 07:34
The paraphrases "undetectable identifier" and "invisible to consumers" are misleading and incorrect. Where are the sneaky words like virtually? I realize technology is getting small and harder to detect "deterent" systems, but so far there has never been such blatant article slander. Or it is more mass programming... supergrin
By 790, Wednesday 10 August 2005 11:22
I'm with shimman on this one. The only reason dvd is so popular is because it was cracked and can be copied. I mean your always going to have the mom's and pop's that will end up getting a new player, but they don't move the markets, they will only get a player on the recomendation or gift from their techie friend who won't be giving them blue ray or hd-dvd, because he know's how much of a bitch it is. What about when blu-ray recorders come out for pcs', those sure won't sell until theres a use for them (until they can copy uncrackable blu ray discs) Luckaly homebrew crews love a challenge, I predict both formats will be cracked within a year of release. Look at the psp and all of it's uncrackable firmware, all of which are already cracked, even the newest 2.0.
By cynicalbastard, Wednesday 10 August 2005 12:51
movies? Please. Protect them as much as u can. Rubbish shouldn't be seen Smilie Just make a half-decent PC drive I can save my data to cheaply and effectively. Thank u, come again. *plans on waiting 5 years* Signed, TiredOfWaiting.
By Jim Kiler, Wednesday 10 August 2005 15:12
DVD is not popular because it was cracked it is popular because of the price point and the video/audiuo resolutions. I never copy DVD's because anyone with an HD tv can notice the difference when it is compressed more than the original and Dual layer media is not worth the money.
By Devilbmxskater, Wednesday 10 August 2005 20:25
Which every format gets cracked first is going to be the popular one. Look at Sonys BMG protected cds. Pissed of a bunch of customers and people dont want to by again. Blu-ray is going to fail because of the protection.
[edited by Devilbmxskater on 10.08.2005 20:25]
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