Blu-ray, HD-DVD and Managed Copy; what does it mean to us?
Posted on 02/12/05 02:57 by Dan Bell                             
Blu-ray, HD-DVD and Managed Copy; what does it mean to us?

Recently, there has been a bit of wrangling and hoopla over both of the new blue laser high definition optical formats, specifically on just how the new copy protection would be implemented on each spec. Both HD-DVD and Blu-ray are going to utilize AACS, therefore, it is set in stone that they both will offer will offer something known as "managed copies". However, there are some subtle differences and maybe even some questions left unanswered from the Blu-ray camp at least. So there is quite a bit of posturing going on and there is a lot at stake.

Microsofts Bill Gates let it be known that he was not about to back a technology that was "anti-consumer" and would not work well on a PC. No, by golly, he was going to throw his support to the HD-DVD camp and to heck with Blu-ray. Say what? Some chuckle and say "Oh, well this is just because Microsoft will never support a Sony product." But, we have to wonder, is it that simple?

Around the same time period, the PC peddling giant HP, coincidentally came out with a press release "asking" the Blu-ray Disc Association to include mandatory Managed Copy and iHD as part of its format specification. HP felt that Managed Copy and iHD would best address the fundamental technical needs of the PC and the digitally connected home. Otherwise, they were going to pull support for Blu-ray. They got part of their wish, the managed copy, but not iHD. In addition, Blu-ray leaves it up to the studios on a disc-by-disc basis, to add managed copy or not.

What is iHD? iHD, would be a way to provide consumers with enhanced content, navigation interactivity and functionality for these next gen film discs. You can use it to make legitimate copies or even to send your films about the house on a home network. It has been noted publicly (for instance the above linked press release) that Microsoft is poised to provide iHD support in the Windows Vista operating system. Surprise!

So now we begin to see a kink in the HP Microsoft business plan. Suddenly, we might think it is not an issue of anti consumer, it's an issue of control. Its an obstacle for a grand plan. And Vista is set to hit the streets in 2006, what a mess! But hey, iHD sounds pretty cool! I mean, at least I can make copies and send them flying around the house right? What's wrong with that?

Warning, this snippet from an excellent article at ArsTechnica may give your blood pressure a spike. Bear in mind, that it was written in September and Blu-ray does now support voluntary Managed Copy. But, I think you will see the other issue that comes to the surface, one that should make us very wary of the future and motivated to stay on top of this process.

Currently, HD DVD is the only next-gen format to provide for the ability to legally make copies of optical content. Dubbed "Managed Copy," HD DVD implements part of the AACS control mechanism to allow for things such as putting digital copies of a disc on a hard drive, transferring a movie (legally) to a portable player, or streaming content on a home network.

Furthermore, HD DVD makes Managed Copy mandatory: all content provided on HD DVD must give users the option of making at least one copy. Jordi Ribas, director of technical strategy for the Windows Digital Media Division, told me that while the feature is mandatory, the studios will have the option of charging for it. Ribas hopes that studios will allow at least a single copy "for free," but it may be market conditions that ultimately determine the cost of such features. The take-away, at least, is that studios have to offer something, and AACS is structured in such a way that the studios can tap into it to offer users more options.

You hear that? Microsofts Jordi hopes that the single copy will be free! Nothing is free. Maybe they wont charge for a single copy over the Internet with a key, but maybe the movie will be 25 dollars instead of 20 when I buy it. You know, the "deluxe version" complete with bloopers, alternate endings, trailers and "streaming capability" go ahead, rip it to your hard drive...once. Did we mention this functionality was free!

In the United States, when I was a young lad, I was always told by my superiors in the business world, that "The customer is always right". To some extent, this is true even today, depending on the business. But in the digital content business, it seems the motto is now "The customer has no rights."

It's up to us as consumers to use a free market, or as Jordi says in the above quote, create "market conditions" to help to decide our fate. We were given the right of backup for personal use with the Betamax decision, only to have it trumped by big business and the DMCA or Digital Millennium Copyright Act, that makes it a crime to circumvent any DRM (anti-piracy measures) to produce a copy of our own purchases. So, in 1998 the foundation was laid, to support a new paradigm for our future, which is to provide the means to charge us again, for an exact digital copy, of what we already own! It is time to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.

 

Source: ArsTechnica

Reactions
Discuss this article with your fellow community members! We appreciate your valuable input, but please keep the reaction policy in mind and make sure your reaction is constructive.
By heystoopid, Friday 02 December 2005 03:45
End of fair use rights!puke
By jef195, Friday 02 December 2005 03:53
Easy just avoid tell your friends to Avoid. But be warned People on this very Site and ones like it will and are going to Betray the cause because a "Geek" must have it.
[edited by jef195 on 02.12.2005 03:56]
By JamesL, Friday 02 December 2005 08:52
The Managed Copy element of the new formats could be what prevents them from ever being widely accepted. In an age when we are all snapping up portable media players - and ever more so portable video players - the inability to dub to a portable device is unacceptable. IMHO we should be glad that HD DVD has made in mandatory. In this respect the format has a significant consumer advantage over BluRay (one the BluRay fans boys are yet to realise). However if, as suggested, we have to end up paying extra to do even a single dub then I think it is quite likely people will look for other distribution models, i.e. downloads legal or otherwise... Until BluRay supports mandatory Managed Copy it is as worthless as a consumer format as UMD discs.
By Crabbyappleton, Friday 02 December 2005 15:47
Crabbyappleton@jamesL I don't inderstand why you are glad that HD-DVD calls for mandatory managed copy. If a DRM is applied to a disc, surely this costs money and then this cost is passed on to the consumer, so even if they do not charge for my backups, or streaming or transcoding, I am still paying. Paying for something that is supposed to be my legal right. It seems to me that if the formats are not adopted due to this mandatory DRM stance, then the industry will have nowhere to turn as they will not be able to supply discs that can be used in the way most modern day consumers want, unless they change the spec or pass on the cost of managed copy to the consumer. The old saying "at first it's free" applies here as well. I am afraid to support a tech that can come along later and pull the rug out from under me. Of course, this can always happen no matter what, but at least the groundwork is not laid in advance of the launch. At least Bluray does not make it mandatory so there is choice for the industry. If this makes me a "fan boy" then so be it. But I am really interested in your logic on this one. Smilie I know you know a lot about this stuff.
By JamesL, Friday 02 December 2005 16:43
Crabby - >>>> I don't inderstand why you are glad that HD-DVD calls for mandatory managed copy <<<< ...because without it you won't be able to do anything. AACS - the content protection scheme used on both BluRay and HD DVD - will prevent you from copying any content from disc to your HDD or portable device (iPod, PSP etc). To enable such devices to still be used 'Managed Copy' was developed. This will allow content to be copied to the secondary device (obviously with AACS intact). The problem is whilst HD DVD requires producers to enable such transfers, for BluRay it is only OPTIONAL. Therefore studios have the option to prevent you from copying anything off the disc. Odds are this is why 20th Century Fox and co have opted for BluRay. Now don't get me wrong - I hate the whole idea of 'managed copy'. If I buy something on disc I want to be able to use it within reasonable grounds - i.e. I may want to watch it on a portable device (iPod, PS etc) or I may want to have a clip stored on my PC HDD. But we have to be pragmatic about the whole issue - either we accept Managed Copy or we accept can't use the new discs on portable devices or we avoid the new formats. Managed copy will probably allow me to continue to do the above albeit only on AACS compatible devices. And it may charge me extra - not something I'm particularly happy with given I will probably have already paid a fair bit for the disc. However if we buy a disc with AACS that does not support Managed Copy then there will be NO method of doing any of the above. You will be able to play the disc and that is it. No copying to a portable device, no copying to a PC HDD etc. Ergo HD DVD will defintely give the functionality (albeit to compatible devices and possible at extra cost) whilst BluRay MAY not give it at all. That is my concern by BluRay not supporting mandatory Managed Copy.
By Crabbyappleton, Friday 02 December 2005 16:59
CrabbyappletonThank You! You make a good point. Now I understand!! Smilie
By cynicalbastard, Friday 02 December 2005 19:34
Want to know how to get exactly what you want - a format worth supporting? Avoid the formats. It's quite simple. Managed Copy: two-carefully chosen words that just mean Restricted Copy. That restricted copy is what you get at format introduction. It will cease to exist later, you can bet on it. Both formats will look damn alike then. You will have NO choice. Then they'll have their installed base - and they'll have total control over what you can and can't do. Don't choose to participate. Don't become another statistic fattening their wallets and paying their legal and politician fees to change the laws; laws clearly used against you - make no mistake - targeting you explicitly for what was your right. The companies will stop at nothing to trample all over your rights if you let them. But they need you; they need you to give them permission. They need your money. Do not buy their content. Do not buy their hardware. It's amazing what people will accept if, one-by-one, their rights are taken away in bite-sized pieces. People often only accept when they feel powerless. But guess what? We're not powerless. All companies and "bright ideas" crumble with enough public outcry. All of them. Think of Sony DRM rootkit CDs. Now think of something 10x worse on the horizon. Will YOUR money be going to them, so you can spend a few moments in HD? Is it worth it?
By Mordorr, Friday 02 December 2005 20:12
MordorrDIVX 7: !! Rip from Blue Ray/HD, on a DVD without any losses of quality!clownloveit The futur is here!supergrin
By manu_dvd, Friday 02 December 2005 21:15
All companies and "bright ideas" crumble..Lol..Nice statement, I just finished watching threads. Gawd I feel good.loveit
By willb3d, Friday 02 December 2005 21:26
Chances are few of these extra features will even be used. DVDs have the ability to create on-the-fly pan-and-scan versions of widescreen content, but did any studio fiddle with that feature? No. It is unused. Similarly, all these ideas about making extra content available online, and making managed copies, won't be worth the studio's efforts. They'll just release films on DVD, period. And yeah, they'll be copy protected too. Difference for the average consumer? Nothing.
By dentman42, Friday 02 December 2005 21:54
Actually, there was at least one DVD released early on using the OTF P&S/WS, I just don't remember what it was. I was working in retail and someone wanted to return it because he wanted widescreen and it played P&S. I played it on our demo player and it was WS. Happened that he had the same model, so we went into player menus, I set to 4:3 P&S, and it played P&S.
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