[Tempest210]

The Nov. issue of Maximum PC is reporting that the upcoming next generation Blu-ray and HD-DVD technologies have adopted the Advanced Access Content System (AACS). Maximum PC is calling this "The most draconian Digital Rights Management technology ever implemented on removable media."
This in a bid to stop unauthorized duplication. Two 128 bit encryption keys are used in order to access a disc’s content. One key on the disc, the other unique to each player.

But Blu-ray is upping the ante with an additional system called BD+, which is really nasty stuff. For example, if you have made copies of some DVD’s you own because you don’t want your kids ‘biting, scratching, playing Frisbee, etc with the originals, the BD+ system can refuse to play the ‘cracked’ version, or ‘Disable the player itself’ rendering your hardware unusable until it’s serviced or reprogrammed via a BD+ disc update.

I’m not sure how reporting hardware problems will be handled, but it’s going to be a huge pain in the [bleep] I’m sure.

As most of us ‘Tech’ people are the first to jump into new formats and hardware, we should be aware of what we are buying. In a way we control what becomes main stream. If no one buys, for example Blu-ray set top DVD players, then either they change or go out of business.

Maximum PC wasn’t sure how these technologies will be implemented in PC optical drives, and Blu-ray had not responded to their inquiries.

The article in question is called, “Next-Gen DRM Sucks!”

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As reported in tomshardware.com

Hollywood (CA) - Blu-ray Disc Association, led by Sony, representing one of two competing high-definition DVD formats, stated it will simultaneously embrace digital watermarking, programmable cryptography, and a self-destruct code for Blu-ray disc players.

One part of the announcement that had been anticipated by experts was Blu-ray's embrace of Advanced Access Content System (AACS), one version of which has also been adopted by the HD DVD Forum. This controversial technology would require that disc players maintain permanent connections to content providers via the Internet, making it possible for discs that fail a security check to trigger a notification process, enabling the provider to send the player a sort of "self-destruct code." This code would come in the form of a flash ROM "update" that would actually render the player useless, perhaps unless and until it is taken to a repair shop for reprogramming. The Blu-ray statement noted that certain elements of AACS have yet to be formally approved by the BDA.

(Raise your hand now if you plan to Never buy a Sony Blu-ray DVD player.) And maybe we should all start telling Sony that now.

[Tempest210]

As reported in tomshardware.com

Hollywood (CA) - Blu-ray Disc Association, led by Sony, representing one of two competing high-definition DVD formats, stated it will simultaneously embrace digital watermarking, programmable cryptography, and a self-destruct code for Blu-ray disc players.

One part of the announcement that had been anticipated by experts was Blu-ray's embrace of Advanced Access Content System (AACS), one version of which has also been adopted by the HD DVD Forum. This controversial technology would require that disc players maintain permanent connections to content providers via the Internet, making it possible for discs that fail a security check to trigger a notification process, enabling the provider to send the player a sort of "self-destruct code." This code would come in the form of a flash ROM "update" that would actually render the player useless, perhaps unless and until it is taken to a repair shop for reprogramming. The Blu-ray statement noted that certain elements of AACS have yet to be formally approved by the BDA.

(Raise your hand now if you plan to Never buy a Sony Blu-ray DVD player.) And maybe we should all start telling Sony that now.