News 

Verance has announced the immediate availability of its VCMS audio watermark technology for licensing. The technology provides HD DVD and Blu-ray players with the capability to identify and restrict the use of watermarked content taken from cinema prints and pre-recorded home video.

VCMS works by embedding inaudible digital codes into an audio waveform. These codes can then be read by a Blu-ray or HD DVD player to verify details of the audio and audio-visual content in which they're embedded.

The watermarks can also carry detailed information associated with the audio and audio-visual content, which could then be used to monitor and track its distribution - as well as control usage of the content. And because it's part of the content itself, its capabilities extend throughout that content's lifecycle, including promotional, cinema, home video, broadcast and online distribution.

The Advanced Access Content System Licensing Authority, whose DRM technology is employed by both high definition formats, approved the Verance technology for use with AACS-protected content in February 2006. AACS is expected to release final licence agreements requiring the inclusion of VCMS/AV detector technology in HD DVD and Blu-ray players in the coming months.

Given that AACS appears to be highly vulnerable to hackers, it's not surprising that studios have welcomed the additional insurance.

Warner Bros, the only major studio that's currently releasing both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles, said that VCMS will increase consumer choice.

"Warner

ADVERTISEMENT

Bros believes in providing consumers a wide array of choices as to how they access and consume our content, and Digital Rights Management is a tool that allows us to offer these different business propositions," said Chris Cookson, president, Technical Operations and chief technology officer.

"Verance's watermark technology is an important component of the robust content protection necessary for next generation optical media and we support its use on our HD DVD and Blu-Ray discs."

Sony Pictures, Universal Studios and Microsoft have also licensed the technology. Sony hopes that it will reduce the distribution of movies recorded from cinema screens.

"The unauthorised and illegal trafficking of movies that have been camcorded in a movie theatre is a serious problem that increases the cost of entertainment for honest people everywhere," said Mitch Singer, chief technology officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

"Verance's VCMS/AV technology provides a new tool in combating the illegal distribution of our movies and is the most effective and direct technical means available to curb this problem."

However AACS+VCMS is not enough for some studios. As expected, Twentieth Century Fox has confirmed that it will begin deploying the new BD+ technology, the Blu-ray-specific DRM that was finalised last month.

"Fox has vigorously fought against piracy for years and the adoption of BD+ as part of the Blu-ray Disc specification, and an enhancement over and above AACS, was a key factor in our decision to publish on the format," Mike Dunn, president worldwide, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, explained. "This added layer of content protection gives Blu-ray yet another distinct competitive advantage."

But consumers, aware that AACS offers flimsy protection, may be tempted to plump for HD DVD, whose backers have made no indication that they intend to introduce further restrictions. Whether studios would follow by releasing more HD DVD content is yet to be seen.