Technology

HOW AFACT MEMBER COMPANIES ARE WORKING WITH TECHNOLOGY TODAY

AFACT’s members are exploring the following new technology areas in its efforts to better serve consumers today:

• Taking a pro-active stance in technology standards and interoperability forums so that different devices and equipment can function together.

• Supporting practical home networking solutions so that digital content can be moved within the networked home. For example, one may network content to a second home, car, or mobile phone.
Participating in Digital Rights

• Management (DRM) related activities to ensure that emerging and existing rights management technologies work well together for the benefit of consumers.

• Implementing managed recording for DVDs and managed copying for next generation HD DVD or Blu-ray discs. Managed recording and managed copying will let consumers make legal copies of content with approved technologies.

AFACT is a member of the Centre for Content Protection, Asia Pacific.

The Centre for Content Protection (CCP) was established in 2007, the Centre for Content Protection (CCP) is a consortium committed to shaping Asia Pacific’s digital future through innovative technologies that provide secure ways for consumers to enjoy anywhere, anytime access to their favourite movies and television programs.

As a neutral yet authoritative source of information on the latest content platforms and protection measures worldwide, the Centre fosters awareness and cooperation amongst various academic, governmental and industry organizations as well as consumer groups in order to implement best practices and solutions region-wide.

The Centre aims to network disparate content protection expertise in the region and to widely outreach information to the broadest audience. Tech-savvy consumers can expect the discussion of potential solutions for viewing motion picture content “where they want it, when they want it and on whichever device they (consumers) happen to be carrying or sitting in front of.”

http://www.contentprotection.net

Glossary

ADVANCED ACCESS CONTENT SYSTEM (AACs)

The Advanced Access Content System (AACS) is the accompanying license and digital rights management which will allow access to and copying of next generation High Density Digital Versatile Disk (HD DVD) and Blu-ray systems. AACS includes the following key attributes that make it a reliable system:

AES-128 content scrambling
Media Key Block based revocation
Software renewability
Enhanced authentication for PC-based implementations
Support for managed copying and download-to-burn usage models

ANALOGUE HOLE

The gap in digital content protection technology afforded by digital-to-analog-to-digital conversion. Protected digital content can be limited to devices that respect copy protection controls, but if the digital content is converted to an analog form by a compliant device, another device can be used to convert that analog signal back into a digital form that lacks the copy protections of the original digital material. This creates an analog hole where all copy protections disappear.

BLU-RAY

A next-generation DVD standard, principally developed by Sony, that supports high definition (HD) video and the larger storage capacity that HD material requires. BD uses a 405-nanometer wavelength blue-violet laser instead of the traditional DVD 650-nanometer red laser. The smaller laser wavelength allows the disc to use smaller pits and tighter tracks. It also uses a thinner cover layer (0.1 mm) than a standard DVD. This moves the data closer to the reading lens. All of these factors combine to fit more data on the same size disc. Blu ray supports 25 gB in a single-layer configuration or 50 gB in a double-layer. Four-layer and eight-layer disc in development can store 100 gB and 200 gB, respectively. This capacity is sufficient for two to four hours of HDTV content on single- and double-layer discs. BD also support MPEg-2, MPEg-4, AVC, and VC-1 format video.

BROADCAST FLAG

A signal embedded in a terrestrial (as opposed to satellite) digital television broadcast that identifies whether the surrounding content can be copied or redistributed by the receiving party. Broadcast flag-compliant digital television equipment would recognize and respect the broadcast flag, preventing any unauthorized actions.

CONTENT SCRAMBLE SYSTEM (CSS)

Content Scramble System (CSS) is the accompanying license and digital rights management which will allow access and copying of traditional Digital Versatile Disks (DVD). CSS prevents movies from being illegally duplicated, protecting the intellectual property of content owners, producers and writers from theft. While the CSS keys and secrets have been exposed for some time, the license is sound and able to support the continued importance of DVDs as a key distribution mechanism. The CSS is undergoing supplementary changes and will allow improved functions for consumers in future.

DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT (DRM)

A system that protects content so that only authorized users may access or view it; a technology that enables the secure distribution, promotion, and sale of digital content, especially on the Internet. A DRM usually encrypts a file to prevent unauthorized use and enforces usage parameters such as the period of time the file is viewable and whether or not it may be copied or streamed to another device.

DIGITAL TELEVISION

Television broadcasts and supporting equipment (including television receivers) that use a digital signal rather than the traditional analog form common to NTSC, PAL, and SECAM. Digital television provides better image and sound fidelity than analog television and generally has higher image resolution and multi-channel stereo sound.

DIGITAL VERSATILE DISK (DVD)

A 12 cm high-capacity optical disc standard, introduced in April 1997 as a video delivery format to replace the ubiquitous VHS tape. DVDs commonly carry digital video compressed with the MPEg-2 codec. Even with the occasional digital compression artifact taken into account, a DVD provides a better motion picture recording format than its predecessors: a DVD can hold far more material than a CD or VCD (from 4.7 gB to 17 gB); DVD movies are recorded with more lines of image resolution (480) than videodiscs ( ̃425) or VHS tapes ( ̃250); and DVD audio (sampled at 96 kHz with 24-bits of data per sample) is superior to CD audio (44.1 kHz/16-bits).

DVD-5: A single-sided, single-layer (SS/SL) DVD capable of holding 4.7GB. The most common type of DVD.
DVD-9: A single-sided, dual-layer (SS/DL) DVD capable of holding 8.5 GB.
DVD-10: A double-sided, single-layer (DS/SL) DVD capable of holding 8.4 GB. The second most common type of DVD. (one must generally flip the DVD over to read the second side.)
DVD-18: A double-sided, dual-layer (DS/DL) DVD capable of holding 17 GB.

DIGITAL VIDEO BROADCAST (DVB)

Digital Video Broadcast(ing), a European standard for digital television technology and the body that regulates the standard. The DVB Web site is www.dvb.org

HiGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION (HDTV)

The high definition portion of the DTV (digital television) standard, including 1080i and 720p formats with a 16:9 aspect ratio and multi-channel CD-quality sound. The lower DTV resolutions (480i and 480p) are part of SDTV (standard definition television). Compared to standard NTSC television, the HDTV image has twice the luminance definition – both vertically and horizontally – and is twenty-five percent wider. All told, an HDTV picture contains five times more information than does the standard television picture.

HIGH DENSITY DIGITAL VERSATILE DISC (HD DVD)

HD-DVD (for High-Density Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical media format which is being developed as one standard for high-definition DVD. HD-DVD is similar to the competing Blu-ray Disc, which also uses the same CD sized (120 mm diameter) optical data storage media and 405 nm wavelength blue laser. HD- DVD is promoted by Toshiba, NEC, and Sanyo, and backed by four major film studios. (Wikipedia).

SET-TOP BOX

A television receiver (often with an integrated decoder/descrambler and more recently with an integrated digital-to-analog converter) provided as a self-contained unit. Cable and satellite television systems often use set-top boxes to convert the provided signal into a form that can be viewed on the customer’s television, VCR, etc.