So by now most people know that two formats for next generation DVDs are on the way. HD-DVD is already available with players and some movies being released. The showing thus far isn't all that impressive as one would expect. HD-DVD does have the support of Microsoft, Paramount and others. HD-DVD does use the new AACS system.
The other is of course Blu-Ray developed by sony with a huge list of backers. To get Fox Movie studies to side with the Blu-Ray format the consortium working on Blu-Ray added two additional layers of DRM. These are:
ROM-Mark: A digital watermarking scheme that will embed a cryptographic key in the data stream being read by the player that matches information on the disc. Thus in the eyes of the movie studio preventing pirates from recording movies in theaters and burning them to BluRay DVDs to sell. My question is how are users expected to use Blu-Ray to create home movies?
BD+: This one is the major sneaky and dangerous part of Blu-Ray. In short the DVD player can download new cryptographic schemes from discs if the studios believe a certain player has been compromised. This means that the cryptographic scheme can always remain fresh. On internet connected Blu-Ray players (read PC, PS3, and future IPTV players) the consortium can push new schemes across that way.
While the Rom-mark will likely be a headache for some people I don't think it would take all that much time for somebody to figure out a solution for it. This is especially true depending on how much flexability there is in the BD+ technology. Blu-Ray for this reason even earned the rating of "Anti-consumer" by Bill Gates.
I'm just wondering how long it will take before people figure out how to use BD+ to their advantage. Such as updating players (or hacking the PS3) with their own system that removes DRM completely from players.
