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Advanced Access Content System (AACS) to Foster Faster High-Definition Media Implementation

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The newly formed partnership among key players in the tech and movie industries, including Disney, IBM, Intel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, and Warner Bros, is set to revolutionize the way high-definition (HD) media is protected and distributed. The Advanced Access Content System (AACS) aims to provide a powerful and flexible copyright protection system for DVDs, paving the way for faster implementation in HD media. AACS will enable movie studios to create their own rules for content sharing between devices and over home networks, offering more robust security than current DVD copy protection schemes.

Key Takeaways:

  • AACS is an agreement among eight major companies, including Disney, IBM, Intel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Warner Bros, and the Advanced Access Content System.
  • AACS will provide flexible rules for content sharing between devices and over home networks, allowing movie studios to devise their own business models.
  • The system will support more robust security than current DVD copy protection schemes, enabling more efficient distribution of HD content.
  • A new media key block will be used to match keys on a disk to those on a DVD player, ensuring authentication of hard disk drives and network authentication tools.
  • AACS is anticipated to facilitate faster completion of current development of pocket-sized HD media players.
  • The system will allow many more business models to prosper, enabling the distribution of HD content in various formats.
  • AACS will be responsible for protecting content on DVDs, ensuring that it can only be played on authorized devices.

Statistics:

  • Eight major companies have partnered to develop AACS, including Disney, IBM, Intel, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Warner Bros, and the Advanced Access Content System.
  • AACS will provide more robust security than current DVD copy protection schemes, ensuring that HD content is protected against unauthorized copying.
  • A new media key block will be used, which will match keys on a disk to those on a DVD player to ensure authentication of hard disk drives and network authentication tools.

Sources:

  • Advanced Access Content System (AACS) press release
  • [1] "AACS Partnership Announces Development of New Media Key Block"
  • [2] CNET News: "AACS: a new media key block for HD DVDs"

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