Commercial vendors and individual consumers can now look forward to being able to legally create certain types of protected DVDs, the DVD Copy Control Association (DVD CCA) announced today.
The DVD Copy Control Association (DVD CCA) is a not-for-profit corporation with
responsibility for licensing CSS (Content Scramble System) to manufacturers of DVD
hardware, discs and related products.
Under rule changes now in the works, commercial vendors could create protected
DVDs on kiosks and in small custom runs. Individual consumers could legally record
a variety of selected content. Both would require special blank DVD discs that
will use the Content Scramble System (CSS) for encryption and will be compatible
with the millions of existing DVD players in the marketplace today.
"DVD CCA and its board members are excited at the prospect of being able to offer
businesses and consumers an exciting new way to record and enjoy digital content
for use in their homes, cars and elsewhere," said Chris Cookson, Chairman of the
DVD CCA Board. "The creation of new ways to legally create secure DVD content is
the logical next step to answer industry and consumer demand for additional legal
digital distribution alternatives."
An early application of this type of recording would likely be commercial kiosks,
where consumers could buy entertainment, custom-burned on the special discs. This
would allow consumers to obtain, for example, unusual, historical or special
content that is now unavailable on DVD because existing demand does not warrant
the mass reproduction today's market requires.
The consumer application of the new recording function is expected to follow,
offering in-home recording of a broad range of specifically offered content which
could include movies, television programs and more. The programs would be recorded
on personal computers via the Internet or on special, network-enabled, DVD
recorders.
The development required an amendment to the Procedural Specifications for CSS.
Already approved by DVD CCA's Content Protection Advisory Council (CPAC), the new
functions would be available for implementation - assuming compliance with all
applicable specifications (e.g. DVD Forum) - after membership review, and action
and approval by the Board of Directors.