The new product will aim to put a stop to DVD copying programs that pirate DVDs by forcing PC-based DeCSS ripper software, which allows consumers to make unauthorized digital copies of copyrighted DVDs, to crash or stall.
Macrovision says the RipGuard DVD is a unilateral content protection system that can be applied to DVD discs without incorporating other hardware or software into DVD receivers. It also combines Macrovision’s analog copy protection technology (ACP) in an attempt to offer DVD protection to video content copyright owners against the threat of analog and digital holes.
It has been speculated that the release of the platform is likely to win support from the movie industry, which has so far been unable to overcome the failure of its content scrambling system (CSS), an encryption program intended to protect DVD content.
Macrovision anticipates that the move will prove to be more of a success than previous attempts at reducing copywriting violation, which have seen some devices reject protected CDs and videos, as it has received verification from THX, an assurance services provider for the entertainment industry, that RipGuard will not interfere with quality or performance.
Macrovision RipGuard DVD is designed to dramatically reduce DVD ripping and the resulting supply of illegal P2P content, said Steve Weinstein, executive vice president of Macrovision’s Entertainment Technologies Group. Ultimately, we see RipGuard DVD and the ACP framework evolving beyond anti-piracy, and towards enablement of legitimate online transactions, interoperability in tomorrow’s digital home, and the upcoming high definition formats.
RipGuard DVD is available in select replication facilities, with general availability anticipated in the second quarter of 2005.
