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Phillips launches "Vtrack" to help catch movie pirates

14 April 2007 8:49 by Andre "DVDBack23" Yoskowitz | 11 comments

This week,Phillips launched "VTrack", a watermarking system that the company hopes will help analysts and law enforcement agents trace back illegally distributed materials such as movies.

The goal of the "Vtrack" is to protect content that is played over PayTV. The watermark will be so unobtrusive the company says, that viewers can fully enjoy thier movies but at the same time the watermark will provide a means to contain piracy trading.

Andrew G. Setos, president of engineering at Fox Group, stated his enthusiasm for the new technology: "We are thrilled that Philips has entered the market with a session based, forensic watermark system. Forensic watermarks have already shown their merit in PayTV applications and help our premium content from unauthorized redistribution by counterfeiters and others".

Phillips is confident in their new technology stating that it can never be seperated from the content or even modified. Phillips indicated that even after quality reduction, scaling, cropping or compression the watermark was still intact.

Source:
Dailytech

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jonny-x (Newbie) 14 April 2007 9:00
'Phillips is confident in their new technology stating that it can never be seperated from the content or even modified' How many times before have we heard of ideas that are supposedly unstoppable that have been 'fixed'... If they give us proof that it is totally hacker-proof, I'll be amazed... [ + quote]
gallagher (Member) 14 April 2007 9:02
Quote: Phillips is confident in their new technology stating that it can never be seperated from the content or even modified. Phillips indicated that even after quality reduction, scaling, cropping or compression the watermark was still intact. I am starting to think that the companies themselves are being jacked around by crooks who claim to have the answers. When it comes to content protection, you certainly never say never. [ + quote]
NexGen76 (Member) 14 April 2007 9:32
Phillips now on my banded product list..... [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14 April 2007 9:32
arcanix (AfterDawn Addict) 14 April 2007 10:12
Quote: Phillips is confident in their new technology stating that it can never be seperated from the content or even modified. You most certainly can modify it, no doubt. It doesn't take long until hackers can figure out the watermark and remove/alter it. Quote: If they give us proof that it is totally hacker-proof, I'll be amazed... They can't. If they tell/show how it is done, it'll be easy to remove it. [ + quote]
WierdName (Senior Member) 14 April 2007 11:01
Quote: Phillips is confident in their new technology stating that it can never be seperated from the content or even modified. I'm already thinking of ideas to remove it. Such as dropping the frame that contains it. Or if its in every frame which is the smarter of the two, Then study them to find the similarities (possible watermark) then find how it works through more studying. Then generate a script that will somehow visually edit each frame to remove the watermark. Such as darkening/lightening pixel x,y in each frame. Quote: If they give us proof that it is totally hacker-proof, I'll be amazed... Quote: They can't. If they tell/show how it is done, it'll be easy to remove it. They can't show because the more something is unknown, the more secure it is. Theres nothing worse for security than for the intruder to know their way around whatever it is. EDIT- Why do you think the smarter thiefs case the joint first? EDIT- format [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 28 April 2007 11:53
Pop_Smith (Senior Member) 14 April 2007 11:14
The watermark is probably added at some point either by the PayTV system (I assume its a TiVO-like box) or before it gets to your "PayTV" box. If its the former and not the later then that would be easily (or more easily) "fixed' then the later. Watermarks have been proven removable. Some of their statement is stupid. Of course if you reduce the quality it is still there, it just wouldn't look as good. Same thing with compression, that is similar to quality reduction. Plus in order to be successful something like this should not be touted in public. Now the smart (and the real 'threat') pirates will simply avoid PayTV at all costs and stick to their TS, Screener, etc. releases knowing that using PayTV is gonna get them caught. [ + quote] This message has been edited since posting. Last time this message was edited on 14 April 2007 11:21
Bubba4u (Newbie) 14 April 2007 13:18
Wow, I bet this watermark will look really good in high definition. probably so good many will cancel their PAY TV subscriptions. [ + quote]
arcanix (AfterDawn Addict) 14 April 2007 14:05
Originally posted by Bubba4u: Wow, I bet this watermark will look really good in high definition. probably so good many will cancel their PAY TV subscriptions. It's not visible you know... [ + quote]
pdxcrash (Inactive) 19 April 2007 13:00
Quote: I am starting to think that the companies themselves are being jacked around by crooks who claim to have the answers. When it comes to content protection, you certainly never say never. Hello --- ever hear of Microsoft Windows ??? They Are the Virus -- how else to stay in buisness FOREVER -- and yet have a fully functional computer at home and work for what youve designed "windows" to do ...? Apple - maggot quarantine area ! -- board up you're windows [ + quote]
procode (Inactive) 19 April 2007 15:50
Quote: They can't. If they tell/show how it is done, it'll be easy to remove it. I'll support that my friend, in fact, I would go so far as to mention that "It is so basic, just about anyone could 'correct' it" .. ;) Procode .. [ + quote]
madman91 (Junior Member) 28 April 2007 11:46
To block something, you have to know how to unblock it. I give it.. 2.5 days till there is a one-liner of code that cracks it. Give it up philips. [ + quote]