Petteri Pyyny
21 Jan 2005 12:19
Group of consumer electronics companies, dubbed as Marlin Joint Development Association, have decided to unite in order to develop a universal DRM scheme for consumer electronic devices, such as future video and audio players. Companies are worried that a possible situation where each and every hardware and software vendor and every single content publisher has their own set of DRM schemes available.
DRM, or digital rights management as it is called, is a way to limit consumer's use of purchased digital content. A typical -- and one of the best implementations of relatively user-friendly DRM scheme -- example is the Apple's FairPlay that is used for tracks purchased from iTunes -- each track is digitally signed so it can be only played in specified number of computers (and, as to prove the problems with DRM schemes, can be played only with specific application, in this case with Apple's iTunes software), specific devices (iPods) and burned to an audio CD. Ultimately, content owners would love to see a scheme where you can watch a TV show, but you must pay few cents for recording it. And most likely you could only watch the recorded show only a specified number of times. And transferring to other devices would cost few cents more, etc.
Anyway, MJDA's aim is to make a DRM system that could create a universal system that all manufacturers could implement in their devices, so by purchasing a movie from, say, Warner Bros. it could be watched with any manufacturer's player, not just with RCA's or Sony's. Additionally, it is obvious that manufacturers are afraid of Microsoft's plans to conquer the digital multimedia world and spread its tentacles to living rooms by setting its own proprietary DRM scheme as a standard with content owners material.
Companies behind the MJDA initiative include Sony, Philips, Samsung, Matsushita and Intertrust.
Source: The Register