Dave Horvath
10 Aug 2007 8:44
The folks over at Microsoft have got an uphill battle when it comes to high-definition content and their Windows Vista product. Computer researcher and author of a paper outlining the shortcomings of Vista entitled "The longest suicide note in history", Peter Gutmann argued over Vista's content protection and DRM standards at a symposium in Boston on wednesday.
Gutmann had brought up that Vista appears to be so locked down with DRM standards that users are finding it impossible to view any HD content from their machines if they do not specifically meet Microsoft's strict standards. One of these standards are a graphics card that supports HDCP or High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection, a form of DRM developed by Intel. If a user does not have a graphics card that actively supports HDCP, their premium high-definition content, whether obtained legally, recorded with their own high-definition equipment or otherwise, is throttled in quality and displayed at much less than high-definition.
Microsoft acknowledged that the quality of content labeled as premium would be lowered if it were requested by the copyright holders, namely the movie stuidos. However, Microsofts content protection scheme is so strict that its even forcing legally obtained and legally recorded high-definition content to be cut back. Microsoft defended this action stating that its merely a common feature in many different playback devices.
Gutmann also outlined that the price of hardware for PCs is rising exponentially because vendors can't approve Vista compatible drivers that meet the strict security requirements. One requirement that the vendors must adhere to is getting a driver to pass standards set forth by not only Microsoft, but film studios such as MGM, 20th Century Fox, and Disney in the form of written approval. One thing Gutmann outlined in his presentation was a case where graphics card maker ATI met problems developing drivers that were Vista compatible due to ever changing content protection schemes set forth by Microsoft. After many delays, ATI finally released a driver that inevitably crashed Vista when loaded and had to halt upgrade schedules set forth by Dell and Gateway.
Gutmann argued in his statement that Microsoft developed Vista with the sole intention of appeasing Hollywood and perhaps gained some form of monetary compensation for their efforts. He feels that they should have focused more on securing the user from malicious attacks on the Internet than shielding the users from themselves.
Source:
PC World