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Panasonic, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony and Toshiba team up for new DRM

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Dec 2011 12:45 User comments (9)

Panasonic, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony and Toshiba team up for new DRM Panasonic, Samsung, SanDisk, Sony and Toshiba have joined together to create a new content DRM for flash memory cards, including SD cards.
So far called the "Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative," (to be renamed) the companies will jointly license and promote the new DRM into the future.

Making the protection notable is the fact that it can protect HD content. The group says "a high level of content security will be realized through the use of the initiative's technologies, including unique ID (identification) technology for flash memory and robust copy protection based on public key infrastructure."



Furthermore, the group believes the tech will "enable various HD content applications" on Blu-ray, HD network downloads and broadcast content. By using the new content scheme, users can then use the content on Android smartphones and tablets, card-enabled TVs and Blu-ray products.

The tech should be adopted and embedded next year.

A few quotes from the companies involved:

"Panasonic has always been an innovator in providing the best possible content viewing experience in the living room through development of Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3DTM technologies and products," said Yoshiyuki Miyabe, Corporate CTO, Panasonic Corporation. "With our new secure memory solution, we are excited to create a strong link between the living room experience and the mobile experience. Now consumers can enjoy watching premier content, such as movies, on the go with their smartphones and tablets."

"Samsung believes that the time is ripe for an advanced security solution and welcomes the opportunity to deliver a highly viable solution using flash memory chips. Samsung's ongoing commitment to technology excellence will now further extend to early market availability of high-performance NAND technologies implementing the new advanced security solution," said Young-Hyun Jun, Executive Vice President, Memory Business, Samsung Electronics. Co., Ltd.

"We believe the secure solution created by this initiative will enable customers to enjoy high quality experiences anytime, anywhere. Sony has always been focused on bringing amazing experiences to people through highly-advanced technologies in content creation, content distribution and picture display," said Hiroshi Yoshioka, Corporate Executive Officer and Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation.

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9 user comments

121.12.2011 01:05

And now is when we start the betting pool for this new protection's inevitable crack.

I give it less than a year from release.

221.12.2011 02:10

Considering that DRM has always been a smashing success wherever it's implemented, this latest move to bring it to memory cards is undoubtedly a practical and worthwhile move! Kudos to these companies for their original, innovative approach to digital media distribution!

(I give it six months.)

321.12.2011 04:35

Originally posted by nonoitall:
Considering that DRM has always been a smashing success wherever it's implemented, this latest move to bring it to memory cards is undoubtedly a practical and worthwhile move! Kudos to these companies for their original, innovative approach to digital media distribution!

(I give it six months.)
Six months before it is pulled from the market maybe...it will probably be cracked before they start retail sales. Even if it is never cracked, you will still have piracy...the DRM will only hurt the people dumb enough to pay for it.

Dumb
Ridiculous
Moronic

421.12.2011 04:37

Who cares or gives a shit. I will never buy one.

521.12.2011 09:43

all you would have to do is reflash the ic with a modified code.

the same way you flashed ECC buffered memory back in the day when ECC Memory was pared with a Model of Computer.

Dell used to be notorious for it especially on there now extinct Optiplex GX Series. Apple is the only other company that's mainstream and still locks down hardware with model Pairing.

621.12.2011 13:45
SmaryJerry
Unverified new user

This won't do anything, it's ez enough to even just capture your screen as it is playing. If they want to stop piracy they need just catch people trying to pirate and prosecute. Think about it like another crime like murder, you don't stop people from the ability to kill people (including using their fists). You just catch and prosecute.

721.12.2011 13:57

More bilking the paying consumer to keep this futile 'security' gravytrain rolling.

821.12.2011 16:28

Originally posted by SmaryJerry:
This won't do anything, it's ez enough to even just capture your screen as it is playing. If they want to stop piracy they need just catch people trying to pirate and prosecute. Think about it like another crime like murder, you don't stop people from the ability to kill people (including using their fists). You just catch and prosecute.
You obviously have not seen Minority Report. We'll have murder DRM in the future...

921.12.2011 16:44

I don't know how easy this will be to hack this time around... seams like they are doing it right this time... basing it on the PKI and all, for this to get hacked one would have to leak a private key... oh wait... : )

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 21 Dec 2011 @ 4:45

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