DVD burning license delayed
DVD Copy Control Assn. members failed to reach agreement
By Jennifer Netherby -- Video Business, 5/11/2007
MAY 11 | Unresolved technology licensing issues continue to thwart efforts by studios and technology companies to deploy on-demand burning of DVDs, pushing back plans to offer in-store burning until late June at the earliest, sources involved in the discussions say.
Studios and movie download companies have been waiting for final amendments to the Content Scrambling System license to be approved by the DVD Copy Control Assn., the administrator of CSS, so that they can move ahead with download-to-burn offerings for consumers.
CSS is the copy-protection system used on commercially manufactured DVDs and its use in on-demand burning would ensure compatibility between burned discs and set-top DVD players.
Studios and tech companies were optimistic that by this summer movie downloads to DVD would be a reality after the final technical issues involved were resolved and the DVD Forum, which oversees the physical format, approved the new type of DVD-R disc needed for burning using CSS.
All that was needed after that was for DVD-CCA to approve a new CSS license for managed manufacturing on demand. That was supposed to happen in April, but the group failed to reach an agreement.
With the new license, retailers, kiosk companies and others will be able to go through companies such as Sonic Solutions for software that provides CSS-encrypted burning, said Jim Taylor, general manager of Sonic’s Advanced Technology Group.
Currently, companies have to apply for a replicator license to burn movies to DVD. Kiosk companies and retailers can get a replicator license and burn movies for consumers in stores. However, movie download services can’t offer download-to-burn for consumers at home until the new manufacturing-on-demand license is passed.
The next DVD-CCA meeting isn’t scheduled until the end of June, and studios and consumer electronics companies in the group are in talks to resolve any issues so it will be passed, one source said.
If the group doesn’t come to an agreement, the source said studios might move forward with burn-to-DVD using CSS anyway.
Other copy-protection systems could be used for download-and-burn services but using anything other than CSS increases the risk of compatibility problems with some set-top players.
Compatibility tests using CSS in December showed the newly created DVD download discs to be compatible with more than 99% of DVD players, Taylor said.
Studios have looked at other options, such as using FluxDVD, which includes anti-ripping technology but no copy-protection. CinemaNow launched FluxDVD last July, signing deals with Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Buena Vista Worldwide Home Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment and Lionsgate.
So far, only Universal and Lionsgate have released new releases on the download-to-burn format.
CinemaNow has said it plans to offer download-to-burn using CSS when that option becomes available.
Movie download services such as Movielink have already begun working on launch plans for DVD burning, and kiosks companies have been working to get download kiosks in retail stores on a trial basis by fall.
Movielink representatives didn’t respond to a request to comment on the delay.
