Core Technology in the Digital Home

Future Hinges on Content Protection	Universal Plug-and-Play
Content Protection: a Closer Look	10-Foot Application

From the fallout of the Napster and music companies courtroom battles to the current illegal pirating of DVD movies, the issue of content protection is brewing at the center of a digital maelstrom refusing to cease or desist. Until a satisfactory conclusion is reached for both the content provider (e.g. movie studios) and the consumer, each side will suffer the consequences.

The Digital Rights Management (DRM), at the center of digital piracy concerns, is a complex issue. The content providers and producers expect multiple levels of security—transmission (e.g. TV signals) and playback, during storage (e.g. in your hard drive), and at the point of copying (e.g. burning to a disc)—while the CE/PC industries worry over the multitude of formats, multifaceted standards and chaotic protocol configurations.

To make it easier to understand, just imagine that every level of security has a corresponding hardware device governing the passage of information, like a toll booth that grants cars (i.e. the flow of information) passage only if fees are paid (i.e. content protection standards are adhered to). For example, tuner cards, recording and burning software, hard drives, and burners could all regulate how protected/unprotected content is shared. If content protection is not abided by, similar to a driver who is stuck for change at a toll booth, content will not be allowed to be played, copied, nor shared.

DTCP	Content Protection from the Content Itself
CPRM	Other Protection Systems

Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) and CyberLink PowerCinema

Within digital home networks, the transmission between client and server devices has to be protected (i.e. DTCP). Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol (DTCP-IP), specified for protection of copyrighted content transferred over digital interfaces in home networks, is currently the standard protocol. Users will be able to transmit and share content over secured devices within a digital home network, but not to third-parties or over the Internet.

The world's authoritative digital home software, CyberLink PowerCinema, ensures content protection by guaranteeing that Digital Rights Management (DRM) are abided by. By collaborating with Intel in implementing DTCP-IP, PowerCinema enables consumers to share protected content between digital home products over wired and wireless networks while protecting the interests of premium content providers.

Content Protection of Recordable Media (CPRM) and CyberLink PowerDVD

A standard developed by the 4C (IBM, Panasonic, Intel, Toshiba) group, Content Protection for Recordable Media (CPRM) is designed to prevent unauthorized copying of content and distribution via portable storage media such as DVDs and flash media storage.

In other words, recorded content may only be played on the device you recorded it on, which is ensured by adding a Media Identifier and a Media Key Block to the media content. Only CPRM-enabled devices or software applications (e.g. CyberLink PowerDVD) can read the identifier and key block, decrypting the data for playback after content has been authenticated. Users are prevented from playing protected content using hardware or software that is not CPRM-enabled.

PowerDVD, Japan, and CPRM

Copy-once programs and content copy protection are already common features of DVD and HDD recorders in Japan. Until now, discs recorded in compliance with the CPRM standard could only be played on the original consumer DVD recorder (standalone DVD player) that created the disc, but not played on other PCs. CyberLink provides a universal solution by delivering superior playback for CPRM-protected content on PCs with PowerDVD. Plus, it allows greater flexibility by recognizing CPRM-protected content while preventing playback of illegally duplicated content.

Other Protection Systems

VCPS

Formerly called Vidi and similar to CPRM, Video Content Protection System (VCPS) prevents illegal duplication of commercial digital content through encrypting video recordings on DVD+R and DVD+RW discs and protects digital broadcast content according to the Broadcast Flag rules adopted by the U.S. FCC.

HDCP

Developed by Intel Corporation to protect digital entertainment content, High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is a robust, cost-effective and transparent method/specification for transmitting and receiving digital entertainment content to DVI/HDMI-compliant (Digital Video Interface / High-definition Multimedia Interface) digital displays. Refer to the DVI/HDMI for more information.

The reason why HDCP specification goes hand-in-hand with DVI/HDMI is an easy one—content providers are protecting their copyrights in all digital-to-digital transmissions within the home network.

Content Protection from the Content Itself

The content protection onus does not fall squarely on hardware vendors. Content providers may also enable their content to protect itself in the form of:

Copy Control Information (CCI): located in packet headers and embedded in the content stream itself, it specifies the number of times the content can be copied (e.g. copy freely, once, no more, or never)

Authentication and Key Exchange (AKE): occurs between the source and sink of each link and comes in either full authentication mode (a signed exchange of device certificates) or restricted authentication mode (supports copy once and copy no more content only).

System Renewability: all DTCP sink devices contain certificates that may be revoked, which are clearly defined in the license agreement.

UPnP is about making home networking just a little bit easier for everyone. Founded on peer-to-peer network connectivity of digital home devices, UPnP architecture leverages media transfer protocols (i.e. TCP/IP and other Internet technologies) to offer seamless networking and controlling/transferring data management. UPnP-compliant products can automatically access and view multimedia content on other UPnP devices on a home network without any additional configuration, maintenance, or networking protocol settings.

After passing the UPnP MediaServer and MediaRenderer testing conducted by the UPnP™ Implementers Corporation (UIC), CyberLink PowerCinema 4 received the UPnP™ logo that gives users the assurance of total interoperability support between UPnP™ devices and allows the sharing of data between appliances anywhere within the digital home. PowerCinema is listed as a compatible product on the UIC Certification site at http://www.upnp-ic.org/certification/default.asp#devices.

The 10-foot user interface is aptly named from the average distance users are situated from their TV screens comfortably. This interface signifies the remote (wireless) convenience and familiarity of using a TV with a simple and large text view for easily navigating photos and music folders, playing games, watching DVDs, online shopping and surfing the Web. Supplementary features designed for the digital home environment must support this operation.

Implementation of remote-controlled features requires simplification of complex functions into single direction and instant responsiveness. CyberLink PowerCinema’s support for remote-control navigation exemplifies this, extending to single-click removal of photo red-eyes, playing games, browsing EPG content (includes Teletext and Internet-based Electronic Program Guides support in Europe), and scheduling TV recording. CyberLink MakeDVD, a PowerCinema accessory, allows for DVD burning via 10-foot remote control. Top