Next Generation Digital Broadcasting, First-of-a-Kind

[BJ_M]

http://www-1.ibm.com/press/PressServletForm.wss?MenuChoice=pressreleases&TemplateName=...STATUS=publish
Press releases

FOX Entertainment Group and IBM to Enable Next Generation Digital Broadcasting

First-of-a-Kind Technology Enables Easy, Secure Access to Digital Content

LOS ANGELES, CA and ARMONK, NY -- Apr 18, 2005 -- Fox Entertainment Group and IBM today announced a collaboration on a first-of-a-kind technology intended to dramatically simplify home entertainment networks and provide consumers with more flexibility in the ways they can view content.

The broadcast flag, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandate, will be embedded in digital broadcasts beginning this July to help prevent unauthorized redistribution of content over the Internet. Until now, the only way of reducing the unauthorized distribution of flagged content was to measure the time it takes the data to travel to another device in the network, dictating that the devices be close together, potentially impacting consumer flexibility in viewing of content.

Building on IBM expertise in broadcast encryption and content protection, Fox is working with IBM Research to co-develop metro coding technology, a new and breakthrough method that enables content protection based on Defined Market Areas (DMAs), not on physical location of devices. This innovative technology is intended to allow consumers to view flagged digital content easily and securely on home network devices regardless of their physical proximity -- as long as all devices are associated with the same DMA. IBM's first-of-a-kind program brings IBM research scientists and industry leaders together to apply innovative technologies to solve real-world challenges.

"The fact that Fox and IBM are collaborating on this new technology is as important a development as the innovation it represents," said Andrew G. Setos, President of Engineering for the Fox Group. "Making the home network simpler yet simultaneously more robust will not only benefit consumers, but every industry involved in the creation and distribution of broadcast content as well."

Typically, broadcast content adheres to a television station's designated geographic market area which enables local broadcasters to air and/or customize programs, like sporting events and commercials, for specific viewing audiences. The new metro coding approach enables viewers to receive digital programming and watch it on any device within the home network as defined by its DMA, eliminating the need for parameters-based definitions of the network. And the technology will work in conjunction with other FCC-certified storage and link content protection technologies and with IBM xCP broadcast encryption technology.

"Protecting content in a way that also provides flexible use for consumers is an industry imperative," said Steve Canepa, vice president, IBM Media & Entertainment Industry. "Usability is a critical success factor for the widespread adoption of digital content distribution and protection techniques; IBM and Fox are developing an innovative business solution that benefits viewers and broadcasters alike."

Metro coding uses information embedded in the digital broadcast stream to identify the DMA and tags the content indicating its original DMA when it is redistributed within a home network. Because metro coding doesn't attempt to limit the reach of the underlying transmission protocol, it is a flexible solution that will scale to work with future technical advances in home networks. The companies expect to complete the development by 1Q 2006.

About Fox
News Corporation is a diversified international media and entertainment company with operations in eight industry segments: filmed entertainment; television; cable network programming; direct broadcast satellite television; magazines and inserts; newspapers; book publishing; and other. The activities of News Corporation are conducted principally in the United States, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, Asia and the Pacific Basin.

About IBM
IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. More information about IBM can be found at: www.ibm.com

[Gurm]

Ahh I see. So I can't buy a DVD player in Cleveland and take it home to Boston and expect it to work?

DOOMED

TO

FAILURE.

Sorry, these schemes are getting more and more silly. And nobody is buying.

[EvilWizardGlick]

I don't understand. This seems like a more fascist type of region coding. But defining the US as different regions as well.
And this headline makes little sense in the context of the story

First-of-a-Kind Technology Enables Easy, Secure Access to Digital Content

Right now we do have easy secure access. The technology will not make anything easier or better.

[somebodeez]

Ahh I see. So I can't buy a DVD player in Cleveland and take it home to Boston and expect it to work?

Or what happens if you move ?
I don't understand.

[yoda313]

Hi,

Sounds good in theory but what about families that travel a lot?? I mean does that mean you cant take a harddrive with shows on it and go to another state and view it over there because its outside the region???

What they need is the option like Itunes that limits the number of computers that can use the digital file but still allow a physical disc to be created. If they could limit the number of digital copies but still allow dvd creation than that would be a better way to go.

Kevin

[paulw]

Good old USA land of free choice.....I don't think. THis one is doomed. WAs this a FCC mandated feature of one that was demanded by the so called content providers to the FCC????

[junkmalle]

this headline makes little sense in the context of the story

First-of-a-Kind Technology Enables Easy, Secure Access to Digital Content

You just don't understand. They're talking about the RIAA and the MPAA having easy, secure access to your digital content! Heheh.

[adam]

Geesh people do you even read the news reports before bashing (insert company name here)? Exactly what problem do you people have with this, how is this fascist, and what in the world does this have to do with DVD players?

The federal government has mandated the use of a broadcasting flag. We may not like it but consumers and manufacturers now have to live with it. These flags limit what you can do with recorded digital BROADCASTS, (note, not DVDs) and this can result in the unintentional limiting of a consumer's legal right to stream these broadcasts on their network.

This new technology uses a different method of tracking these broadcast flags by a set DMA, just a tag basically, as opposed to proximity. This means that you won't be prevented from streaming your broadcast to your bedroom because your isp requires all your signals to bounce to some server in the next state. If I'm reading this correctly, it would also allow you to access broadcasts sent to your house, anywhere that you can access the network so you could maybe still watch your programs even while on vacation. Without this technology, you can't do that.

This technology is Pro-consumer and a good thing, IMO. Its taking the broadcast flags, which manufacturers have no choice but to implement, and changing the way they work so that they don't unintentionally limit legal distribution. Its sorta like giving you a license for all your devices to access your content, rather then arbitrarily cutting off any device that's not a few hops (server wise) away.

[BJ_M]

yea -- i read it as a good thing also -- in the context of , if you have to have them ,,,,, at least make them more user friendly ..

[SatStorm]

Don't mention that by routing you have a choice to bypass....
Them more in-betweens the better! (from a technical point of view)

[RabidDog]

Does anybody know anything about this part??

"link content protection technologies and with IBM xCP broadcast encryption technology."

probably of more relevance....