AACSLA
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Blu-ray gets Managed Copy next year, requires new hardware
It took over three years, but mandatory Managed Copy is set to become a reality next year as each studio is required to sign the recently finalized AACS license by December 4th 2009, and any studio that signs early receives up to a 25 percent discount on licensing fees. What isn't mandatory, though, is hardware support, and although the current generation of players definitely won't work, most expect the majority of new BD devices to. The cost (you didn't think it'd be free, did you?) and the number of copies is up to the studio, but at least one copy will be allowed. That copy can be made via a menu on the disc and can take the form of another Blu-ray Disc or a DRM-laced Microsoft file. Up until now, Apple hasn't joined the party so no joy for iPod users -- although this could still happen. Either way, a connection to either the AACS' or studio's authorization server will be required to make it work. As cool as this all sounds, we're still skeptical; and although we'll be the first to try it, somehow we don't think it'll live up to our expectations.
SlySoft working on user friendly Blu-ray player software
There is no shortage of Blu-ray playback software for Windows, but most of it can be pretty annoying. Assuming you even have all the HDCP compliant hardware to use it, it is still pretty limited in regards to audio capabilities and then worst of all, there is all the forced video like previews and legal warnings. Lucky for us the AACS LA's worst nightmare, SlySoft, has plans to make Blu-ray playback on a computer even less painful. While AnyDVD already allows you to playback Blu-ray Discs on non-HDCP complaint hardware, in addition this should let you output uncompressed PCM audio via HDMI without the protected path that is only available in very expensive audio cards. It would also let you disable BDJ and skip straight to the start of a movie -- possibly even resuming BDJ discs. And our personal favorite is the ability to skip those annoying legal warning, of which we are actually close to reciting the one in French because we've read it so many times. No word on availability but at free, the price is right. While SlySoft is working so hard, we'd also like some Mac software to help ease Apple users' "bag of hurt."
SlySoft stays one step ahead of AACS
Nothing lets you know spring is in the air like fevered cat-and-mouse DRM activity. The AACS LA (Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator) has seen fit to try the "proactive renewal" strategy, hoping that changing up the encryption keys will keep Blu-ray Region B users securely under thumb. Good luck: the ominous-sounding MKB v7 is already "supported" in SlySoft's AnyDVD HD version 6.4.1.1, released yesterday. The end result is exactly zero "downtime" for users, as discs utilizing MKB v7 aren't due out until the end of this month. To add insult to injury, SlySoft then turned around and loosed version 6.4.1.2 today with "Improved region lock removal from Blu-ray discs which contain signed Java code." SlySoft doesn't look like it's willing to relinquish its role as fox in the henhouse![Via Afterdawn]
AACS LA is one step ahead, for now
The world of DRM is a cat and mouse game and will be till the content creators finally figure out DRM doesn't work. The latest titles from both HD formats includes the latest version of AACS (MKB v.4) and as a result they can't be ripped. SlySoft (the makers of AnyDVD HD) are working hard to update their software, but at this point it's been at least a week -- it might end up being the most resilient update since AACS was originally compromised, as they usually they have an update in a few days. But this isn't the worst of it, as most of the new Blu-ray titles also include BD+. Some say it isn't crackable; but we know how that goes, and SlySoft seems to think they'll have it worked out in about six weeks.
Newest AACS circumvented: The Matrix Trilogy set free
Just in case you didn't already piece it together, many (if not all) of the new HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc titles set for release on May 22nd will feature the latest revisions to AACS. Right, the update hinted at by those forced user updates to the WinDVD and PowerDVD software. Yeah, well no worries... it's cracked. That's right, a week before the disks have even hit the shops, the kids over at Slysoft have already released AnyDVD HD 6.1.5.1 (beta) which kicks AACS MKB v3 swiftly to the curb. Thus you can continue to rip all your newly purchased HD DVD and BD flicks for playback any damn way you like. The update has already been demonstrated to work with an early-shipped release of The Matrix Trilogy on HD DVD and will likely work for Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest when it arrives on Blu-ray. Come on AACS LA, you're gonna have to at least try. Better yet, why not just give up this silly charade.[Thanks, Garth M.]
AACS hacked to expose Volume ID: WinDVD patch irrelevant
The DRM "protecting" HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc films -- AACS -- continues to unravel at the seams. In parallel efforts, hackers in both the Xboxhacker and Doom9 forums have exposed the "Volume ID" for discs played on XBOX 360 HD DVD drives. Any inserted disc will play without first authenticating with AACS, even those with Volume IDs which have already been revoked by the AACS LA due to previous hacking efforts. Add the exposed processing keys and you can decrypt and backup your discs for playback on any device of your choosing. So yeah, it looks like last week's WinDVD update has been quickly and definitively made useless just as we expected it would be. Well, for XBOX 360 HD DVD drive owners anyway but you can see where this is heading, right? Now go ahead AACS LA, revoke the Toshiba-built XBOX 360 HD DVD player... we double-dog dare ya.
Macrovision inks deal to put ACP in AACS
After at one point it seemed like Macrovision would be rendered irrelevant by AACS, they are now a part of it. Perhaps in a move to justify stalling the implementation of ICT, AACS LA will include Macrovision's analog content protection technology in their next update. This isn't that surprising as ICT or no, the analog hole is still a major concern for content providers, in fact Macrovision VP Adam Gervin predicted this back in 2004 (he also predicted that high definition DVD formats would be very slow to take off, DVDs had 5 years of growth left in them and that AACS would be cracked). Of course, one has to wonder how this will affect Toshiba's HD DVD player and PC Blu-ray drives that are already on the market.
