AACS 1.0 specifications finalized in July
The next generation of copy protection is here. The Advanced Access Content System is designed to limit the exploitation of HD-DVD and Blu-ray content. It has lovely features like Audio watermarking and the already notorious Image Constraint Token that limits the image quality if connected without HDCP encryption.
AACS 1.0 will have an audio watermark to prevent copies of high- quality audio productions. It reportedly will not allow pirated copies to be traced. Rather, as with DVD audio, it will make players refuse to playback pirated copies because they do not have a watermark.The “Image Constraint Token” (ICT), which will limit the digital HD output via connections without HDCP encryption to 960 ×540 pixels, will practically not be used on any discs because too many projectors and displays, especially in the US, do not have DVI (with HDCP) or HDMI. Warner is said to be the only proponent of ICT, while other studios do not seem too keen on this technology. The more strict “Digital Only Token” (DOT) in AACS 1.0 provides, among other things, for a block on analog data output so that data can only be output digitally. The packaging of discs that use DOT have to be clearly labelled as such so that buyers are not frustrated. In contrast, no notice is necessary for ICT. In addition, it was made clear that the controversial protection from films being taped from displays playing HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs has nothing to do with AACS, but is only an optional mechanism that the studios could use additionally.
Source: Heise.de
