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Topic: New DTS Anti-Piracy Security Enhancements

John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 12-03-2003 09:45 AM

On the DTS website:

http://www.dtsonline.com/company/press/press-article.php?ID=395978049&cID=8&yID=2003

quote:
December 02, 2003 DTS To Introduce Security Enhancements For Cinema Audio Content Protection

PR for: DTS Cinema

DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) (Nasdaq: DTSI) today announced that it plans to introduce a series of software-based security enhancements for increased audio content protection of its theatrical sound delivery systems. As a committed participant in the entertainment industry battle against piracy, DTS plans initially to roll out the security enhancements on a limited basis in Q1 of 2004, and more widely across the globe thereafter. Currently in beta testing, the system enhancements are aimed at providing increased control and security features to protect DTS-formatted audio for cinema use from unauthorized tampering, copying or playback. This software-based upgrade represents an added measure to protect important film content and elements from illegal piracy.

“These product enhancements are a direct response to the entertainment industry’s growing concern regarding piracy, and through cooperative effort with our customers we have been able to accelerate our development timetable,” said Jon Kirchner, President and CEO of DTS. “DTS is committed to supporting the needs of studios, distributors and exhibitors in whatever ways we can to prevent content piracy.”

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 12-03-2003 02:02 PM

Truly pathetic. Everyone has lost their friggin' minds! Having a DTS audio disc is useless to anyone without a copy of the film print, and if someone has a print, they have the SRD audio. Besides, there is nothing they can encode which some hacker couldn't overcome anyway.

Some people really need to wake the hell up.

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-03-2003 02:47 PM

It's quite simple ... they want to ensure that you don't use their system for an interlocked print. Or if you don't receive discs. Or if the discs you receive are bad. Or if you have a DTS6. Or if you play subrun. Or if you want to ensure that your presentation is in digital. Or if you have a brain.

What's next? A modem card installed to dial up and get permission from the studio before you start your show? Maybe that's what the networking in the XD10 is really for.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-03-2003 02:53 PM

Who the hell would want to pirate a DTS disc?

I think the message is clear:

DTS hates its customers.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-03-2003 03:02 PM

So what is this anti-piracy scheme and how does it work? How will it affect the exhibitor? Won't the sound still need to go through a D->A conversion before it can be fed to the sound processor, anyway? And why, exactly, does any of this matter when there's an optical track (which can sound darn good with SR noise reduction) on the film itself?

Adam: shhh! Don't give them any ideas.

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Dwayne Caldwell
Master Film Handler

Posts: 323
From: Rockwall, TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 12-03-2003 03:25 PM

Maybe they'll decide to input a series of random modem-like beeps on each set of discs in an effort to track down these numerous DTS bootleggers. Like an audio version of the CAP code. After all, we can always use more distractions in the presentation.

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 12-03-2003 03:52 PM

It is a case of aggravating a few customers and pleasing others ( equipment versus licensing end users ). The sound track, though separate, is basically still copywrited material which the content owners would like to protect any potential source of revenue...even if it is shadow puppets projected on the screen with digital sound somewhere in the world [Wink]

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 12-03-2003 04:01 PM

Well regardless of the reasons (public or private), it really helps to negate the usefulness of a DTS system, which is not the most versatile system for your standard movie theater. Pretty soon DTS will be only for special venue if they keep this up. Any studio who fears loss of revenue over a set of DTS discs obviously knows nothing about DTS, who is eager to kiss the ass of the highest bidder. Sorry customers, you should have known better than to buy DTS. [Mad]

Just buy Dolby Digital. It's easier to deal with, more movies offer it, and you'll be MUCH happier.

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Adam Martin
I'm not even gonna point out the irony.

Posts: 3686
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 12-03-2003 04:22 PM

quote:
even if it is shadow puppets projected on the screen with digital sound somewhere in the world

I just had an idea to improve upon several current movie franchises. Someone send me a timecode generator right away.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-03-2003 04:26 PM

Well, they can go ahead and make it so people can't copy disks but those people at DTS had better make goddamm sure that, from now on, every print with a DTS timecode track ships with a set of fucking disks! I don't give a flying fuck if the print is 10 years old, if it's an international print or if it's brand-stinking new!

If it's a DTS print it WILL have disks in the can! No calling around. No hemming and hawing over the phone. Just give me the rat-bastard disks!

Anything less than that will spell the end of DTS in less than 3 years! What? Are they trying to put themselves out of business?!

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Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 12-03-2003 04:51 PM

I gotta chime in here too...

DITTO all of the above!

I guess they are not serious about staying in the biz. What a bunch of boneheads!

>>> Phil

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Ron Lacheur
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 650
From: British Columbia, Canada
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 12-03-2003 05:01 PM

Everybody has Anti-Piracy on the brain. The Anti Piracy campaigns are more out of control then piracy itself.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-03-2003 05:04 PM

What Ron said.

DTS is a really nice system (especially since it supports 70mm) and the XD-10 sounds like a nice product, but this anti-piracy crap may sink the format if it causes any amount of grief for the exhibitor. (And it won't do any good to prevent piracy, anyway. Just get a timecode generator and hook up a DA-88 or some other sync tape recorder to the DTS unit's outputs. Presto--instant copy of the film soundtrack.)

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 12-03-2003 06:16 PM

The"pirates" could be using DTS discs is to play them back on a DTS player played rigged to play without timecode in order to get a perfect digital data stream. But I don't think most pirates would want to go to that much trouble. Who cares about that...most folks wouldn't hear the difference anyway.

One way DTS could copy protect their discs would be to create an entirely new disc standard so that only DTS readers could read the content. Design the system so that only a special BIOS could read the odd formatted disc. That way, only DTS official readers could read the things.

BUT, I agree with everyone here. This is a really silly idea. But, I'm sure Valenti and the boys will be cheering this on, as DTS is DIGITAL sound, and we all know that DIGITAL is better and DIGITAL means more PIRACY.

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Larry Davis
Film Handler

Posts: 66
From: New York
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 12-03-2003 06:39 PM

Since the DTS units output analog and not digital, it would be relatively easy to copy the 6 channel output. This "me too" announcement doesn't address that. Copy protecting the discs is going to make them more likely to be hoarded, which can't be of benefit to exhibitors.

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