[Home]
April 06, 2002

[BPDG Drafts]
BPDG interim report issued

Michael Ripley from Intel sent along the BPDG's April 5 draft of its forthcoming April 8 interim report.

Explaining the origin of the problem:

Thus, unlike prerecorded encrypted digital media such as DVD, or premium digital cable and satellite video transmissions delivered via conditional access, there is no technical or legal authorization necessary to receive the signals and no licensing ``hook'' (i.e., no technology license is needed to decrypt content) present to impose conditions for the secure handling of such content. Consequently, this unprotected DTV content can be redistributed (e.g., over the Internet) without authorization from the copyright holders.

The draft also notes that the ATSC standards organization has included the "RC descriptor" (which is the broadcast flag) in the ATSC standard "as of April 2, 2002".

The draft identifies four remaining areas where consensus is missing. These are:

  • Table A
  • Whether and how compliant devices may output video other than by using methods on Table A
  • The Philips proposal on consumer DVD recording of TV broadcasts
  • The controversy about whether and how ATSC modulators will be regulated

Of course, EFF has raised objections other than these. Typically, our concerns have either been ignored or categorized as "policy issues" which will only arise when the attempt is made to turn the BPDG rules into actual legislation.

Posted by Seth Schoen at 10:04 PM