feature digital asset protection
Non-proprietary security standards may seem counter- intuitive - how can an open standard provide the right level of security to deliver high value content? Yet, no one wants to see DRM standing in the way of the ‘TV everywhere’ promise, especially as the mobile video market is maturing. In this article, Steve Christian and Bo Ferm of Verimatrix discuss the value and benefits of a multi-vendor DRM scheme, in particular the Marlin DRM standard, to enable the type of consumer choice that all digital TV operators are aiming for. They will examine why projects such as YouView in the UK (formerly known as Project Canvas) might adopt such a non-proprietary approach. In addition, they will discuss strategies for implementing these sophisticated protocols to make digital convergence happen inside the home.
choices, whether blockbuster movies or ‘long tail’ content, together with location and time independence. However, maximising the monetisation of content across a multi-network, multi-screen delivery environment is not without several challenges, including the issue of managing multiple digital rights management (DRM) systems.
A
Proprietary DRM challenges DRM schemes in general present many
The value of non-proprietary DRM standards
s video content becomes more diverse and ubiquitous, pay-TV operators have evolved their service offerings to offer more programming
challenges, most notably
Marlin offers a richly featured, state-of-the- art environment from which to build secure distribution networks.
interoperability, as the technology is often highly proprietary and DRM vendors are inclined to keep it under wraps to prevent security breaches. The exclusivity of these proprietary DRM schemes provides an exceptional level of security, but also makes it exceedingly difficult to create standards and prevents the idea of creating an environment where multiple vendors can cooperate effectively or compete against one another.
While non-proprietary security standards may seem counter-intuitive, over the past several years there has been a growing movement by pay-TV operators to reduce their dependence on a single vendor, in part fueled by their reluctance to be being harnessed to one scheme for a long period of time.
As a result, many operators have been deploying open, non-proprietary DRM environments, where client devices can be delivered by different vendors, yet all be created on the same standard based on the same protocols and reference codes. This enables all devices to interact harmoniously, as long as the different standards have been constructed appropriately. This is a very
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sophisticated option that enables a software-based, IP-centric system for enhanced content and revenue security.
The Marlin example
For example, consider Marlin, a consortium that has developed a DRM scheme for multimedia content. It offers a richly featured, state-of-the-art environment from which to build secure distribution networks. The Marlin specifications were developed by the Marlin Developer Community (MDC), which was created in 2005 by Intertrust, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, and Sony.
Marlin is particularly well suited for multi-screen services as it is not limited to specific client device types. Moreover, because it has been developed through a partnership of CE vendors and digital rights technologists, is available in source form for commercial licensing, and is supported by an independent trust management infrastructure, Marlin promises to enable a rich ecosystem of client devices and services from multiple sources.
This heritage and positioning has thrust Marlin into the forefront of a
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