Blu-ray managed copy possible by the end of 2010

(Note you can hear us talk about this on the latest Seen in HD podcast as well.)

Since being announced in 2005, managed copy for Blu-ray discs has been something of an enigma: often talked about, not fully understood. The idea of making full-resolution legal copies of Blu-ray discs is a tantalizing one. Since being announced, Blu-ray users have dreamed of networked movie jukeboxes stuffed full of HD movies.

But since Blu-ray spokesman Andy Parsons told Reuters that “Mandatory managed copy will be part of Blu-ray format” in November of 2005, most of the movement in the technology has been behind the scenes, relegated to technical specs and agreements between AACS and its licensees.

After talking with Michael Ayers, chairman of AACS-LA, the organization behind Blu-ray copyright protection and the owner of the managed copy spec, we know a few more things than we did at CES 2010, including that you might be making managed copies this year.

On December 4, 2009 AACS-LA mandated that all Blu-rays manufactured be managed copy-ready. Since that day, all new discs carry the ability to participate in managed copy (save for a few minor exceptions).

All this is well and good, but there are two big pieces of the puzzle missing: hardware and the content servers.

Managed copy will not work on existing Blu-ray hardware, except possibly the PS3 but even that is not known at this point. Additionally, until the authorization severs are in place, no copies can be made. According to Ayers, the state of both those items is essentially what it was at CES, with some exceptions.

“The final agreements and specs from last year now enable devices to be manufactured, whether it’s for the PC or a CE device in the living room,” Ayers said of the hardware situation. “We don’t have a requirement that our licensees report their development progress so we don’t have any concrete knowledge of any plans. However, we are aware that a number of companies are moving forward with their plans. We’re not sure of the schedule at this time.”

The hardware angle is pretty cut and dry. Ayers did say that the specs would be a living document, and expects than an updated spec will be sent out in around three weeks. The most noticeable change will be accommodating 3D in the managed copy arena.

“AACS by itself already accommodates 3D playback,” he said. “We needed to make adjustments for managed copy 3D. AACS technology is updatable and extensible, but as formats change, such as 3D, we’re able to evolve to accommodate.”

Ayers was a bit coy when asked if this update would mean 3D Blu-ray discs would make 3D managed copies, saying only “AACS will support making a 3D copy for managed copy, it’s a matter of if the underlying devices and Blu-ray formats support it.”

Also unknown is if studios will be allowed to choose to offer 3D or not with their managed copy programs. As it stands, studios are only required to provide one managed copy. The cost and if there will be additional copies allowed is a studio choice.

As for the servers, Ayers said progress is being made but no hard date is known yet for when they will launch.

“Looking into our crystal ball, as awkward as that can be, we’re looking at the end of this year or beginning of 2011 for the launch of the default managed copy servers.”

That means unless a studio decides to build their own server before that time, you likely won’t be making legal copies for several more months. At this time AACS has no knowledge of any studio taking that route. The expectation is that most will wait for the default servers to go online to test the waters, see exactly what the response is, and then possibly branch out on their own.

An online service provider agreement will be readied later this year that will allow studios to work with third-parties to create servers as well.

Information on how exactly the copies would be made has been hard to come by as well. Ayers let us in on a few nuggets of information regarding the process.

First, he said that the type of copy that could be made would be dependent on the capabilities of the device making the copy. For instance, if attempting to make a copy on a player that only has a memory card slot available as output, that will be the only option available for your managed copy.

This means if you want to make your managed copy on a recordable Blu-ray or DVD, or store it on a hard drive, you likely will need a PC drive to do so. When asked if it would be possible to initiate a managed copy process in the living room and complete the transaction on a local PC, Ayers didn’t rule it out, but said it wasn’t what they see as the basic approach.

“We try to allow for flexibility on the side of the device manufacturer,” he said. “If that wanted to build something like that, it’s possible. But we have to be careful to note we’re not in position to OK any concept. They all have to be in compliance with the rules.”

Since no manufacturers have come forward with information on the types of devices they are building for managed copy, it remains to be seen how many choices consumers will have when it comes time to make their copies.

Also not specified by AACS is the interface that will be used to make the copy. While the popular notion is that a menu item will appear on the disc, Ayers said it could possibly be a button on the front of the device as well.

The creation of the copy requires only one communication with the AACS servers. Once that copy is made, it then relies on the DRM of the technology it was made into, or the Managed Copy Output Technology (MCOT). So if you choose to put a managed copy on a Windows-based hard drive, that file would then be governed by the constraints of the Windows PlayReady DRM.

This means that once a copy is made, that copy will no longer need to talk to the AACS servers for further authorization. This alleviates some of the fears of managed copy going the way Walmart’s MP3 service did when it closed up shop leaving customers with unplayable MP3s.

When asked how managed copy might work with technologies such as DECE or Disney’s KeyChest, Ayers said that both are separate from AACS and that as of now they have had no formal discussions with either organization to approve them as managed copy output technology.

“We think they would live side by side, but not really overlap,” he said. “But if there was interest we would certainly talk to those groups. It’s still premature to know how that would be at this point.”

Ayers also said that they would love to have any other DRM provider come to them, but at this time there was still no pending request from Apple. “Certainly all are welcome, we think there’s a benefit to the consumer to have as many MCOTs as possible.”

And for you Media Center users out there, Ayers deferred to Microsoft when asked if the hard drive-based files would play through Media Center.

[tags]blu-ray, managed copy, aacs, 3D [/tags]