Sony to offer 'Controlled Burning Feature' audio discs

This Fall Sony DADC will introduce Controlled Burning to its
audio customers. This Digital Rights Management solution gives
content-owners the freedom of allowing their end-consumers a limited
amount of private copies. Controlled Burning offers a profitable
compromise by granting consumers private copies whilst protecting the
rights of content-owners. Controlled Burning is a sophisticated technology
which allows content-owners to pre-determine how many copies off of
everyoriginal may be made. Only the original disc can function as a
master. The copies themselves are equipped with key2audioXS copy control,
rendering copy attempts unsuccessful.

From the
key2audioXS webpage-

key2audioXS™ is an intelligent
multi-session solution that combines a sophisticated and fully protected
audio session with a clone-proof multimedia session to allow owners of
original CDs to enjoy added-value bonus material.

When the key2audioXS™ disc is inserted
into the drive, an authentication process verifies the disc. If the disc
is an original, it can be played back on PC and allows the user to
access CD-Extra content and/or a Web link. The Web link connects the
legitimate user directly to a dedicated Web area (e.g. the artist's or
publisher's site) where the value-added bonus material of the
corresponding disc is available for tethered download or streaming.

key2audioXS™ prevents unauthorized
usage, copying and distribution of online files, so only customers who
have purchased an original key2audioXS disc have access to your bonus
content.

A key2audioXS™-protected CD is a
dual-session CD containing

• an audio session and
  
• a data session ("2nd session") with
  DRM protected music files, as well as other optional multimedia
  content (e.g. Video clips)

Both sessions are copy-protected.

key2audioXS™ gives user the
possibility to play his original disc on his PC in a high audio quality
(128 kb/s Windows Media, 132 kb/s OpenMG ) .

For the protection of the audio part
Sony DADC offers two different systems, which may even be combined with
each other:

Passive Copy Control
(PCC)
This version features a signature on the disc that does not
allow PC devices to access the original audio tracks. Copying and
ripping of the audio will be prevented. The original sound remains
untouched. No change is made to the audio stream.

Active Copy Control
(ACC)
The level of copy control can be increased even more with
this additional feature and best available protection and playback is
reached.

PC Playback

There are two ways to play a
key2audioXS™ disc on a PC:

• 
  
   Windows Media
  Player

Tracks from the audio part are
compressed and converted into WMA format and stored on the ROM session
of your disc. Sony DADC builds "second sessions" by using the Microsoft
Windows Media Data Session Toolkit, which enables secure high-quality
Windows Media content to be played on the PC. When a user wants to
listen to the disc on a PC, Windows Media Player opens up and he can
play the files directly from the ROM session
- Via a simple
navigation menu with different options (buttons) to choose from

What is the navigation menu on a
key2audioXS™ disc?

If the Multimedia session of your disc
contains more than just the converted Red Book audio files, a navigation
menu will be needed to allow users to select among the additional
features. We offer a standard navigation menu which we can create
automatically for your key2audioXS™ disc. If you'd prefer to use your
own navigation menu, we can work with your multimedia studio to
implement it on your disc.

• 
  
  OpenMG
  

- Via the software player on disc,
which can be set to start automatically through an autorun.exe
What
is the bundled player on a key2audioXS™ disc ?

The bundled player for secure PC
playback is directly delivered on disc. The player is automatically
created for each customer who can choose from different designs. This
player offers basic playback functionality, as well as access to
additional content like Secure Web Link, videos, link to homepage etc.

What is the MUSIC PLAYER on a
key2audioXS™ disc ?

Every key2audioXS™ disc includes the
MUSIC PLAYER set up. Once the player is stored on hard disk, the users
will be able to import tracks from disc to PC. Audio tracks will be
played in high quality and can be managed and stored on the hard
drive.