SunnComm widens portable player support with MediaMax V5

July 9, 2004

SunnComm International which develops one of the most widely accepted digital rights management technology for audio CDs has announced its upcoming proprietary technology - MediaMax version 5. Until now, the current MediaMax based CDs offer a red-book session for CD players and a data session with DRM protected tracks for PC playback.

MediaMax Version 5 uses a different technique. Rather than lose valuable CD capacity for a 2^nd set of DRM protected tracks (and its associated royalty costs), the new version makes a connection to a remote server containing the tracks. Prior to download, these tracks are encoded on the fly with DRM before delivery to the consumers PC. The aim is offer the consumer content that suits their secure portable player rather than limit the player choice to what ever the 2^nd
data session tracks are encoded in. This also frees up additional CD space
for extra content.

SunnComm is really satisfied with its CD anti-piracy technology with CDs using its technology reaching #1 on the Billboard's Top 200. They claim that their technology is proven for reducing unauthorised casual copying while having the highest playback compatibility.

Until MediaMax (Version 5), CD copy management applications that involve DRM-protected songs require the content to be previously encoded on the CD itself in what is referred to as a "second session." Alternatively, the protected content is made available for download from a remote music server. According to SunnComm's president, Peter H. Jacobs, "The MediaMax Version 5 platform creates an environment where digital information can now be encoded with the required DRM security information and instantaneously delivered to the consumer's computer in real time, or 'on-the-fly.' Because this newest version of MediaMax has rendered obsolete the need to place additional 'pre-protected' copies of each music track on the CD, there will be more room for music and other bonus features. Also important is the fact that the labels will eliminate any potential publisher royalty liability they might incur when a second, protected copy of every track is placed on the CD as was the case for older copy management methodologies.

SunnComm's principal consultant, Artie Ripp said, "Based on millions and millions of commercial MediaMax CDs in the North American marketplace, it is extremely gratifying to see that our breakthrough technology has been overwhelmingly accepted by consumers who gave us extremely high grades for playback reliability and customer friendliness. MediaMax has proven that its use reduces the unauthorized practice of 'casual copying' (which occurs when consumers make illegal additional copies of a CD for friends), and contributes to a reduction in the week-to-week album sales drop-off rates expected when new music is initially released. MediaMax is the only CD copy management and enhancement technology found good enough to be used on current hit records in the US including recent releases that have made it all the way to #1 on Billboard's Top 200. SunnComm and MediaMax were also proud to be part of recent gold and platinum releases as well."

While it is not clear if SunnComm has overcome its previous security flaw, they do seem to offer a useful feature that even the majority of legal download services lack: Choice of encoding for the consumer's portable player. No mention has been made of what secure audio codec's the support or if they give a choice of bitrates.

Then again, unlike other DRM protected CD technologies, SunnComm's protection (at least up until now) is software based. This means that their CDs should playback where ever any traditional audio CD would play. For
example, In-car CD systems, portable players incorporating anti-shock and
non-Windows operating systems such as Linux and MAC OS typically give issues with
many other 'modified' CD DRM technologies.

Source: Music Industry News Network