Fergie's Tech Blog

AACS Devices Won't Require Dedicated Net Connection

You may not know a device that uses AACS when you see it, but it's the copy-protection method of choice shared by both Blu-ray and HD DVD, and it's been fraught with difficulties and controversy the last couple of months. And apparently it's even come under criticism for requiring a dedicated Internet connection, too -- which is news to us.

Microsoft brought the issue forth in some statements to TG Daily about the rumored connection requirements, and simply called them untrue. Apparently AACS devices, which we understood may sometimes require encryption key updates and firmware upgrades to prevent fair use salacious ripping of content, will make use of customers' "existing network equipment, including Ethernet routers and WiFi transmitters," for managed copy, and won't ever require a net connection for playback.

If true, well, that's just wonderful -- and happens to run totally counter to what we'd heard from official and officious sources to date; but if the spec has indeed changed so drastically and managed copy is really the only thing that would require a connection, and key swaps aren't a problem for AACS devices anymore, then what's their grand countermeasure to prevent AACS from being singularly cracked like CSS, hm?

posted by Fergie @ 3/23/2006 02:45:00 PM