Microsoft dug its roots a little deeper into the music business Wednesday, as copy-protection company Macrovision agreed to license its Windows digital rights management technology for CDs.
The software giant has gained considerable ground over the past few months in its bid to have its audio technology loaded on every copy-protected CD sold by record labels. While labels have yet to make any significant copy-protected releases in the United States, Microsoft is poised to have its technology onboard if they do. Macrovision said its new relationship with Microsoft could help diminish labels' reluctance to release copy-protected CDs in the United States, because it would allow consumers more flexibility to use music from those discs on computers and MP3 players.
"We're hopeful that the labels will do some test releases this summer and do some major releases this winter," said Adam Sexton, vice president of marketing for Macrovision's music technology division. "Copy protection is working in Europe, and airplanes are not falling out of the sky. The economy is still functioning, despite the doomsday predictions." The CD copy-protection business has been converging on Microsoft technology as a de facto standard for some time.
News source: C|net
The software giant has gained considerable ground over the past few months in its bid to have its audio technology loaded on every copy-protected CD sold by record labels. While labels have yet to make any significant copy-protected releases in the United States, Microsoft is poised to have its technology onboard if they do. Macrovision said its new relationship with Microsoft could help diminish labels' reluctance to release copy-protected CDs in the United States, because it would allow consumers more flexibility to use music from those discs on computers and MP3 players.
"We're hopeful that the labels will do some test releases this summer and do some major releases this winter," said Adam Sexton, vice president of marketing for Macrovision's music technology division. "Copy protection is working in Europe, and airplanes are not falling out of the sky. The economy is still functioning, despite the doomsday predictions." The CD copy-protection business has been converging on Microsoft technology as a de facto standard for some time.
News source: C|net
Original versions of the pirate-proofing technology blocked consumers' ability to copy or "rip" digital files from CDs altogether. After that proved unpopular with an increasingly PC-centric listening audience, copy-proofing companies like Macrovision and rival SunnComm Technologies looked for a way to put protected pre-ripped files directly on CDs, which could then be transferred to PCs instead
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.