Windows Media DRM Comes to CDs, DVDs

A new toolkit lets content producers add a second Windows Media Format data stream to CDs and DVDs and then protect this data stream using Microsoft’s digital rights management (DRM) technologies. Microsoft is hoping that content producers will use this method to safeguard content from unauthorized copying, rather than release disks that cannot be played in a computer, which would hamper the company’s efforts to establish the PC as a home entertainment hub.

New “Second Session” Enabled

Prompted by widespread PC-based file-sharing, which the record industry blames for a two-year decline in sales and revenues, some content owners-notably, Sony Music-have started to release disks that cannot be played on a computer. Microsoft, which is counting on the availability and use of digital media to drive PC and software upgrades among consumers, does not want this scenario to become the norm.

To address this problem, Microsoft has introduced technology that will allow content owners to create disks with two separate data streams, or “sessions.” Content owners can use any technology they want to create the first session, which will be used by home electronics devices, such as CD and DVD players, while remaining unreadable to personal computers.