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CEA Announces IEEE 1394 Interface Adoption and DTCP Endorsement by DTV Manufacturers

2001

Mentioned: Gary Shapiro, Michael Powell, Bob Perry

Summary

The Consumer Electronics Association announced that the majority of DTV manufacturers plan to implement the IEEE 1394 digital interface and have endorsed the DTCP copy protection system for home digital networks. CEA also revealed plans to finalize consumer-facing interoperability logos and descriptors by July 2001 to reduce marketplace confusion.

Tuesday, May 15, 2001

New IEEE Interface In More DTV Products

In an effort to speed the rollout of digital television (DTV), the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced today that the majority of digital television manufacturers plan to implement the IEEE 1394 digital interface in their digital video products and have endorsed the Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) system for protecting content transmitted across the 1394 interface. DTCP (also known as 5C) is an encryption and authentication technology that can be used to protect content as it is being transferred over a digital connection in a home network, such as from a DVD player or set-top box to a DTV set or from a set-top box to a recorder or other digital devices.

Broad endorsement of DTCP by digital television set manufacturers is an important step to help facilitate and speed the transition to digital television, said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro in a letter the association sent today to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Michael Powell. We believe that a commonly accepted copy protection system will be a major factor in facilitating the rollout of digital television via cable and ensuring that content providers make high value content available to the cable industry.

DTCP also is gaining momentum in Hollywood. Two major studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. and Warner Brothers, already have agreed in principle with the 5C group to support DTCP and discussions with other studios are underway.

To further support the digital transition, DTV manufacturers are developing new terminology and graphic descriptors that will assist consumers in selecting interoperable digital video products. CEAs Video Division Board and its 1394 Interface Strategy Working Group are finalizing terms and logos that will allow a consumer to see a product at retail, note the descriptor and/or graphic, match that descriptor/graphic with another product and be assured that the products are designed to interoperate. The baseline definition is expected to apply to products that utilize DTCP to secure encoded content over an IEEE 1394 serial connection.

Once finalized, these descriptors and graphics will help consumers take full advantage of the exciting opportunities created by digital television and related products by reducing confusion in the marketplace, said 1394 Working Group Chair and Mitsubishi Digital Electronics Vice President, Marketing Bob Perry.

CEA expects to announce the final terms and logos by July 2001.