Posted by Rich on 10/24/05 23:41

Disney to encrypt Oscar screener DVDs

Walt Disney Company is reportedly set to announce a deal to encrypt
the DVDs it sends to the people who nominate people and pictures for
Academy Awards.

The Los Angeles Times said Disney planned to announce Monday a
technical partnership with a subsidiary of Dolby Labs aimed at
preventing the discs from falling into the hands of movie pirates.

DVDs of films are routinely sent to Oscar voters for their
consideration when compiling their nominees. The discs often go out
well before they are available to the public, but the Times said
Monday that the films routinely wind up on the Internet about the same
time.

Dolby's Virginia subsidiary, Cinea Inc., uses a special player to run
the encrypted DVDs, which are stamped with a unique watermark that
identifies the individual user.

The Times said Cinea technology was tested last year with Academy
voters, many of whom grumbled about having to set up the new 11-pound
machines and, in some cases, received them late.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International

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