Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection 294
David Gerard writes "Security researcher Peter Gutmann has released A Cost Analysis of Windows Vista Content Protection, a detailed explanation of just what the protected-content paths in Windows Vista mean to you the consumer: increased hardware cost and even less OS robustness. 'This document analyses the cost involved in Vista's content protection, and the collateral damage that this incurs throughout the computer industry ... The Vista Content Protection specification could very well constitute the longest suicide note in history.'"
Re:Higher Requirements for New Media (Score:5, Informative)
But in reality that $2000 LCD monitor you have isn't going to help because it can't tell the video card that its a protected device, well you need to go buy a new monitor.
Wait that $500 video card can't detect trusted monitors, better go buy a new card that can.
Oh yeah, and that all digital surround sound system, well it isn't going to work at all so you need to go buy an analog one.
Re:Migrate to not Vista (Score:5, Informative)
So non-opted content will display with full fidelity regardless of whether a non-secured or secured mechanism is used to display the content.
Re:Migrate to GNU/Linux, not Vista (Score:4, Informative)
Ah, but according to the article Microsoft is forcing vendors to manufacture more expensive "content protection" cards so the most popular cards will be made (more expensively) according to Microsoft's specs.
See the section on "Increased Hardware Costs".
[I]nstead of varying video card cost based on optional components, the chipset vendor now has to integrate everything into a one- size-fits-all premium-featured graphics chip, even if all the user wants is a budget card for their kids' PC.
So if you want to run that latest Radeon that all the gamers are using on Linux, you'll pay more and probably be hindered by all content protection junk it contains.
Peter Gutmann (Score:5, Informative)
Yes, he tends to be a bit outspoken at times. He's also a veteran contributor to the security field and tends to know exactly what he's talking about. So before dismissing what he has to say, you owe it to yourself to check his reasoning.
Re:I must be cornfused. (Score:3, Informative)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Bandwidth_Digit
One of the onerous 'features' I'm surprised the author just barely touches on is the Revocation List. Say you buy yourself that top-shelf Samshiba (fictional electronics company) HD plasma screen. Later, a disgruntled employee leaks Samshiba's master keys, or a weakness is found in their chipset's HDCP implementation. Samshiba is now added to the certificate revocation list. Any disc manufactured includes the most recent CRL, so playing any disc released after that date will permanently brick your display according to the standard (or at least cripple it to low-def, even if you then pop in an older movie that "used to work fine before"). Since the additions to the CRL have now permanently propagated to your player (also according to the standard), it will also brick any other Samshiba display you attach to it (no matter if you're playing an old movie).
Compounding of Interest (Score:2, Informative)
But neither I nor you can discern the truth about the matter until a sufficient body of people have learned each way and we can compare the ease of their progress. Just because it may be hard for you to adapt your biased skills to Linux doesn't mean it's inherently more difficult to learn Linux outright.
My father-in-law and now some of his older friends are set up with Ubuntu and they have a way easier time than their friends who use Windows. And all of these people are new to computers. I set up my FIL with Ubuntu initially and gave him some lessons over VNC. He has now installed Ubuntu on several people's computers at a retirement home in Portland all on his own. And even being a nontechincal guy he was able to get them on a better foot than they were using Windows. So there. Ubuntu is easier for your grandma when you're not there to clean out her spyware. And old people love the Beryl Cube effect.
While Windows development starts over with a complete rewrite every couple of years, open source will just keep steadily building on itself and get better and better and better with each passing year. It's quite fun to watch (and even more fun to participate in).
AACS vs ICT vs HDCP vs digital vs analog (Score:3, Informative)
Parent replied:
That's incorrect if you're using digital connections (e.g. DVI, HDMI) and commercial BluRay/HD DVD discs (almost all of which use AACS). If you try to play almost any commercial disc using a digital connection and you don't have HDCP protecting every step of the playback process, then it probably won't play at all. However, it probably will play back in full resolution over analog connections (e.g. VGA, component) because most commercial discs have not implemented ICT yet. When ICT is implemented, then the image (over analog connection) will be degredated to a lower resolution. Did that make sense?
To clarify, the rules are different for digital and analog connections. The rules are also different for AACS and ICT.
AACS (Advanced Access Content System) is the encryption system that's currently used by almost all commercial BluRay/HD DVD discs and requires HDCP everywhere (video ouput/input, driver, playback software) to playback (at any resolution) over digital outputs (e.g. DVI, HDMI). The disc probably won't playback at all over a digital connection that isn't fully protected by HDCP. Here's a link with a good explanation: The Authoritative BD FAQ: VIII. Device Connections [emedialive.com]
ICT (Image Constraint Token) is the DRM system that currently is not used by commercial discs but, when it is implemented, will degrade the resolution if analog connections are used.
You're much more likely to run into DRM problems on a computer/LCD than on a set top box/digital television. All BluRay/HD DVD set top boxes (except XBox 360) have all the DRM requirements built-in and all digital televisions have (at minimum) high-def analog inputs. On the other hand, most high-end computer/LCD setups today are connected with a DVI connection that doesn't have HDCP in either the video card or LCD. These computers (with incomplete HDCP implementations) won't play the movie at all using a digital connection (it will just display an error message). These same computers can playback HD content over a VGA connection (if ICT hasn't been implemented), but that would require changing the LCD connection from good digital to inferior analog. Who would want to do that just for watching HD movies?
More AACS/ICT/HDCP explanations:
HD Video Playback: H.264 Blu-ray on the PC [anandtech.com]
Review: Sony BWU-100A Blu-ray Recordable Drive [extremetech.com]