Disc Modification: One competitor, TTR and their DiscGuard technology, does have limited protection against duplication. Their approach prevents duplication by creating a nonstandard disc which contains a file with a fingerprint of 16-32 bits errors that will change when the disc is copied to CD-R. According to TTR's own website this nonstandard disc approach does not work with a number players, requiring a phone call by the user for authorization. This approach is probably as effective although it appears easier to pirate than our first product. No approach we have seen, including TTR's approach, matches the protection offered by H&S's oxygen or light sensitive polymers.
Another company with the product developed to prevent duplication of the media is CD-Cops. They attempt to tell the difference between an original disc and a copy by measuring subtle changes in the disc specs after the disc is copied. CD-Cops measures these slight changes by software to determine if the disc has been copied. Again this approach is similar in function to H&S's first product but far more limited in power and functionality to our polymer protection methods. According to CD-Cops website, this company like TTR, does not work all the time and to solve this problem a phone call is required to the publisher for authorization. Their approach seems less reliable than TTR.
A third Company, MLS Laserlock, attempts to prevent unauthorized disc duplication by burning a mark on the disc with a laser which is validated to be present at runtime or instillation. According to the MLS website, in three years only 10,000 discs have been produced. According to press reports, a large number of these discs were returned because of defective production and MLS has been searching for a company to purchase the entire technology.
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