DIVX MOVIES WILL BE PAN-&-SCAN
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10/06/97
Consumer Electronics
Warren Publishing, Inc.
(Copyright 1997 by Warren Publishing, Inc.)
Pan-&-scan will be primary video format for Digital Video Express (Divx) DVD movies, and robustness of system's conditional-access features will preclude need for regional coding in Divx software and players. So said Paul Brindze, Divx co-inventor and attorney with L.A. law firm Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca & Fischer, 1/3 owner with Circuit City of pay-per-use DVD system set to debut nationally next summer (TVD Sept 15 p10). Divx will support 4:3 aspect ratio "primarily and initially," said Brindze, who also serves as pres. of Divx Entertainment, subsidiary that negotiates software licenses with movie studios. Divx discs can accommodate widescreen movies, but primary use of pan-&-scan addresses U.S. mass market that's "comfortable" with 4:3 format and might lack large-screen TVs needed to make letterboxed image sufficiently viewable, he told us in interview. Brindze said Divx might issue widescreen discs where aspect ratio is critical to movie's creative content, and could do so for Divx Gold discs sold for unlimited play and collecting. Brindze conceded that cost of authoring for widescreen disc also is consideration for single-format video, but said Divx could change plan and offer widescreen if demand in U.S. becomes sufficient. He said that for long movies, Divx would use dual-layer disc only -- it believes viewers are inconvenienced by having to get up to flip dual-sided discs. Divx discs for U.S. will carry Dolby Digital AC-3 multichannel audio, as with standard DVD, Brindze said. He said other DVD features, such as multiple languages and subtitles, could be supported on title-by-title basis. Foreign language dubs sometimes aren't ready when disc is due to ship, he said, and Divx has committed to release discs day-and-date with VHS rentals. Brindze's frequent references to U.S. market plans came in context of venture's ultimate goal of selling Divx system overseas. System uses Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) that currently is banned for export, but he told us Divx is pursuing options, including alternative design for player that would qualify under different export laws. In any event, Divx players and discs won't use DVD regional coding system, Brindze said. He said that not only has regional coding been "broken" in markets such as Hong Kong and Germany where code-free players have been advertised openly, but "we don't need it" for Divx because "we can turn machines on and off regionally. This is one of the issues the studios liked about Divx. An interactive system by modem is better than hard-wired. We can even restrict access within a country." He said Divx won't support MPEG-1 Video CD playback either "because of the great piracy activity in that format and the concerns of our studio partners. The studios don't want to support a playback outlet for" unauthorized copies. CD-ROM and videogame cartridge playback are specified in Divx international patent application (WO 96/29639) but won't be implemented at start because priorities are on Divx movie playback, Brindze said. Application, filed Nov. 21, 1995, under Zoom TV name, describes Divx invention as "interactive transaction management multimedia system" and says player can be configured to run multimedia CD-ROMs -- feature lacking in regular DVD players. Application also foresees player that could include cartridge slot and electronics for playing of videogames using 3rd party standards. Ability to record information onto Divx disc also is described in patent application, and is another Divx feature that won't be implemented now because of cost and performance considerations, Brindze said. Patent document describes potential to apply magnetic substrate to space outside disc's actual signal area, and where read/write head could record data presumably of transactional nature. Document calls that "auxiliary storage media" and says magnetic material could be applied as part of CD-labeling process. Comparable with magnetic stripe on back of credit card, storage space for alterable accounting data on disc could range from 200 bits to 2 kb, document says. Patent application cites considerable "prior art," including technologies that could require licenses from other patent holders before Divx can come to market. One of those is Warner, whose home video operation has been staunchest defender of "open" DVD system and among sharpest Divx critics. Warner CD factory in Germany holds rights (DE-A-4403171) to system that applies unique sequential serial code to each disc during replication that may be relevant to as many as 6 claims in Divx application. Divx patent document describes serial code used in various aspects of company's transactional and authentication processes. Brindze said he wasn't personally familiar with Warner patent, "but I'll guess it doesn't do it anyway like we do." Pending further study of issue, he declined additional comment on possible licensing ramifications, except to say that apart from DVD issue, his firm "enjoys a very warm relationship with Warner." Meanwhile, Brindze sought to clarify misconceptions about Divx system since Circuit City went public with announcement early last month, including: (1) On subsequent movie viewings, system always informs customers of fee so they can make choice on potential transaction. (2) Divx discs for rental or unlimited play are registered to customer's account -- not to player. Consequently, if machine is replaced by new model, customer registers new player to current account and retains use of discs. Meanwhile, if old player is in hands of new owner, that party must set up own Divx account and register player. Brindze said it will be possible to use Divx player at different phone than that registered to account -- at vacation home, for example. He conceded that "we don't know how just yet but we'll resolve this. It would involve some kind communication with the service center," pointing out that requirement for modem to remain connected to same phone number also functions as security measure in case player is stolen. Divx player-to-server communication is up and running in labs and will be field-tested soon, he told us. System described in patent application also would communicate all software transactions to "vendors" -- software content owners. Critics have said they have quality concerns about how Divx transactional infrastructure would be developed and maintained to minimize consumer complaints. Brindze responded that "the back-end system is much, much more than an idea on paper." He said it's modeled on Circuit City point-of-sale reporting system, designed by subsidiary Patapsco Systems, that handles some 2 million transactions daily. He said Divx "learned a lot" from similar transactional reporting system that has been in use last 3 years for DSS/DirecTV satellite system, in which his firm played key launch role. Although Circuit City executives have emphasized Divx's huge potential for success, we asked Brindze to speculate on what recourse Divx customers would have for movie playback if venture were folded months or years after launch and central server operations ceased. Uncertain is whether customer would be able to continue viewing "converted" discs purchased for unlimited play and whether pay-per-play discs kept in customers' collections would have any further use if Divx curtailed operations. Nor has it been clear whether player could be authorized to continue performing Divx functions in absence of continuing modem-server contact. Player is programmed to suspend Divx functions after being incommunicado with server for predetermined but unspecified time. Brindze replied that Divx is "working with the studios now on contingency strategies, but there's nothing I can state for the record." But he told us: "It will be possible for the customer to continue using the player and the Divx software. We wouldn't have a rental mode any more, but it's conceivable we'd offer them the option to buy the rental discs for unlimited play." Player obviously would continue functioning as regular DVD deck, he said: "We are not going to abandon our customers. This is very important for our studio partners whose name is on the software, and for our hardware licensees. There will be a way for the consumer to continue enjoying the Divx player." |
