cAPSLOCK,
Here is the reason your MP3 player will be/is obsolete.
RIAA UPDATE:
Recording Industry Association of America
Frequently Asked Questions About
DMAT© and the
Secure Digital Music Initiative
March 27, 2000
What are SDMI and DMAT©?
The Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) is a forum of more than 160 companies and organizations representing a broad spectrum of information technology and consumer electronics businesses, Internet service providers, security technology companies, and members of the worldwide recording industry working to develop voluntary, open standards for digital music. The DMAT© mark is the trademark and logo specifying that products bearing this mark (including hardware, software and content) meet the SDMI guidelines. A list of SDMI members is available on the SDMI website (www.sdmi.org).
Why DMAT?
DMAT stands for Digital Music Access Technology, which is the real meaning of what SDMI is delivering to consumers.
What does DMAT mean for consumers?
The voluntary guidelines signified by DMAT will speed the development of a new market for digital music, offering consumers new ways to enjoy the music they love. The ability to use this open platform will encourage new business models such as ?try before you buy?, the option of purchasing an artist subscription, superdistribution that enables consumers to recommend music to friends, and other plans. DMAT systems (software and hardware) will allow consumers to use the music they already have on their computers, or other currently available digital music, in the same ways they do today. In addition, DMAT software will allow consumers to access new digital content.
How will DMAT benefit artists?
The voluntary guidelines signified by DMAT will permit artists to distribute their music in both unprotected and protected formats - the choice is up to them. This means that those artists who choose to allow their music to be freely distributed without security will be able to do so, with the knowledge that devices carrying the DMAT mark will be able to play that music. At the same time, those artists who do wish to protect their own creative work can do so. Artists will benefit by the ability to reach and expand their fan base through new technologies, while respecting and protecting their copyrights to the extent they choose.
Exactly how do DMAT portable devices work?
Devices marked with the DMAT symbol can
Play currently available digital music,
Play music released in the future that does not carry the DMAT mark, and
Play music released in the future that carries the DMAT mark.
DMAT music will carry an inaudible code. Music protected from illegal download will not play if the inaudible code is not detected.
With the assurance of DMAT protection, more and more artists and labels will be willing to distribute music over the Internet. DMAT devices will be able to play this new music, as well as all other music. However, portable devices that do not carry the DMAT mark will not be able to play this new music.
What are the differences between DMAT marked portable device players, and other MP3 players?
MP3 players not marked with the DMAT mark can only play MP3 content. SDMI-compliant devices will play music files in unprotected formats (like MP3) and will also play new music released with DMAT technology.
Can DMAT marked devices play MP3 files?
Yes. DMAT devices will be able to play all existing digital formats; it is up to the manufacturer of each device to choose which particular formats to support. The only content DMAT devices will not play is pirated copies of new music.
Once I buy a DMAT device, will I need to keep buying new equipment to play new music released with DMAT technology?
If you purchase a product marked with the DMAT logo today, you will probably need to upgrade that device (probably by making a change to its software program) the first time you try to play new music released with DMAT technology. Individual manufacturers and retailers will decide how to offer this upgrade. New CDs with DMAT technology will, of course, play on all existing CD players.
Will DMAT interfere with garage bands that want to use the Internet to build their names?
Not at all. If a band chooses to distribute its music free-of-charge to get its name before potential fans, it can do that using an unprotected format. And that music will play on DMAT devices. But if and when that band decides it does want to protect its creative work, the DMAT framework will provide a platform for that purpose. In addition, the voluntary guidelines embodied in DMAT will encourage development of creative, new and innovative distribution strategies. So garage bands may benefit from DMAT even if they never decide to enforce a copyright.
Is this a technology that will be imposed on all record labels and portable device manufacturers?
Absolutely not. Compliance with DMAT is completely voluntary, and no manufacturer, distributor, or anyone else is required to use it.
Will the new technology result in higher costs to consumers?
Pricing decisions will be made by individual companies according to market conditions. We don?t expect any costs associated with DMAT to have any noticeable effect on overall prices.
Does SDMI intend to provide an alternative to MP3?
SDMI is a framework for secure digital music distribution. It is not meant to provide an alternative format to, or compete with, MP3 or any other compression technique or audio technology. In fact, DMAT devices will be able to play MP3 content.
Is it true that, in order to play MP3 files, DMAT software and devices will disable MP3 files after converting them into DMAT protected files?
No. DMAT-marked software may translate MP3 files into a form acceptable for SDMI devices. The exact form will depend on the device. The original MP3 file will remain intact on the computer.
Can a consumer use his or her existing digital music library in new DMAT devices?
Yes.
Will consumers still be able to copy their CDs onto their personal computers?
Yes. The specification allows consumers to copy their CDs onto their computers for personal use (on their PC, on their portable devices, on their portable media, etc.). In fact, the specification enables consumers to do so as many times as they wish - as long as they have the original disk.
Will new DMAT technology in CDs interfere with existing CD players?
No. There are hundreds of millions of CD players in the marketplace and nothing in DMAT or SDMI will in any way limit consumers? ability to use those machines with existing and new CDs.
Will the privacy of users be compromised as a result of using DMAT technology?
No. Any user who wants to legally distribute music anonymously on the Internet or elsewhere will be able to do so using any of a number of alternative technologies, such as MP3. And of course, the use of DMAT technology is entirely voluntary.
Is SDMI trying to squelch Internet distribution of music?
No. In fact, SDMI is helping to enable the widespread Internet distribution of music by adopting a framework that artists, recording and technology companies can use to develop new business models. The Internet is fundamentally changing the way music is distributed - and it is an exciting time for consumers as well as for those in the music and the technology industries. However, as with all new technologies, it is critical that new advances do not erode legitimate copyright protections.
Why does the DMAT framework allow both protected and unprotected formats?
Protected formats enable the growth of electronic music distribution (EMD) by protecting the rights of artists and enabling new business models. There are many legitimate uses for unprotected formats, too. As a result, DMAT supports both.
Will DMAT interfere with the quality of music?
No. The technology selected by SDMI will be rigorously tested and the first phase of the technology has already passed careful scrutiny including testing by internationally renowned listening experts known as ?golden ears.?
Will it be possible to have content that plays on multiple platforms - PCs, car stereos, portable devices, etc.?
Yes. The initial DMAT framework is intended only for portable devices and PC software, but it is expected that future specifications will address other devices such as car stereos.
Will it be possible to have content that plays on portable devices from multiple vendors?
Yes. DMAT offers a framework for security that allows content to be converted from one format to another. The specification allows, but does not require, manufacturers to create systems that are interoperable. There are now a number of different music players and systems on the market that are not compatible with each other. And even the initial DMAT offerings will not offer widespread compatibility across devices at this time. Given the extremely short time frame for producing the portable device specification, it wasn?t possible to achieve this goal now. But SDMI is working towards that goal and eventually, we hope that all DMAT devices will be able to play all DMAT music content.
How can DMAT work, given that so many music and technology companies have already announced their very different plans for online music?
DMAT does not signify a format, single technology, or single solution for digital music. Instead, SDMI through DMAT is setting an industry standard that can be implemented in a variety of different ways with a variety of different technologies. It may actually help advance ongoing efforts by offering a common framework that can be used to provide copyright protection. Most of the recent announcements by music and technology companies about new business plans in this area included a commitment to be DMAT compliant.
What do you think of new devices now being marketed such as Sony?s Music Stick, Vaio Music Clip, Toshiba, or Diamond Rio 600?
Sony Electronics is to be commended for taking the critical first step in launching DMAT products. This first step will encourage the widespread distribution of music online. With the imminent release of products from Toshiba, Diamond and other companies, consumers can now look forward to an ever-increasing number of products that will help launch a new era of digital music distribution.
Is the SDMI effort a violation of antitrust laws?
No. In fact, to the contrary, open specifications enable competition and business innovation. The specifications that SDMI is creating are totally voluntary - both technology companies and record labels have the choice of whether or not they want to offer compliant products and devices.
What is the relationship between SDMI and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)?
The RIAA, along with its sister organizations IFPI and RIAJ and the major record companies, was the driving force behind the initial launch of SDMI. However, SDMI is an independent coalition of organizations and the RIAA and its member companies are members in the same standing as each of the technology company participants.
How does a company become a member of SDMI?
SDMI is open to companies that have significant direct activity in digital music or digital music technology. These companies must express their commitment to SDMI by agreeing to abide by its Terms of Participation and paying an annual membership fee (presently $10,000). Societies and associations representing authors, composers, performers, publishers and other music industry interests who are members of the Music Industry Advisory Council may also attend SDMI meetings.
What is the specific timeline for full implementation of DMAT?
SDMI completed the first specification for initial technology on June 30, 1999 and published it on July 13, 1999. Recently, SDMI published a call for proposals for the final screening technology that will filter out pirated copies of new music and enable a wide variety of new business models. The CFP was published on February 28, 2000 -- proposals are due on June 25, 2000 and evaluation and testing will begin after that. In the meantime, portable device manufacturers, information technology companies, and recording artists and labels have already begun to produce DMAT products. |
