VOD HD before DVD and Blu-ray?

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Studios look into the possibility to offer high-definition movies by video-on-demand shortly after their theatrical debut and before its DVD and Blu-ray release.

The news comes from a petition filed with the Federal Communications Commission on March 9 by the Motion Picture Association of America. Basically what they want is to allow for broadcasters to limit the HD transfers to digital only. They need to do this in order to send their HD movie with digital copy protection.

The FCC barred the use of output controls in 2003 to prevent cable operators from disadvantaging analog subscribers. This rule prevents them from delivering a digital only signal.

"The [studios] would each like to independently explore partnerships with [cable and satellite operators]—through mutually acceptable business negotiations—to potentially create exciting new services for [cable and satellite] subscribers that will revolutionize home movie viewing," the petition says.

"[T]he services would offer high-value, high-definition digital movies to consumers for enjoyment in their homes sometime prior to release on prerecorded media such as DVD…In order to make this extremely high-value content available for in-home viewing at such an early window, protections are necessary to deter unauthorized copying or redistribution of the content."

Source: Content Agenda

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