Audio Protection & Watermarking

Presentation byFirst 4 Internet & Activated Content

Mathew Gilliat-Smith

Mathew is founder and director of First 4 Internet.

First 4 Internet is a leading Developer of Content Management Technologies

Shannon Smith

As Activated Content's Vice President of Business Development, Shannon Smith isresponsible for the company's overall business strategy, corporate alliances& partnerships, and talent recruitment.

Introduction

Is CDR Piracy really a problem? Double DippingHow Does it Work?How do I implement it?Who is using it?

Is Pre Release Piracy On CDR Really a Problem?

Where Piracy Happens

RecordingStudio

Mastering &Post Production

Record LabelCasual Copying

ElectronicDistribution

RadioCopies

PhysicalDuplication

Pre Release Piracy is still a major issue.

Source of Most Leaks Occur at Pre Release Stage Internal control procedures are having an impactProtection or watermarking now adopted on many higher profile CD albumsCopy Control only as good as its enforcement and the administration to support it. Audio: $35bn market $3.5bn lost to piracy - Focus on home piracy

Family Entertainment and Copyright Act of 2005 (S.167)

Artists' Rights and Theft Prevention Online distribution of Pre-Release content is now a Federal FelonyMusic, Movies and Games includedImprisonment of 3 years for 1st offenseSigned and made Public Law April 27th 05

Double Dipping

Double Dipping2 levels of protection on Audio CDRs

XCP1 Copy protectionExtended Copy Protection developed by First 4 Internet

ActivatedAudio Forensic WatermarkingWatermarking by Activated Content

Integrated Together as a Single Solution

Music Pirates Face Jail TimeNEW YORK, April 25, 2005 –

“Record companies have gone to great lengths to keep pre-release CDs secure in recent years ….everything from identification tags encoded in the music to special “data” CDs that only play encoded files through a built-in media player”

What is XCP?

Methodology: Applies Multiple Layers of Protection on CDHighest Protection levels achieved so farNo Reduction in Sound QualityPlayability across PC, Mac, CD–DASecure Transfer of Audio Files from SourcePatented TechnologyDeployed through Aurora Software Program

Audio Watermarking

Unique ID bits inserted into digital audio. Watermarks are invisible & inaudible. Scattered throughout the file - cannot be identified or manipulated. Withstand normal changes to the file, such as reductions from compression (MP3/AAC) and Digital-to-Analog convert

How Does it Work?

How Does Double Dip Work?

Duplicator receives audio content from Label –online or from CDRips tracks to Wav files & stores on the serverSets up job on ActivatedAudio (DD software) containing XCP and Watermarking

Data entry of album information, source, recipient –for forensic tracking

Encode the audio files 1st with XCP and 2nd with the watermarking

How Does Double Dip Work?

Create a ‘.RIM’ file Rimage Proprietary file type recognised by Rimage hardware

Send to Rimage deviceAmigoProtégéAutostar

Burn CDRs - 30 to 40 discs per hourDepending on encoding resource

Easy to Use

ActivatedAudio™ Watermarking Suite has been designed for ease of use. Microsoft Windows-based, the system operator simply walks through a few wizard-guided steps for encoding; and single-click for decoding.

Forensic Tracking

Decoder to device to analyse leaked tracks Decode the image and match to unique IDIndustry endorsementIFPI integration coming soon

Background to AllianceFirst 4 Internet & Activated Content

Industry Requires both solutionsBest of breed technologiesNeed for greater access to these technologiesRimage integrationNew applications e.g. Kiosks

Who Is Using It?

Record Label Endorsement

Pre Release Albums

Universal - Bon JoviBMG - Velvet RevolverSanctuary - Kelly OsborneInterscope - BeckIsland Def Jam - Fall Out Boys Atlantic - David Gray

Interscope - Sheryl Crow Warner - Jason Mraz RCA - Foo FightersWarner - Alanis Morissette Warner - Linkin Park BMG - Dido: Life for rent EMI - Norah Jones: Feels Like Home

How is it Available?

Licensing and Use

Available nowLicense termsSoftware applicationTraining and customer support

The Future

Other New XCP Products

Aurora Asset ManagementXCP2 new version

Content Protection on Commercial CDsDual Disc

Content Protection on CD DVD-RPressed DVDs

Contact First 4 Internet

First 4 Internet www.xcp-aurora.com

Licensing: Tel + 44 1295 255777 email: sales@xcp-aurora.comCustomer Support: Tel + 44 1656 663725 email: info@xcp-aurora.com

Q&A