Overview of Four DVD Copy Protection Methods, With Emphasis on Digital Watermarking

Efforts to fight piracy have led to the conception of numerous methods that make difficult the duplication of copyrighted DVDs. The most promising of these methods will be discussed here. Complete copy protection regulation involves encrypting and safeguarding the physical data on the disc, as well as the analysis of communication between multiple independent devices (often via high-speed bus) found in a home theater system, at least one of which is capable of video recording. Our focus will center on the former, in particular the advantages of digital watermarking. Additional topics include Copy Generation Management System (CGMS), Content Scrambling System (CSS), Analog Protection System (APS), and the effectiveness of implementing more than one method at a time.