DVD-CCA to allow CSS in DVD burning

The DVD Copy Control Assn., the administrator of CSS, approved a final amendment last week clearing the way for burning. The group is expected to finalize the language of the amendment next week, making the change effective immediately.

Movie download services will then be able to offer downloads that can be burned to DVD and played in set-top DVD players, a move that is expected to make downloads more appealing to consumers.

CSS is the copy-protection system used on commercially manufactured DVDs and its use in on-demand burning would ensure compatibility between burned discs and set-top DVD players.

The DVD-CCA was expected to pass the amendment back in April, but Panasonic, one of the companies that controls the master license, opposed the move. Studios and consumer electronics companies met with Panasonic to get the company on board.

Studios and tech companies were anxious to get the amendment passed in June in order to launch download-to-burn by the fourth quarter.

With the new license, retailers, kiosk companies and others will be able to go through companies such as Sonic Solutions for software that provides CSS-encrypted burning.

Until now, companies had to apply for a replicator license to burn movies to DVD. Kiosk companies and retailers were able to get a replicator license and burn movies for consumers in stores. However, movie download services couldn’t offer download-to-burn for consumers at home without the manufacturing-on-demand license.

Consumers will need to buy a new DVD burner and a new type of DVD-R disc to burn downloaded movies to DVD.

Movielink said it plans to offer download-to-burn by the end of the year but declined to say anything beyond that.