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Of course there is. They want to shove iTunes DRM down your throat. They can't do that with standard headphone jacks. But with their own solution, nothing is st
by Tharkun 10y ago
Of course there is. They want to shove iTunes DRM down your throat. They can't do that with standard headphone jacks. But with their own solution, nothing is stopping them from allowing only headphones with built-in DRM.
- dbbk 10y agoWhat?
- AznHisoka 10y agoThey want to make more money.
- TD-Linux 10y agoNo joke, Intel's new type-C USB Audio spec (why a new USB Audio spec is needed is beyond me) includes provisions for DRM. http://www.anandtech.com/show/10273/intel-proposes-to-use-usb-typec-cables-to-connect-headsets-to-mobile-devices http://www.anandtech.com/show/10273/intel-proposes-to-use-us...
- lorenzhs 10y agoThat's kind of pointless when analog adaptors are available, though, isn't it? It can only prevent copying of the digital stream, which is nothing new.
- arielweisberg 10y agoI think the expectation is that analog adapters will identify as such and programs will be able to specify that they only work with playback devices (speakers, headphones) not analog adapters. We of course know aftermarket adapters won't care and you will always be able to hack apart headphones to extract the the analog signal. I don't think DRM is a primary goal though it's just something you include because rights holders will occasionally demand it and if you offer it you open a few content doors for your platform. It doesn't matter if it works really.
- lorenzhs 10y agoBut Bluetooth analog adapters exist as well (to retrofit wireless audio to older stereo systems etc) - I use one all the time. It's just too easy to dump audio output with minimal effort.
- digi_owl 10y agoThe more i look at it the more this latest generation of USB seems massively overengineered. The initial design of the C plugs looks like it was intended as a simple mechanically reversible 3.0 plug. But then someone decided that if they made both sides active, they could ram video data down it at 4k+ rates. So now rather than just have pin on one side of the socket side, there are pin on both and the devices have to figure out what way is up by sending handshakes. Never mind that the C-plug spec have their own little details about power delivery that overlap that of the Power Delivery spec. Oh, and each OEM can decide if they want to use C ports with or without 3.x speeds and PD...
- ubernostrum 10y agoI suspect it's the same conspiracy theory as when they put the inline microphone and volume controls in the headphones and people ran sensationalistic articles claiming there was secret "DRM" which would cause only Apple-branded headphones to be usable with an iPhone.
- extra88 10y agoIt's called "plugging the analog hole," preventing people from making unauthorized recordings by controlling every part of the playback technology. While it's true purchased iTunes songs have been DRM-free for many years, subscription models have become the music listening mode of the moment and copyright holders don't want people making recordings then canceling their subscription. I suppose another opportunity would be to block playback on louder hardware, "Public performance playback is available with a 'Pro' subscription."
- revelation 10y agoBut plugging the analog hole on audio, stereo even, is impossible. The only reason HDCP was even a remotely plausible idea is that it's very difficult to capture 1080p 30fps from say the column drivers of a LCD. Capturing a 44kHz audio signal by snipping the lead off the loudspeaker and putting it into your recorder is very, very trivial. As far as RF engineers are concerned that's pretty much DC.
- Retr0spectrum 10y agoHow? All someone has to do is use an adapter, and now they have a standard 3.5mm jack with no DRM.
- ianlevesque 10y agoiTunes music hasn't had DRM for years.
- draw_down 10y agoSeriously?