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No 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/in

No 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 ago
That'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 ago
  I 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 ago
    But 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 ago
The 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...

lorenzhs 10y ago

That'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 ago
I 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 ago
  But 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 ago

The 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...