As long as the entertainment industry has been around – be it in the form of movies, TV shows, games, or music – consumers have had to first choose the media platform before they could listen, watch, or play. Way back when, that meant you invested in a record player or cassette deck, only to find yourself tossing out all your albums and cassettes once you graduated to a CD player. Or, you purchased a PlayStation set and played the games that fit that system. Or, you watched a movie in the theater and waited months for it to be released on DVD before you could watch it again.
But that was then.
According to Tim Dodd, VP and GM of Neustar Media, the digital world – how consumers access media and the way digital rights are managed – is transforming because of the recent launch of UltraViolet.
What is UltraViolet?
UltraViolet is a new digital content management and distribution platform, which features an infrastructure built and powered by Neustar Media. It leverages the benefits of interoperability, “cloud computing” and streaming technologies.
“Now, people can purchase any type of digital media, in any format, then store it in a ‘locker’ in the cloud. It’s there for them to access from anywhere on any device; maybe from their TV, smart phone, or tablet,” Dodd explained. In time, consumers will be able to consolidate their entire digital content collections in one central location – the cloud.
No longer will the use of digital content be tied to or limited by a specific system, format or generation. Instead, UltraViolet presents a new open and integrated approach to digital rights management (DRM) because it provides timeless access across multiple platforms, delivering the ultimate freedom and flexibility for media consumption.
“With UltraViolet, we’re telling consumers: You bought it. It’s yours. Use it at your convenience, wherever and however you like,” Dodd said.
To develop UltraViolet, Neustar Media worked with the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem, LLC (DECE), a cross-industry consortium of more than 60 companies formed in 2008. DECE’s objective is to help people “future-proof” their digital media libraries. In doing so, UltraViolet also reduces the need for physical space to store large DVD collections and eliminates the risk of wear, tear and mishaps.
Another key aspect of UltraViolet, Dodd pointed out, is that it was designed to be family friendly, supporting up to six family members within a household on one account.
“It acknowledges that children exist!” he said. Parents can approve and monitor library access, allowing certain unapproved titles to remain “invisible” to other household members. Such capabilities not only support the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA, 1998) but are simply unavailable with other DRM systems.
Unlimited Opportunities
While still in its infancy, the possibilities for using UltraViolet to distribute content appear limitless.
“The power is in how the different service providers, retailers, and entertainment companies choose to enable the UltraViolet capabilities and integrate them with their offerings,” Dodd concluded.
