InfoWorld has reported that Managed Copy
may actually be implemented this year. One of the main features of AACS, Managed Copy would let you make a backup of a Blu-ray and HD DVD
movie or transfer it to a portable device or home media server.
Under a licensing agreement in its final stages, consumers may
get the right to make several legal copies of HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc movies they've purchased, a concession by the movie industry that
may quell criticism that DRM (digital rights management) technologies are too restrictive.
The agreement, if supported by movie
studios and film companies, could allow a consumer to make a backup copy in case their original disc is damaged and another copy for
their home media server, said Michael Ayers, a representative of an industry group that licenses the AACS (Advanced Access Content
System) copy-prevention system.
Ars
Technica has reported that Managed Copy will not be implemented until AACS has been finalized. However, a few studios are expecting
it to be in place by the 2007 holiday season. Of course, the way things are going, AACS could be cracked wide open by then.