The agreement, if supported by film studios and companies, could allow for a backup copy to be created in the event that the original disc could be damaged, with an additional copy for use with the home media server, as indicated by Michael Ayers (representative of a group that licenses the AACS copy prevention system).
AACS is the system used in HD DVD and Blu-ray discs, the new high definition DVD formats, to prevent unauthorized copies of discs.
The concept, called “managed copying”, could avoid one of the most weighty arguments against DRM technology, in which it is argued that consumers are deprived of the exercise of their legal rights by preventing, for example, that they can move content to other digital systems and devices.
The license agreement is under negotiation between the AACS Licensing Administrator, whom Ayers represents, and companies using AACS technology, including companies in the motion picture industry. Members of AACS LA include Sony, IBM, The Walt Disney Co, and Warner Bros.
The underlying idea is that the companies that own the content can charge a premium based on the number of copies allowed.
