In a continuation of the high-definition DVD copy protection saga, Slashdot have the story from APC Magazine that all of the 32-bit editions of Windows Vista will be unable to play copy-protected HD video (such as HD-DVD and Blu-ray movies) at full HD resolution.
What this essentially means is that all machines with 32-bit processors, that means the Intel Core range, the low-end AMD processors and almost all older chips will be unable to play full-resolution HD content and the resolution will be downgraded because of fears the copy protection will be circumvented. Even if you do have a 64-bit capable CPU, you will need to be running the 64-bit edition of Vista to play back properly and full res.
The 64-bit Vistas will feature security protection to prevent code being injected into the Windows kernel; this is security that won’t make it into the 32-bit version. The fear is that on the 32-bit releases, people will install rootkits or other ‘hidden’ programs embedded into the kernel which intercept the HD content and dump it at full resolution, bypassing the copy protection. Supposedly the 64-bit editions will prevent any unsigned code getting at the kernel level where it has pretty much full control over the machine - control enough to alter the copy protection systems.
To play back the full HD content if it’s copy-protected, you’d need a display compatible with the HDCP copy protection standard anyway, but now you’ll also need both a 64-bit CPU (Intel Core 2 range, or the AMD 64 range etc.) and the 64-bit edition of Vista, as well as the HDCP-compatible display. This could also be dangerous for the Vista upgrade market, as people with 32-bit CPUs hoping to upgrade partly to play the HD content might not be so convinced if it turns out they can’t run the full high definition resolution.
Is this going too far? Will consumers really bother to rush for high-definition content if the industry is getting this draconian about enforcing its use? It’s a rights versus freedom argument here, and personally I don’t think it’s worth having something in HD if you can’t be free to play it on whatever you want.
UPDATE: It seems this is false, and the Windows Vista Team Blog have an update:
The community is buzzing with reactions to APC Magazine’s article regarding playback of protected High Definition content in 32-bit versions of Windows Vista. However, the information shared was incorrect and the reactions pervading the community are thus (understandably) ill-informed.
The real deal is that no version of Windows Vista will make a determination as to whether any given piece of content should play back or not. The individual ISV providing the playback solutions will choose whether the playback environment, including environments that use 32-bit processors, meet the performance requirements for playback of protected High Definition content.
Well, apparently it will after all.
