Microsoft Pulls the Plug on HD Content for 32-bit Vista?

[peat moss]

The war between HD DVD and Blu Ray might have found a deadly third-party opponent: Windows Vista, 32-bit version.

Microsoft revealed on August 24 in Australia, at a local developers’ conference, that no 32-bit versions of Windows Vista will be able to play back “next generation high definition protected content” (translation – studio-released BluRay and HD-DVD movies).

Microsoft Senior Program Manager Steve Riley: “Any next-generation high definition content will not play in x32 at all. This is a decision that the Media Player folks made because there are just too many ways right now for unsigned kernel mode code [to compromise content protection]. The media companies asked us to do this and said they don’t want any of their high definition content to play in x32 at all, because of all of the unsigned malware that runs in kernel mode can get around content protection, so we had to do this,” said Riley.

Apparently, the only condition you’d have to fulfill in order to watch full sized HD content on your PC, according to Riley, is to have a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit version of Windows Vista OS. Having a 64-bit version of Vista means that all drivers have to be signed. This ensures that content protection is kept in place and is something that the movie studios have been pushing for to get help stomp out piracy.

Source: http://www.playfuls.com/news_04076_M..._Plug_on_.html

[NeoTheOne]

another reason to move to linux. I am sure linux will get HD support in the next few months

[Busyman™]

another reason to move to linux. I am sure linux will get HD support in the next few months

As long as I can read and write it, I don't care.

I'm not one for sitting in front of a computer monitor to watch HD movies anyway.

[GepperRankins]

The war between HD DVD and Blu Ray might have found a deadly third-party opponent: Windows Vista, 32-bit version.

Microsoft revealed on August 24 in Australia, at a local developers’ conference, that no 32-bit versions of Windows Vista will be able to play back “next generation high definition protected content” (translation – studio-released BluRay and HD-DVD movies).

Microsoft Senior Program Manager Steve Riley: “Any next-generation high definition content will not play in x32 at all. This is a decision that the Media Player folks made because there are just too many ways right now for unsigned kernel mode code [to compromise content protection]. The media companies asked us to do this and said they don’t want any of their high definition content to play in x32 at all, because of all of the unsigned malware that runs in kernel mode can get around content protection, so we had to do this,” said Riley.

Apparently, the only condition you’d have to fulfill in order to watch full sized HD content on your PC, according to Riley, is to have a 64-bit processor and a 64-bit version of Windows Vista OS. Having a 64-bit version of Vista means that all drivers have to be signed. This ensures that content protection is kept in place and is something that the movie studios have been pushing for to get help stomp out piracy.

Source: http://www.playfuls.com/news_04076_M..._Plug_on_.html

that's shit. i need to use unsigned drivers for stuff

[NeoTheOne]

I think its a rumor, MS would be losing a great market share if they really did make this move. It would also give apple's new OS the upper hand in the 32 bit market.

[tesco]

Not like it's not going to get hacked anyway...

[UsenetGuy]

Bleh...I hate microsoft even more now but hackers will find a way to make it run anyways so who cares?

[FreeDoom]

The media companies asked us to do this and said they don’t want any of their high definition content to play in x32 at all

That's funny
So we're moving backwards intead of forwards

You know what, you're all crazy and wrong! i don't need HD, DVD, CD or even floppy! i'm just go back to my cave and start to store the data in the walls and ceiling, how about that?

[TheTRUEKanis]

But this article says that they can...

http://news.com.com/2061-10794_3-610...9427&subj=news

Vista to support HD DVD, Blu-ray after all?
August 24, 2006 4:06 PM PDT

Microsoft surprised more than a few people on Thursday when one of its developers told a technical crowd in Australia that 32-bit versions of Windows Vista won't be able to play back next-generation high-definition protected content, i.e. commercial Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.

Later Thursday, representatives in the U.S. said that senior program manager Steve Riley was mistaken.

"The information he provided to that audience was incorrect," a representative told CNET News.com. "Playback is possible with Windows Vista in 32-bit."

The decision of whether to offer that support, the representative said, won't be made by Microsoft but rather by the third-party software makers that create DVD playback software, folks like CyberLink and InterVideo.

"It is up to the ISVs providing playback solutions to determine whether the intended playback environment, including environments with a 32-bit CPU, meets the performance requirements to allow high-definition playback while supporting the guidelines set forth by the content owners," Microsoft PR manager Adam Anderson said in a statement. "No version of Windows Vista will make a determination as to whether any given piece of content should play back or not."