SmartRight Content Protection System To Be Demonstrated at 2003 CES (0301)
Demonstrates World's First Fully Functional SmartRight Copy Protection System for Digital Home Networks
Las Vegas, Nevada - January 6, 2003 -SmartRightTM today announced it would demonstrate a complete smart-card based end-to-end digital content protection system for home-networked consumer electronics devices at the 2003 International Consumer Electronics Show. The SmartRight pavilion will be located in booth 31167 in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The demonstrations will show how usage rights associated to content are enforced on a digital home network comprising a set-top box, a hard disk drive and a TV set linked together over IEEE 1394.
Member companies participating in the initiative and exhibiting in the SmartRight Pavilion include Canal+ Technologies, Gemplus, Micronas, Nagravision, Pioneer, SchlumbergerSema, STMicroelectronics, SCM Microsystems, and Thomson.
"The initiative has gained and continues to gain rapid momentum and acceptance, highlighted recently by SCM joining the initiative last month," said Olivier Lafaye, General Manager, Innovation Projects at Thomson. "Since publicly launching the initiative more than a year ago, we have collectively driven SmartRight to a position of realization in home networking digital content protection, the result of which can be seen at the extended pavilion at this year's show."
SmartRight offers a complete solution to answer the need for copy protection and content management on digital home networks. Combined with Conditional Access (CA) and Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems, to which it is complementary, SmartRight offers a persistent end-to-end content protection solution that will enable content owners and content distributors to create value-added business models, to the benefit of consumers.
SmartRight can also coexist and work with all other current copy protection systems. SmartRight is based on the use of removable security modules, such as smart cards, which provide a cost-effective and renewable solution to protect content against hacking.
The new copy protection system has been proposed to the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) ad-hoc group on Copy Protection Technology which is currently defining technical requirements for content protection in digital home entertainment networks, which include devices such as TV sets, set-top boxes, DVD players, digital video recorders, and PCs.
SmartRight is a global system deployable in any region of the world. It accepts content from any kind of source, including free-to-air and pre-recorded content. The specification defines a common syntax for SmartRight content to ensure interoperability and defines a simple application program interface (API) with current main CA and DRM systems.
The SmartRight system was first designed and developed by Thomson with the support of technology partners wishing to jointly develop and promote digital copy protection.
For more information on SmartRight, visit www.smartright.org or contact Solene Jaboulet (phone +33 6 81 48 70 51/solene.jaboulet@thomson.net).
About DVB
The Digital Video Broadcasting Project (DVB) is an industry-led consortium of over 300 broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators, software developers, regulatory bodies and others in over 40 countries, committed to designing global standards for the delivery of digital television and data services. For more information about DVB: http://www.dvb.org
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements based on SmartRight supporters' current expectations and beliefs are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements due, among other things, to changes in technological advancements and innovations in the consumer electronics industry, business conditions, competitive markets and regulatory factors.
SmartRight Member Companies
Canal+Technologies
CANAL+TECHNOLOGIES is a leading international provider of interactive TV software solutions offering a range of flexible open standard solutions to broadcasters and digital operators around the world. CANAL+TECHNOLOGIES powers more than 14 million set-top boxes which are deployed on every continent on cable, satellite and digital terrestrial networks. Over 30 digital operators and broadcasters have already deployed its interactive TV middleware MEDIAHIGHWAY and the conditional access system MEDIAGUARD, including CANALSATELLITE in France, SUREWEST in the United States, Astro Measat and ZeeTV in Asia, to deliver true interactive applications that are changing the perception of what consumers can expect of TV. CANAL+Group, Sun Microsystems, Sony, Thomson multimedia and Sogecable are equity and strategic partners in CANAL+TECHNOLOGIES. For more information: http://www.canalplus-technologies.com. Media contact: Marie-Vincente Pasdeloup, +33 1 71 71 5632 or mvp@canal-plus.fr
Gemplus
GEMPLUS is the world's leading provider of smart card solutions.
Gemplus helps its clients offer an exceptional range of portable, personalized solutions that bring security and convenience to people's lives. These include mobile internet access, inter-operable banking facilities, e-commerce and a wealth of other applications. Gemplus is the only completely dedicated, truly global player in the Smart Card industry, with the largest R&D team, unrivalled experience, and an outstanding track record of technological innovation. In 2001, Gemplus was the worldwide smart card leader in both revenue and total smart card shipments (source: Gartner-Dataquest, Frost and Sullivan, BNP Paribas). Gemplus was also awarded Frost and Sullivan's 2002 Market Value Award for its exceptional performance. Gemplus trades its shares on Euronext Paris S.A. First Market and on the NasdaqTM Stock Market as GEMP in the form of ADSs. Its revenue in 2001 was 1 billion Euros. For more information on Gemplus please visit www.gemplus.com
Micronas
Micronas (SWX Swiss Exchange: MASN, Neuer Markt Frankfurt: MNSN), a semiconductor company group with worldwide operations, is a leading supplier of cutting-edge IC and sensor system solutions for consumer electronics, multimedia and automotive electronics. The holding is headquartered in Zurich (Switzerland). Currently, the Micronas group employs about 1600 people. In 2001, it generated over CHF 566 Million in sales. For more information on Micronas and its products, please contact Iris Bahr +49 761 517 2324, email media@micronas.com or visit www.micronas.tdk.com.
Nagravision
Nagravision is a leading provider of open conditional access, advanced management tools and integrated solutions for cable, satellite, terrestrial and MMDS, FTTH and xDSL operators worldwide. Its advanced solutions provide digital TV operators and content providers with the tools to operate and manage a range of interactive broadband services that include e-commerce, interactive program guides and multimedia-on-demand including VOD. Nagravision's digital and analog conditional access technologies are currently being utilized by leading operators worldwide representing over 35 million digital and analog subscribers. Nagravision is a division of the Switzerland-based Kudelski Group (SWX "KUD") and has offices in the United States, Singapore, Shanghai, Brazil, India, Spain, the UK, Italy and Switzerland. Kudelski began developing and marketing professional audio equipment (Nagra Audio) in 1951. Since then, Kudelski Group has developed into an enterprise with a workforce of more than 1,000 staff. The group's total turnover for 2001 amounted to CHF 455 million with a net return of CHF 72 million. For more information on Nagravision please visit www.nagra.com
Pioneer
With sales of 669 billion Yen in 2002 and 31,000 employees, Pioneer Corporation is a world leader in electronics products for the home, commerce and industry, respected for its role in introducing such innovations as interactive cable TV, GPS car navigation, DVD, plasma display, organic electroluminescent (OEL) display and digital broadcast settop box. The Pioneer Group is evolving as an entertainment-creating company by enhancing fun, convenience and comfort. In keeping with Pioneer's philosophy to "Move the Heart and Touch the Soul," this vision keeps the Company firmly focused on customer and shareholder satisfaction. For more information on Pioneer please visit www.pioneer.co.jp/index-e.html
SchlumbergerSema
SchlumbergerSema is one of two business segments of Schlumberger Limited, a global technology services company. With more than 30,000 employees serving customers in 65 countries, SchlumbergerSema aggregates IT consulting, systems integration, managed services and related products to the oil and gas, telecommunications, energy and utilities, finance, transport and public sector markets. Leveraging the Schlumberger DeXa Suite of Services, it also provides IP network connectivity, information security solutions, distributed computing support services and data center hosting services. In 2001, Schlumberger revenues were $14.3 billion. For more information please visit www.slb.com
SCM Microsystems
SCM Microsystems is a leading supplier of solutions that open the Digital World by enabling people to conveniently access digital content and services. SCM's Security business provides smart card reader technology for the PC platform and conditional access modules for the digital TV platform to OEM customers in the government, financial, enterprise and broadcasting markets worldwide. The Company's Digital Media and Video business provides hardware, software and silicon solutions for creating and sharing digital media content to the worldwide retail market under the Dazzle brand. Global headquarters are in Fremont, California, with European headquarters in Ismaning, Germany. For additional information please visit the SCM Microsystems website at www.scmmicro.com
STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics, the world's third largest semiconductor company, is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2001, the Company's net revenues were $6.36 billion and net earnings were $257.1 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.
Thomson
With sales of 10.5 billion Euros (U.S. $ 9.3 billion) in 2001, Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) provides a wide range of video (and enabling) technologies, systems, finished products and services to consumers and professionals in the entertainment and media industries. To advance and enable the digital media transition, Thomson has five principal divisions: Digital Media Solutions, Displays and Components, Consumer Products, Patents and Licensing, and New Media Services. The company distributes its products under the Technicolor, Grass Valley, THOMSON and RCA brand names. For more information: www.thomson.net or contact Jean-Loup Bourgois on +33 1 41 86 55 90 or bourgoisj@thmulti.com.