1394 Trade Association Supports "5C" Copy Protection Plan'; Urges Adoption Across Computer, Consumer Electronics Industries.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2001

Support for Consumer Rights under Digital Copy Protection

Echoes Position of Consumer Electronics Association,

Other Leading Trade Groups

The leaders of the 1394 Trade Association today urged the consumer electronics and computer industries to adopt the comprehensive digital copy protection system known as Digital Transmission Copy Protection, or "5C," developed by leaders of the electronics industry to prevent unauthorized use of copy-protected content.

James Snider, chairman of the 1394 Trade Association, said the DTCP has been proven effective in pre-empting unauthorized use of copy protected work without pre-empting consumer rights. The 1394 Trade Association, which includes leaders of the electronics industry including Sony, Philips, Intel, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, Panasonic, Canon, Fujitsu, Compaq and others, promotes the advancement of the IEEE 1394 Multimedia standard, also known as FireWire and i.LINK, in computer and consumer applications.

"We believe that 5C offers the most practical solution for safe and reliable transmission of digital content," Snider said. "It protects the rights of creative artists without trampling on the rights of consumers to copy what they are allowed to copy for their own personal use. It was developed by the leading companies in the electronics industry, and there is no need to open a new debate about it."

"The challenge to this copy protection specification has been raised again by special interests who are ignoring the rights of users and consumers, despite a significant body of U.S. case law that permits copying under controlled circumstances," Snider added.

The Motion Picture Association (MPAA) and the Digital Transmission Licensing Authority (DTLA) have been working together well, and understand each other's views and concerns about this. But the special pleadings of a handful of studios who would prefer users never copy anything for any use should not get in the way of industry adoption," he added.

The DTCP was jointly developed by five companies, including Hitachi, Ltd., Intel, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Sony Corp., and Toshiba Corp. Technical information about the "5C" (for five-company) DTCP method and licensing information can be found in the Internet at http://www.dtcp.com Several multinational companies, including all of the developers of 5C, Mitsubishi, and Philips Electronics, among others, have endorsed the DTCP.

More information about the 170-member 1394 Trade Association, which is dedicated to improving, expanding and promulgating the IEEE 1394 multimedia standard, can be found at www.1394ta.org