No Full HD Playback for 32-bit Vista

snafu109 writes "Pity the Vista user with a 32-bit CPU. Senior Program Manager Steve Riley announced today at Tech.Ed Australia that full HD content shall only be played at the full resolution where only signed drivers are used — only in the 64-bit version of Vista. From the article: '"Any next-generation high definition content will not play in x32 at all," said Riley. "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."'"

Comments

Perhaps this is so that......

[8127972]

..... Microsoft can hedge their bets in terms of which standard wins. After all, nothing sucks more than being on the losing side.

Umm.

[Churla]

But what about non MS media players which run on Vista?

What hurdles will they have to get HD content on non DRM'd to death systems? Or am I off on a technological tangent which is impossible?

Re:Bullshit

[Reapman]

Saw this coming right when they started talking about "Trusting Computing" and it's ilk. I'll wait for a 3rd party program that runs BD or HD even if it has to run it at a lower res, these guys have to realize that if nobody can use their stuff, that NO FORMAT is going to win. DVD is probably going to trump both HD and BD anyways, and this is just another nail.

Once again....

[e4g4]

...the media companies are steering technological "innovation." How is this even remotely reasonable? The media distributors have resisted new technology since the advent of the recordable videotape, for precisely the same reason. My real question is - will Vista be able to play full HD content from media distributed by independent media companies (who choose not to use the HDCP garbage)? Furthermore, where the hell do the media companies get the idea that by limiting full HD content playback to signed drivers on 64 bit Vista, they'll prevent circumvention? It's only a matter of time until the so-called "malware" will catch up. Personally, I hope piracy does kill the current media empire, so they can stop meddling with my technology...

Re:Scariest part ...

[PatrickThomson]

This is actually a good sign - microsoft aren't stupid. If they thought they were a total monopoly they'd have just said "fuck off" - so they're actually trying to avoid an all-out war which could damage them.

Another Brick in the Wall

[Prototerm]

I, for one, use my computer to watch all my existing DVD's. I've got a large screen, a good sound system, and a comfy chair. I can't remember the last time I used my TV to watch them.

And, while I have an AMD64 machine, for the most part, I don't see that a 64-bit OS buys me anything except problems with older drivers, and possibly software, too, I don't know.

So, why do I want to upgrade to a Blue Ray or HD-DVD again? I have a nice collection of DVD's, the resolution looks just fine on my LCD monitor, and they play in Linux as well as Windows XP. Vista (a.k.a. "Windows DRM Edition") issues aside, it seems to be that the movie studios are killing both HD formats with their greed and paranoia.

You know what they say: "Pride cometh before you're eaten by the lions". Or something like that.

The worst lie ever...

[BouffeMoiLaChatte]

"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,..."

haha this is the worst lie i've heard these days...

any body should understand "AS our X64 platform doesn't sell very well , we hope by discarding 32 bit market to boost 64bit server and os shares..."

just my 2 cents... :-)

Re:Will it play DVDs? CDs?

[w33t]

I'm right there with you.

I honestly have not heard anything that makes Vista seem appealing, at least from a feature standpoint.

The only motivators for 'upgrading' to Vista seem to be the lock-ins. Take for example directX 10 being only for Vista. This means that I will have to buy Vista to play newer video games. And of course this is not because there is something inherently better about Vista - it is simply an artificial constraint.

The one technology that had me interested was the databasing file system, but it was announced that this was pulled from Vista long ago.

It's as if Microsoft is an automobile manufacturer from whom you must by the newer model car to be able to use the newly built highway. Not because the new car is better, any safer, or indeed really any different from your current car. But simply because it is a Microsoft brand.

I wish I could believe that the consumer will not stand for such blatant charades - but technology is merely magic to the lay, so they have no choice but to accept what they are told, and they will buy Vista because they 'need' it to watch new movies, and I will buy it because I 'need' it to play new games.

Only for WMP?

[RyoShin]

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].

So, if it's a Media Player decision, does that mean that this only matters if you use WMP? If that's the case, I'll continue using my vastly superior ZoomPlayer, thankyouverymuch. (Though I don't plan on ever buying HD-DVD or Blu Ray movies.)

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.

I'm sure the CEOs thought for a good three seconds on whether or not to try and fight this. One CEO probably opened his mouth to yawn, and before it was even half open the media industry had whipped out a big fat check.

Vista keeps looking more and more worthless. I think once (if ever) XP becomes useless to me, I'll just upgrade to Linux.

There goes your DRM complaints against Vista

[I'm Don Giovanni]

The most common complaint voiced around here against Vista is that Vista filled with DRM, that is, Vista supports "more DRM" than XP. That "more DRM" is/was the ability to play protected BR and HD-DVD discs. Vista32 now won't have that ability. So your "Vista is evil because it shoves DRM down our throats!!" complaints are now moot. :p

Re:Media companies are ruining innovation

[Toby_Tyke]

Now, to be fair to MS (shocking idea on slashdot I know, but bear with me) you can play just as much HD content on XP, and presumably Vista, as you can on Linux, regardless of what kind of CPU you have.

You see, the article is talking about HDCP DRM protected content, specifically blue ray and HD-DVD. To the best of my knowledge, there are no Blue Ray or HD-DVD players for linux, or OS-X for that matter, so even if windows only supports them on 64-bit CPUs, that will still be better support than any other OS has at present.

mod parent up, underrated

[Travoltus]

I see no one had any counter arguments to that.

BTW the DMCA is a pretty solid example of corporate welfare. No truly Libertarian system would let companies decide by force of law what you can do with what's in your house. You bought the physical DVD, you can do with it as you wish. Companies are free to copy protect until the cows come home, but you should be free to archive and protect your investment from damage.

The DMCA is just the media industry's way of saying "I know that disc might get scratched and if it does, I get to profit off you having to buy another copy." Corporate welfare at its finest.

Yep

[rsilvergun]

and in 5 years, it'll be illegal to sell and impossible to find the hardware needed to build an hdtv mythtv box. Maybe 10 tops. Ah well, when it happens, I'm just going to stop consuming.

HUGE difference!

[Anonymous Coward]

When Apple included DRM in their iTMS songs, it only affected songs purchased through iTMS. They did not impose DRM on music you ripped from CDs nor on your existing MP3 collection that you imported into iTunes. And there are no plans to impose any such restrictions in OSX Leopard.

What Microsoft is doing, apparently, is preventing users from playing ANY HD content in Windows Vista running on 32-bit systems, thereby banning users from playing ANY HD content unless they have a 64-bit system with OS-enforced DRM, and no doubt with OS-enforced restrictions on use of 3rd party software.

Don't be surprised when you try to rip a music CD in Vista and the operating system imposes mandatory DRM on your ripped song, or even checks a central database to see if the record label gives permission for you to rip songs from the CD at all. And also don't be surprised when Vista prevents you from running any software designed to override these ridiculous restrictions. Vista will likely ban any software from having hardware access (ie, CD burning and ripping) unless that software has obtained official approval and certification (ie, only software with RIAA's and MPAA's blessings).

THAT is what Microsoft Trusted Computing and Plays for Sure are really about!

Jesus, people, all indications are the Vista is going to suck balls, and "leading" PC makers like Dell continue to cut down on quality and service. Just how cheap are all you m********ckers anyway?? Buy a *uckin' Apple already or stop whining.

Re:Media companies are ruining innovation

[Catbeller]

The majority of the population doesn't care about school funding, tortured confessions, faked up wars, New Orleans, evolution, Afghanistan, electric cars, space, books, or ... you get the idea.

3-10 per cent of the population has always carried the civilization for the mute and disinterested majority, same as it always has. I really don't care about what the majority cares about. (Star Search, or some other "reality" show, isn't that the focus of the age?)

Re:It's About CHOICE

[bnenning]

That really doesn't make any sense. It restricts your ability to play certain content. How does that in any way effect innovation?

It certainly doesn't "effect" innovation; exactly the opposite. Consider a program that records the contents of your screen as a video. There are tons of legitimate uses for this, but under a DRM regime it must be prohibited because you could use it to record copyrighted content. The problem isn't with the DRM restrictions themselves; it's the restrictions that are placed on other software that has the potential to circumvent the DRM, regardless of its other uses.

But DRM is here to stay, and I'm actually happy about that

I'm hoping you're a troll or an astroturfer, because if you're serious it's just depressing.

it wil lead to MORE choices, not fewer

BS. When content providers say they won't release anything without super-DRM, they're lying. Most CDs have no DRM, that hasn't stopped the record labels from shipping them by the billions. The DRM on DVDs is cracked wide open, again that hasn't stopped Hollywood. And remember when CBS wasn't going to air anything in HD if the broadcast flag wasn't mandated?

It's not about piracy, it's about control.

Re:Media companies are ruining innovation

[budgenator]

Don't use media player. Trite and simplistic, maybe too simplistic TFA Said

Microsoft revealed today 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). ... "Any next-generation high definition content will not play in x32 at all," said Riley.

I'm not seeing where they are saying that winVista/x32 will even read a HD-dvd or BR at the operating system level period. I suspect heavy patent and DMCA emcumberments that will make it illegal to use the drives in anything except DRMed windows or OS X, at least at HD levels, so avoiding Media Player probably will not help.