Analog Sunset

(Posted June 1, 2010)

High-Definition Video playback is scheduled to undergo a major change on December 31,2010.  That date, known as Analog Sunset, is the day that manufactuers of AACS Content Players will be limited to a maximum of 480i on any analog output on their media player. 

What is AACS? 

AACS is a Digital Rights Management encryption developed by the Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator.  AACS LA is the governing body tasked with maintaining the integrity of Digital Content distribution.   The founding members?  Some pretty big hitters: IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Disney, and Warner Brothers. 

What is involved in maintaining Digital Content integrity?  While the AACS website talks mostly about maintaining signal integrity, ensuring that viewers will only experience the highest quality reproduction of content, it seems apparent that it also means protecting the financial interests of Digital Content producers.  Especially in the Digital High-Def world in which we live, limiting the output of a component signal 480i discourages the copying of such materials.  After all, HDCP, High bandwidth Digital Content Protection, cannot be implemented on an analog output.  

How will this affect you?  

Some of that is quite clear, some of it is not.  Any manufacturer of Digital Content Players, such as Blu-Ray, must get an AACS License from the AACS License Adminstrator to be able to decode digital content.  On 1/1/2011, licenses will no longer be granted to any player with more than 480i output on an analog port.  The next phase is 12/31/2012, after which no AACS licenses will be granted to devices with an analog out of any kind.  Maybe that’s the Analog Blackout! 

What is not clear is how far this will reach.  Does this mean that Set Top Boxes from Digital Cable or Satellite Providers outputting High Bandwidth content will also be affected?  What if the local sports bar distributing the NFL Playoffs in 2011 were suddenly limited to 480i output on all their monitors?  Have you seen 480i on a 42″ flat panel…and lived to tell about it?  It’s ugly! 

Could that really happen?  Some believe it can.  For instance, Gary Kayye has recently written several articles about Analog Sunset.  Here’s one that addresses the sports bar scenario above (story).  A more recent one talks about the AV professional taking a proactive approach to this potential problem – (story2).

Others have written not to worry about it, that it only applies to Blu-Ray.  But I can tell you from inside knowledge of at least one set-top box manufacturer who strongly believes that this will be specifially applied to them as of 12/31/2010 and is anticipating dropping the output of their YPbPr port to 480i because of licensing issues.

I’m not willing to write any conclusion at this time of what will happen, or more importantly what to tell your clients who may be affected.  But I do agree with Mr. Kayye that keeping them in the loop will be perceived as keeping an eye out for their interests.  That, I would unequivocally say, is also in your best interests.

Wired In Media is a Manufacturer’s Representative serving the Audio Visual Community in Florida in the fields of Education, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality and Retail.  Our Products include Interactive Digital Signage, Classroom and Boardroom Control, Projection Displays, Video Recording and RF and IPTV Distribution.