4K CONTENT DELIVERY
Sony Pictures Technologies
Introduction
• 4k is a new opportunity for Sony, consumers and content
providers
• 4k is a “green field” for all stake holders
– No legacy 4k devices
• This presentation is only about 4k
– HD and SD versions of content continue to be offered, delivered
and protected by existing means
4k Ecosystem
Consumer Expectations
• Options for delivery
– Download, play on any capable device
– Purchase physical media, play on any capable device
– Stream to any capable device
• Store content on device and in the cloud
• Don’t need physical media to play content
• Play on any capable device
– TVs, set top boxes, BD players, home media servers, PCs, laptops, tablets
• Output to any capable screen
• Down-res transparently to non-4k devices
• An Online Account that can be shared with the family
Use Cases
• EST
– Consumer purchases title (ownership or rental) through Online Account
– Consumer downloads content container to device registered to Online
Account
– Device transparently obtains playback license
– Consumer plays content on any device registered to their Online
Account
• Streaming
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Consumer purchases title (ownership or rental) through Online Account
Device connects to streaming provider using Online Account
Device transparently obtains playback license
Consumer streams content to any device
Use Cases
• Stand alone physical media
– Consumer purchases title on physical media
– Consumer plays content directly from physical media
– (Consumer cannot copy content, must have physical media)
• Physical media using Online Account
– Consumer purchases title on physical media
– Registered device responds to media insertion, checks if content license
is unused and adds to consumer’s Online Account
– Device obtains playback license
– Consumer plays content directly from physical media
– Consumer copies file to any device registered to their Online Account
Consumer Offering
• Increasingly consumers will not want to buy physical media without
an electronic copy
– With HD and SD the only way to give the consumer both physical media
and electronic copy is to sell them a DVD or Blu-ray and bundle a digital
offering (UV, bonus digital copy, AACS managed copy, etc.)
• Studios are selling 2 copies for the price of one
– Consumers can keep the disc and use the digital offer 
– Consumers can keep the disc and sell the digital offer 
– Consumer can use the digital offer and sell the disc 
• 4k must be a single copy per sale
– Effects implementation of delivery on physical media
The Consumer’s Online Account
• Consumer offering works with their Online Account
• For example Ultraviolet, iTunes, SEN Video Unlimited or Disney Key
Chest
• Registers consumers and manages accounts
• Records content rights in digital library
• Handle device registration
• Hands out content licenses to registered devices
• Actively monitors for breaches
Studio Content Protection Requirements
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A significantly different approach
Simply improving on AACS is not
acceptable.
– AACS is 10 years old
– AACS compliance & robustness is
based on rules from the last century
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Designed and reviewed by
organizations expert in security
Single content protection system
New compliance & robustness
standards
3rd party device certification
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Active monitoring and response
Renew security with every new
title
Hardware protected video path
Hardware root of trust
HDCP 2.0 only
Verance watermark detection
Playback license tied to
consumer’s Online Account
Forensic watermark traceable to
consumer’s Online Account
SPE Recommendations
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Proceed swiftly to set the market rather than waiting for the market to
respond
Leverage existing (delivery) technologies
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Common File Format (CFF)
Common Streaming Format (CSF) - MPEG-DASH
H.264 with the option to adopt H.265
Proven independent* commercial content protection system, e.g. NDS, to avoid long
draw out negotiations
Avoid vendor lock-in for delivery
Allow for extensibility e.g. new codecs
Content is bound to consumer’s Online Account
Devices are registered to consumer’s Online Account
*Not owned or managed by format participants
Action Plan
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Test H.264 compression for 4k
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Agree interface specifications with Sony TV group
Partner with CE/IT company that can prototype a proof of concept set-top
box
– Native 4k shot on F65 and film
– HDCP 2.0 protected HDMI 1.4 output
– Software player running in protected hardware environment
– 24fps 4k content
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Select, or at least short list, content protection vendors
In fall demonstrate streaming over fiber to the home network
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At CES demonstrate playback of downloaded file and from Blu-ray data disc
– Or cable if data rate allows (dependent on outcome of H.264 testing)