How to Get Started With Digital Rights Management
If the consumer likes the music and decides to purchase the full rights, a $3 discount would be applied to the purchase price of the music CD or digital download. If not, the playback capability of the music will cease after three days. The license can also be designed for three plays instead of three days if the music label prefers. This is just one example of many possible business scenarios that can be designed using DRM.
How Does It Work?
The first step a music label (or other content owner) takes is to complete the online DRM Profile, so that when consumers attempt to view content without having proper access, the DRM profile will be displayed with instructions for that consumer (e.g. instructions to pay, instructions on who to contact for further support, instructions to complete a survey, etc.). Next, the label will use PlayStream to create an online subscription and set various rights and permissions. The sections below depict some of the available rights that the music label can define as part of their subscription:
Subscription Rights for Using Windows Media Files on a Computer (DRM v9)
-AllowPlayOnPC—This right allows the consumer to play the Windows Media file on a computer.
-Playcount—This right specifies the number of times the consumer is allowed to play the Windows Media file.
-AllowBurnToCD—This right allows the consumer to copy a Windows Media file to a CD in the Red Book audio format. Once a Windows Media file is copied to a CD, the Windows Media file on the disc is no longer protected.
-BurnToCDCount—This right specifies the number of times the consumer is allowed to copy a Windows Media file to a CD.
Subscription Rights for Licenses (allows users to specify when a license for a Windows Media file is valid)
-BeginDate—This right specifies a date after which the license is valid. Before this date, the Windows Media file cannot be played. By default, the license BeginDate is set to the date the subscription is created.
-ExpirationDate—This right specifies a date after which the license is no longer valid and the Windows Media file can no longer be played. By default, this right is not set and the license never expires.
-ExpirationAfterFirstUse—This right specifies the length of time (in hours) a license is valid after the first time the license is used. By default, this right is not set and the license never expires.
-ExpirationOnStore—This right specifies the length of time (in hours) a license is valid after the first time the license is stored on the consumer's computer.
-DeleteOnClockRollback—This right deletes the license if the consumer’s computer clock is set to an earlier time. By default, this right is not set and licenses are not deleted when the clock is rolled back.
-DisableOnClockRollback—This right disables a license if the consumer’s computer clock is rolled back. The license is enabled again when the clock is corrected. By default, this right is not set and licenses are not disabled when the clock is rolled back.
Additional rights are available for areas such as controlling access to SDMI or Non-SDMI compatible devices, transfer counts, etc., but they are beyond the scope of this article.
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