iTunes to soon allow DVD burns?

Yet another form of DRM is being finalized, as the DVD Copy Control Association (DVD CCA) puts final touches on a new set of rules. The new guidelines are a big move for the industry, as they contain allowances for the world's largest downloadable content provider, iTunes, to burn to DVD. However, this freedom comes at a cost - it will require special media to do so.

The DVD CCA has taken a different approach to DRM than the industry as a whole. Rather than focusing on the files that are downloaded, it wants to make the physical media unable to be ripped. The data will be protected using a "content scramble system" (CSS), which allows the disc to be read by existing players but will not be seen as 'rippable' media to computers or DVD recorders. The CSS will be part of the media itself, forcing consumers to purchase yet another type of blank DVD (undoubtledly at some additional cost).

Chris Cookson, Chairman of the DVD CCA Board, said:
"DVD CCA and its board members are excited at the prospect of being able to offer businesses and consumers an exciting new way to record and enjoy digital content for use in their homes, cars and elsewhere. The creation of new ways to legally create secure DVD content is the logical next step to answer industry and consumer demand for additional legal digital distribution alternatives."

As the industry looks for new ways to move to digitally downloaded content, DRM technology is beginning to evolve back into the media itself. But will un-rippable DVDs help the issue? Proper application could make this a sensible alternative, as the protection would be fairly transparent to an end-user. But if history is any indication, it could just be yet another consumer inconvenience when the technology doesn't work right.

What are your thoughts on the idea? Let us know in our CSS-laden forums. Oh, that's the wrong type of CSS...