The
MPAA
sued
ESS
Technology in
April 2004, as part of a crackdown on the illegal distribution of
Content Scramble System (
CSS
) chips, which are used to
unlock the security features on copyrighted movies on
DVDs.
CSS
is found in all legitimate
copyright-protected
DVD
s. The microchips in
DVD
players allow them to unscramble the
CSS
-protected content and play the
DVD
.
But the use of
CSS
is controlled by an industry
group known as the
DVD
Copy Control Association, which
licenses companies to manufacture
DVD
players and the
microchips. The licence forbids the sale of
CSS
chips
to
DVD
player and computer manufacturers that do not
have a valid
CSS
license because such entities have no
contractual obligations to implement appropriate security
features.
Potentially, says the
MPAA
, unauthorised players
could be used to illegally copy
DVDs
.
Fremont, California-based
ESS
Technology, which
was accused of selling chips to unlicensed manufacturers, has now
agreed to sell chips only to
DVD
CCA
licensees.
"
ESS
totally supports the enforcement of all
parties' valid intellectual property rights and is committed to
being a leader in enabling content protection features," said
Robert Blair, President and
CEO
of
ESS
.
"We look forward to working with the motion picture industry in
their world-wide enforcement efforts and in the development of
next-generation anti-piracy technology."
"Our member companies are pleased to have settled this
lawsuit, and believe that the terms of the settlement will help
enable the member companies to ensure correct procedures are
followed by
ESS
and all other chip manufacturers in
the future," said Dan Robbins, Chief Technology Counsel for the
MPAA
.
