Re: DRM for Vorbis

> I am considering starting a project that would design and implement an
> open-source DRM solution for Ogg Vorbis media. 

> To avoid duplicating someone else's efforts, does anyone know of any
> current DRM projects for Ogg Vorbis?

On the page:

http://www.xiph.org/ogg/vorbis/doc/v-comment.html

there is a reference to ISRC numbers. These are the basis of a music industry 
approved non-encrypted and non-watermarked DRM system. As I understand it, 
the Vorbis file will always play whether you have paid the artist or not. But 
if you do want to pay the artist, if (for example) you are using the track in 
a commercial context and need to clear the usage of copyrighted material, the 
ISRC allows you to identify the artist and the specific recording.

That seems like a sane alternative to the encrypted and watermarked (ie 
degraded) systems aimed at consumers. I suggest if you want to start a Vorbis 
DRM system you base it on a payment gateway for ISRC numbers. So in your 
Vorbis player you would have a button which would interface with a web-based 
ISRC database to give you the artist, track and contact information needed.

You could also include agreed royalty rates for commercial uses, and collect 
money on behalf of the artists - at the moment I don't think an international 
body exists to do this, only national organisations such as the MCPS in the 
UK.  They currently have limited ability to collect artist royalties across 
borders, as far as I can make out. 

It would be easy to spoof an ISRC, but to divert money to the wrong person 
would probably result in the fraudsters losing their right to use the ISRC 
system. The unique ISRC prefix has to be applied for by each 
studio/label/producer, so it would be pretty easy to find out who was getting 
any missing money. 

Cheers

Daniel

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