DECE starts licensing ahead of autumn UltraViolet launch

The Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) announced the start of its licensing programme ahead of a planned autumn launch in the US of its digital locker system UltraViolet. Content, technology and service providers can join the licence programme and gain access to technical specs, use of the UltraViolet name and logo for marketing and the centralized digital rights locker system for customer management of purchased digital content. Licensing is available for five types of provider: content provider, retailer, streaming service provider, app/device maker, and download infrastructure/services provider. DECE also published its technical specifications that define how the various ecosystem roles work together to bring UltraViolet to consumers. UltraViolet's specifications include a universal Common File Format for downloads, which allows consumers to copy playable files directly among multiple brands of registered apps/devices, even as they may run different UltraViolet-compliant DRM systems. With the Common File Format, titles intended for downloading will be encoded and encrypted by the entertainment content providers just once, but will play across multiple platforms. Initial UltraViolet licensees are now integrating with and beta testing the digital rights locker system, which DECE will operate as a shared cloud resource for all licensees. Neustar was selected by DECE to build and operate the UltraViolet technology infrastructure. DECE also announced the addition of eight new members to industry consortium in the first half of 2011: AMD, Blockbuster, CyberLink, Nvidia, PacketVideo, Roadshow Entertainment, SeaChange and Walmart's Vudu. DECE now includes more than 70 members in ten countries, spanning entertainment, software, hardware, retail, infrastructure and digital delivery.