Link layer gets a content-protection face-lift

-- EDN, 4/13/2000

The PDI1394L41 1394 link layer device from Philips Semiconductors includes a new copy-protection feature and targets digital set-top boxes, TVs, DVD players, and other products that process encrypted audio or video. An M6 cipher block offers 60-Mbps bandwidth for real-time content-transfer streams. Public-key encryption, digital signatures, and authentication prevent unauthorized parties from accessing data. The device includes an elliptic-curve accelerator, allowing you to perform much of the authentication in hardware to speed authentication and reduce the load on a controlling processor. In addition to content protection, the new link also enables full-duplex operation.

The link also supports IEC61883, a standard that defines transmission protocols for audio/video data and control commands and time stamps for isochronous packets. Philips also offers 1394 software to bring high-speed data transfer and plug-and-play capabilities to consumer products. The software provides a 1394 software stack and audio/video-connection (A/VC) and Home Audio Visual Interoperability (HAVI) protocol control.

The 5C technique uses secure-encryption techniques, such as the elliptic-curve digital-signature algorithm and Diffie-Hellman key exchange.

Samples are available now to those licensed by the Digital Transmissions Licensing Administrator (www.dtcp.com). The company targets mid-2000 for production release at a price of less than $10 (100,000). Prices for the 1394 software will start at $125,000 for stack-licensing fees plus royalties with AV/C available in April, 5C in the second quarter, and HAVI in the fourth. A reference kit for the L41 costs $895.

Philips Semiconductors, 1-505-858-2892, www.semiconductors.philips.com/interconnectivity.

-by Nicholas Cravotta