PVP-OPM (Protected Video Path - Output Protection Management) is a form of DRM expected to be implemented in Microsoft's Windows Vista. Microsoft states that "(PVP-OPM) makes sure that the PC’s video outputs have the required protection or that they are turned off if such protection is not available." Critics of DRM and consumer advocates have decried the plan as overly restrictive and unfair to consumers.Software DRM
In order to prevent users from copying DRM content, Windows Longhorn, the Protected Environment provides process isolation and continually monitors what kernel-mode software is loaded. If an unverified component is detected, then Longhorn will stop playing DRM content, rather than risk having the content copied.
The Protected Environment contains the media components that play DRM content, so the application only needs to provide remote control (Play, Rewind, Pause, and so on), rather than having to handle unprotected content data. The Protected Environment also provides all the necessary support for Microsoft approved ("signed") third-party software modules to be added. It provides a “wall” against outside copying, where within the walls, content can be processed without making the content availabe to unapproved software.Hardware DRM
These restrictions concern the various outputs from the PC. For DRM content, digital outputs such as Digital Visual Interface (DVI) and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) will have High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) enabled, to prevent someone recording the digital stream. Even analog TV-style outputs typically need protection, as provided by mechanisms such as Macrovision and CGMS-A. Some output types such as S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interchange Format) typically don’t have a suitable protection scheme available, so these need to be reliably turned off if the content so specifies.
In Longhorn, the robust control of PC video outputs is provided by PVP-OPM, which is essentially the next generation of Certified Output Protection Protocol (COPP) introduced in Windows XP. However, rather than being a software API, PVP-OPM operates with the Windows media components in the Protected Environment.[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for PVP-OPM ]
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