Managed copy, the BD feature that enables consumers to make one copy of any Blu-ray Disc they buy, comes into effect on December 4, and most BD titles released after that date will support it. However, there are no players able to make those backups and thus the Advanced Access Content System License Administrator (AACS-LA), which also is in charge of managed copy, is delaying some requirements for studios until the second quarter of next year.
As we explained
in June, managed-copy-compatible BDs will include a menu option to make a menu option to make a managed copy. The player will connect online to an authentication server, which will determine if the copy is allowed. However, that feature will be invisible to consumers with players that don't support it.
Managed copy support is not a hardware requirement, and indeed, no manufacturer has announced any player that supports managed copy so far. Some devices are expected next year, probably beginning with PC drives. Because of that, managed copy won't be promoted or even listed in the disc details until March 31, although as we said, discs released on or after December 4 will support it. By the second quarter of 2010, the infrastructure for managed copy is expected to be in place.