Dan Warne25 August 2006, 1:18 AM
Microsoft has clarified its statement that playback of protected high-definition content wouldn't be possible in Windows Vista 32bit. It now says its Senior Program Manager Steve Riley didn't quite get it right, though it's hard to see how the clarification isn't more of the same in different words.
Microsoft has published a post on the Windows Vista Team Blog clarifying its statement that playback of protected high-definition content won't be possible in Windows Vista 32bit.
The community is buzzing with reactions to APC Magazine's article regarding playback of protected High Definition content in 32-bit versions of Windows Vista. However, the information shared was incorrect and the reactions pervading the community are thus (understandably) ill-informed.
To be clear, Microsoft is stating here that their Senior Program Manager Steve Riley said the wrong thing during his presentation on Windows Vista Integrity.
APC accurately reported Riley's comments based on a transcript of a recording of the event.
Microsoft now says:
The real deal is that no version of Windows Vista will make a determination as to whether any given piece of content should play back or not. The individual ISV providing the playback solutions will choose whether the playback environment, including environments that use 32-bit processors, meet the performance requirements for playback of protected High Definition content.
However, Riley did say in his presentation yesterday that the decision to prevent protected HD content from playing in Vista 32bit was made at the studios' request. So, effectively, Microsoft is saying much the same thing above that it said yesterday -- albeit in a way that passes the buck back more directly to studios.
We've asked Microsoft what high definition protected content will actually play on Vista 32 bit and we'll get back to you with its response.