PlayReady

PlayReady is a Microsoft technology for protecting digital media from unauthorised use. It lets content providers define the rules for how their material may be used, then enforces those rules when the content is delivered over the web. Access is arranged through a set of licence agreements aimed at companies that build servers, devices and applications.

What PlayReady does

• Rights enforcement: defines, embeds and enforces usage rights for digital media.
• Server SDK: a developer kit, covered by the server agreement, for building server applications and deploying first-party and third-party services to end users.
• Device porting kit: supplied under the intermediate product licence, for making intermediate products that other device licensees then pass on.
• Final product licence: covers receiving intermediate products and distributing branded final products or downloadable applications to end users.
• Master agreement: an umbrella agreement that must be in place before the child agreements are signed.

Clients

Content providers who want to set rules on their media, plus device makers, service operators and application developers who take a licence.

Key facts

• Vendor: Microsoft
• Licence structure: a master agreement plus server, intermediate product and final product licences