NDS and Intelsat crack piracy

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News Corp-owned NDS is supplying Intelsat with technology that will not only enable it to offer digital television over broadband by using IP (IPTV) but also solve the industry's potentially huge piracy problem.

Called Synamedia, the system is based on NDS VideoGuard using encryption and a secure key management system to safeguard content accessed over the internet. Having seen the way in which music fans have used the internet to download songs for free and crippled the music labels, TV and video broadcasters are anxious to make sure the same disaster does not strike their industry.

Seeing the limited effectiveness of the legal measures the recording industry has taken to stop fans using the internet to access their content for free, NDS and Intelsat are using technology to safeguard their copyright.

"As IPTV in North America begins to gain momentum, telecommunications must ensure that they can protect content against privacy whilst delivering the high-quality entertainment that customers demand," said Dov Robin, VP and general manager, NDS Americas.

The system being supplied by NDS will provide securely encrypted broadband TV services streamed straight to an IPTV set-top box.