ICT (Image Constraint Token), was about to become every consumer’s nightmare already before the launch of the two new HD formats HD DVD and Blu-ray. The technology that both Blu-ray and HD DVD groups initially supported would make it impossible to enjoy the full potential of the new formats if you did not have access digital video signals. All of the millions of HDTVs sold with e.g. component inputs would be limited to 960x540px by ICT instead of the maximal 1920x1080px. This would be a protection against the pirates that could use the poorly protected analog outputs to make copies of the movies. That the analog outputs is hardly a threat to HD DVD and Blu-ray, plus risking making millions of consumers furious have made the companies back off from its initial support.
First Blu-ray and Sony announced it will not use ICT, at least to begin with, and most people were hoping that HD DVD would do the same. And that is exactly what has happened now and ironically its Universal, one of the companies backing up ICT the most, that has announced that it will not use the technology with its first HD DVD titles.
This means that Warner Home Video is now the only company, out of the six major, that still supports ICT, or at least haven’t made an official statement saying it will not use it. Since Warner Home Video will launch both Blu-ray and HD DVD titles its stance here is extra interesting. But the fact is that it will launch the first HD DVD titles in April already could mean that it has already started to mass produce its movies with the ICT technology.
In the end though, it seems the analog HDTV owners will not be left completely out of the loop, which we are of course very glad for.
Source: TG Daily
