Microscope Will Aid Fight Against Piracy of CDs, DVDs in Thailand
11.08.2006
Washington -- A package of optical-disc forensics equipment -- including a microscope, camera and specialized software -- will aid efforts to combat intellectual property piracy in Thailand by enabling authorities to identify compact discs and digital video discs manufactured by specific machines, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok says.
"It has been all too easy to find pirated discs for sale on the streets of Thailand. With evidence obtained using this microscope, the Royal Thai Police will be able to expand and improve their anti-piracy efforts by targeting the problem at its source -- the pirate disc factories themselves," U.S. Charge d'Affaires Alexander A. Arvizu said in a press release issued by the embassy August 7.
The microscope, manufactured by the U.S. company Technical Instruments, can detect defects on optical discs such as CDs or DVDs made during the manufacturing process. Such defects -- like fingerprints or grooves on a bullet that has been fired -- are unique to each manufacturing machine. As a result, a pirated CD or DVD can be traced back to its original source.
The equipment also includes a high-resolution camera custom-built to enable the examination of optical discs and state-of-the-art imaging software, according to an August 7 press release from the International Federation of Phonographic Industries (IFPI), which provided training on use of the equipment. The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok financed the procurement of the package, which is valued at $52,000.
The new forensic program "will benefit all industries using optical disc formats in Thailand, including software and gaming companies," IFPI said. "Such developments will also promote and protect the future of Thailand's own legitimate disc manufacturing industry with all the employment and revenue opportunities such a growing sector provides."
According to estimates from the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), the recording, movie and software industries lost $278 million in sales in Thailand alone in 2005 due to piracy. Losses have risen over the past few years as CD and DVD use has become more widespread and replication technology has become more advanced. Pirated CDs manufactured in Thailand have been discovered and seized in ports around the world, according to the embassy press release.
IFPI and the Motion Picture Association (MPA) have used forensic technology to detect copyright-infringing disc production in 17 countries since 2000, according to IFPI. Malaysia is the only other country in Asia to have such a capability modeled on the IFPI/MPA process, and use of the technology there has resulted in the filing of criminal cases and license revocations across the country.
Source: USINFO
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