Widevine Technologies and TVN Entertainment announced TVN will use Widevine Mensor technology to watermark its entire VOD content line-up.

Widevine Mensor enables content owners, VOD service providers and operators to place digital watermarks into content at each stage of the video distribution chain. Mensor watermarks are robust and remain traceable when distributed beyond the set top box to PVRs, PCs, and mobile devices. By relying on the same downloadable content security mechanisms used in Widevine's content protection suite, Mensor can also renew the way watermarks are applied to content.

Mensor will be used to embed TVN and operator specific watermarks into VOD content. TVN can track the distribution of each asset to the respective local site of the video distribution operator. Content owners may also work with TVN to track the distribution of content to ensure the usage is in line with their licensing agreements. In concert with Widevine's downloadable conditional access (DCAS) and digital rights management (DRM) suite, Widevine Cypher, TVN now has a comprehensive solution designed to affordably meet studio content protection and digital forensics requirements.

"Watermarking TVN's VO D content is a significant milestone for Widevine in the emerging digital forensics market and for ensuring TVN continues to acquire premium content for its customers," said Brian Baker, CEO at Widevine Technologies. "It represents the first large scale watermarking deployment in the industry. With digital forensics, content owners can easily track where, when and to what device their content is distributed."

"TVN delivers an enormous amount of high profile, high value content via satellite to our customers. With digital piracy an ever present threat to popular commercial media, it is critical that we deploy the most effective systems to protect and track content distributed across our network," said Dom Stasi, TVN Chief Technology Officer. "Widevine Mensor enables us to continue acquiring premium content for our growing list of VOD affiliates, including Cable, Telco, Broadband and Wireless video distribution partners. Together TVN and Widevine are bringing the same type of forensic marking that has been used to deter theft of Hollywood screeners and first run DVDs to video-on-demand content."

TVN delivers VOD services and programming to every major MSO, and has signed over 30 telecommunications affiliates including Verizon, Century Tel and Surewest.

Widevine and TVN will exhibit at TelcoTV in San Diego, Booth #318 Nov. 9-10, 2005. TVN will join Widevine at their booth to discuss the full range of VOD content available from TVN.