Sonic Studio - secureDDP Encryptor (OEM)

[mischa janisch]

Does anyone here know some details about this new product? In their newsletter they mention that it will run on Mac OS - I wonder if the embeded player also you send with the encrypted DDP fileset is also Mac only, which would render the product useless since most A&Rs and Product managers seem to work on Windows (at least here in Austria).




This is taken from their newsletter:

New Product: secureDDP™ –
The Sonic Studio secureDDP™ Encryptor allows Mastering Engineers to deliver DDP files to clients for approval and reference.

Your client's assets are protected using secure 128 bit encryption while the embedded sonicDDP player allows the client to preview the DDP fileset and burn a CD-R from it before replication. The secureDDP file can be sent over networks or through email systems and can only be played by the intended recipient.

– Features –
• Secure Delivery
• Password protected file
• Client can burn CD-R
• Personalized player (OEM only)
• Player works with all DDPi files
• Standalone software: soundBlade or PMCD are not required


secureDDP comes in two flavors:
secureDDP Encryptor (OEM) $495: a standalone application for Mac OS that encrypts existing DDP file sets which can then be safely and securely delivered over public computer networks. secureDDP can also open DDPs from SADiE, Eclipse, DCA, Merging, as well as Sonic Studio’s own product lines. The OEM license includes custom sonicDDP Player artwork and unlimited distribution of that custom Sonic DDP Player to clients.

sonicDDP Player $100: a standalone application for Mac OS that plays encrypted secureDDP file sets as well as DDP images from SADiE, Eclipse, DCA, Merging, and Sonic Studio’s own product lines.

secureDDP and sonicDDP Player will be available July 1, 2009. sonicDDP Player will be free for all soundBlade and PMCD users who currently own DDP File Open. Contact us at sales@sonicstudio.com for more information.

[reynaud]

Originally Posted by mischa janisch

Does anyone here know some details about this new product? In their newsletter they mention that it will run on Mac OS - I wonder if the embeded player also you send with the encrypted DDP fileset is also Mac only, which would render the product useless since most A&Rs and Product managers seem to work on Windows (at least here in Austria)

there is a pdf linked off the Sonic Studio homepage that has a little more information (details are still a little thin): http://sonicstudio.com/products/secu...DPOverview.pdf

Based on that, it seems to be OS X-only. The Sonic Studio DDP (loadback) option for soundBlade and PMCD is now $100 and you would get the sonicDDP Player free but I would much prefer a cross platform solution as a lot of my clients are Windows-based.

There is the Sonoris Audio Engineering DDP Player OEM option that seems to do roughly the same thing (albeit without the DDP encryption) and is $425 odd and for now Windows-only. The Sonoris DDP Player is cheaper at $89 or so.

Now, if Sonoris offers an OS X version that is included as part of the license for the OEM and Player options (and adds DDP encryption), it will be a cheaper and more flexible option. But the question is how important is DDP encryption really?

Then there is also the issue of clients using these options to create CDs and then using them for replication (instead of the DDP) without checking the disc first. I would rather remain responsible for that process and ensure that whatever goes to replication is double-checked and verified first. Anything else seems to just pass responsibility on.

cheers,
Reynaud

[mischa janisch]

Originally Posted by reynaud

there is a pdf linked off the Sonic Studio homepage that has a little more information (details are still a little thin): http://sonicstudio.com/products/secu...DPOverview.pdf

Based on that, it seems to be OS X-only. The Sonic Studio DDP (loadback) option for soundBlade and PMCD is now $100 and you would get the sonicDDP Player free but I would much prefer a cross platform solution as a lot of my clients are Windows-based.

There is the Sonoris Audio Engineering DDP Player OEM option that seems to do roughly the same thing (albeit without the DDP encryption) and is $425 odd and for now Windows-only. The Sonoris DDP Player is cheaper at $89 or so.

Now, if Sonoris offers an OS X version that is included as part of the license for the OEM and Player options (and adds DDP encryption), it will be a cheaper and more flexible option. But the question is how important is DDP encryption really?

cheers,
Reynaud

The encryption part is nice to have for the more paranoid clients, but hopefully it can be turned off as well for hassle free operation as well...
The cross plattform compatibility would be the most important aspect. I guess this can only be done with a flash player or something simmilar. We have been thinking about having something programmed for us as a proprietory solution, but since a lot of simmilar products are being released or prepared at the moment we'll wait a couple of months...

I don't really like the user GUI of the Sonnoris player, but most of all it won't work on a Mac...

I hope that audiofile engineering is releasing something that fits our needs soon.

[reynaud]

speaking of Audiofile Engineering, wasn't Backline meant to offer similar features and at a lower entry point? Anyone know the status of Backline development?

edit: do I remember correctly that Backline was OS X-only too?

[Waltz Mastering]

I think Backline for osx is still in beta but can be downloaded:

Audiofile Engineering - Forums

[mischa janisch]

Originally Posted by Waltz Mastering

I think Backline for osx is still in beta but can be downloaded:

Audiofile Engineering - Forums

Besides being OSX only:

* It's not out yet
* Every client would have to buy one
or
* We'd have to buy one for every client
* Too many featueres - we would just need it for client approval instead of a REF CD

[jdg]

wouldn't a web based one be great?

the image.dat is just a raw pcm stream (flash can read that fine)
now, the trick is how to take the PQ data and turn that into player commands for pause/skip/etc.

for refs, at least, a web based ddp player should be do able?

any web geniuses have an idea?

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by mischa janisch

Besides being OSX only:

* It's not out yet
* Every client would have to buy one
or
* We'd have to buy one for every client
* Too many featueres - we would just need it for client approval instead of a REF CD

Your right. Right now there is nothing out that is cross platform in a oem version that let's a client import a ddp image and burn a ref or red book cd ... I'm sure it's just a matter of time.

[busytbp]

yeah...


thx to Sonic for put Secure DDP on the spot.

Just checkin the Testlicense and so far everything works out like they promised!

Even if i have a lot of Problems with PMCD, this one makes it more secure for a Masterengineer, to transfer Reference CDs to the A&Rs and Producers.

[Thor]

I bought a copy and have tried it out a few times.

Works pretty well. The secure feature might not be a big deal for many productions, but is nice to help cut down on leaks and other shenanigans when needed. You can opt to not use the encryption as well.

Being Mac only makes sense as it's from Sonic. I guess either Sonic will have to do a Windows port, or Sonoris will do a Mac port. We'll see who gets there first.

Many (not all) of my customers have a Mac, before secDDP I could send them a Jam image. For PC users I use Toast to convert the Jam image to bin/cue which pretty much any CD burning app on Windows knows how to deal with.

Obviously whenever possible the customer gets a real CD in their hands, but when I recently needed to send a ref to India, or to the UK, or Australia, well.... ftp/digital delivery is a nice option to have.

I still haven't managed to make a nice looking background graphic though. Anyone here good with Photoshop?

Cheers,
Thor

[24-96 Mastering]

Imo the encryption part of it is pretty much a non-feature. Everyone who needs to protect refs / masters will have a system in place to do so (using one of the zillion free tools available) and those that are now thinking "yes, I need to protect my DDP refs / masters" may want to ask themselves why they haven't actually already done so before.

Besides, are leaked DDP images really a problem? I'm finding it hard to imagine a scenario where an album leaks at that stage (i.e. after the DDP is encoded but before the client burns the disc / plays the image.).

Sounds to me like the marketing department made that one up. It's two strikes in one throw too: besides making for good marketing, the embedded encryption will result in the generation of many files that only their product can open. Genius.