I dunno. The original site quotes a guy that does not work for Microsoft.

"Mr. Perrette said the plan is to create 'filtering technology that allows for playback of legitimately purchased content versus non-legitimately purchased content.' He said this would be similar to systems being tested by Microsoft, Google and others that are meant to block pirated clips from video sharing sites."

These system compare frames from suspect videos to a massive library of video images based on object position, etc. I don't think Zune has the kind of processor needed to do this. I don't think any hand-held device does. Maybe that's why the author tried to get a non-technical, non-Microsoft person on the record. They'll say anything.

Don't thank Microsoft, thank Jeff "I look like ghey Steve Ballmer" Zucker. He's the one who has been insisting that his draconian anti-piracy measures are reasonable.

This whole debacle also puts the lie to Zucker's story about pulling NBC content from Apple - that Apple's "pricing inflexibility" was the reason. In fact, they're selling the same content at the Zune store - for the same price.

Why can't the accept that certain people will pirate stuff? Just sheddup and go develop some compelling content, you Old Media dolts.

@WagCurious: You don't need a fast processor to do that; you need wifi to upload stills and "authorize" the video.

But there's so much pirated content out there that doing this would be media player suicide, not to mention copyright issues with uploading content. A legal video clip might contain fair use material, but duplication for copyright verification doesn't qualify for fair use.

Antipiracy protection will doom the Zune?

Antipiracy protection?
Will doom?

"Microsoft has no plans or commitments to implement content filtering features in the Zune family of devices as part of our content distribution deal with NBC," the software maker said in a statement.

@WagCurious: The original site quotes a guy that does not work for Microsoft.

No, J.B. Perrette is merely "president of digital distribution for NBC Universal"...

Until NBC Uni retracts, or Microsoft trots out someone of equivalent authority to comment on the record, the story stands.