• Reuters, Tuesday, July 20, 2010 11:30 AM

What is UltraViolet? The brand name chosen by a consortium of 55 entertainment and technology titans planning to standardize digital formats for video playback, and prevent online piracy. The group -- known as The Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem, or DECE -- said Monday that it will begin beta testing in the fall, with the help of two new partners, LG Electronic and Marvell Technology Group. Mitch Singer, president of the DECE and chief technology officer for Sony Pictures, said they chose the brand name Ultraviolet in part because it is a natural extension of Hollywood's Blu-ray high-definition format.

The group is betting on cloud-based technology to standardize and streamline the digital supply chain. "Driven largely by Hollywood seeking to offset a sharp decline in DVD sales, the DECE has recruited industry behemoths from technology firms Adobe Systems Inc and Cisco to cable giant Comcast, but has two big holdouts -- Walt Disney Co and Apple Inc.," writes Reuters. "Disney is developing a competing system called KeyChest, while Apple sells songs and videos in proprietary formats through its iTunes Store." Singer said the group is talking with more potential partners.

Read the whole story at Reuters »