Audio and video watermarking

Digital watermarking embeds indelible and imperceptible data - the "payload"- into a media asset to give it a persistent identity. This data can later be extracted and interpreted by devices to identify, manage or monetize the asset.

Video watermarking
A video watermark is an indelible pattern embedded in video content that is imperceptible to the eye. By embedding a unique watermark into video material, content owners can identify copies of their materials. Watermarking is ideal for serial numbering or forensic marking, allowing the identification of individual copies of content (Civolution’s video watermarking technology for instance has been used successfully for identifying the source of illegal copies of the 2003 Academy Award screeners), content monitoring such as audience measurement, broadcast monitoring or triggering.
 
Audio watermarking
Digital audio watermarking hides information in an audio file without the information being audible to the listener, and without affecting in any way the audio quality of the original file. Its main use is for protection of intellectual property rights, especially protection against online music piracy. Other uses for watermarking technology include embedding auxiliary information or meta-data related to a particular song, such as lyrics, performer name and other album information.

Digital watermarking embeds indelible and imperceptible data - the "payload"- into a media asset to give it a persistent identity. This data can later be extracted and interpreted by devices to identify, manage or monetize the asset.

Audio and video watermarking finds a broad range of applications. A media asset can be identified with a catalogue number and timecode for broadcast verification. A radio or TV signal can be identified with the channel and precise airing details to facilitate accurate audience measurement. Watermarking can be used as serial numbering for a series of copies for a given piece of content, and act as a deterrent against piracy and a forensic analysis tool.

Forensic watermarks and transactional watermarks can be linked to specific information on the transaction or recipient (i.e. a person) and operates like serial numbering of instances or copies for a given piece of content. Audio and video forensic marking solutions can be customized to adapt to different workflows and distribution channels such as pre-release, digital cinema, Pay-TV, or internet.

Digital audio and video watermarking technologies find application in:
- Deterring against piracy and providing forensic watermarking
- Broadcast monitoring all around the world
- Providing additional security for premium content delivered to PayTV
- Audience measurement for radio, TV and catch-up TV