Patent ID: 7917442

Claim:
A method comprising: vending a first disk containing at least one multimedia program to a user prior to expiration date of the program; permitting the program to be played by a player apparatus only in a low resolution format prior to the expiration date by placing on the first disk data indicating to the player apparatus that low resolution only may be played prior to the expiration date unless successful content protection authentication of the program on the disk is executed by the player apparatus before the expiration date, wherein if said content protection authentication is successful before the expiration date the player apparatus is permitted to play the program in a high resolution format before the expiration date; and on or after the expiration date, publicizing a key that can be entered by a user into the player apparatus to permit playing the program in a high resolution format without requiring further authentication therefor, the key being publicized by making available to the user after the expiration date a second disk containing the key, the key being transferred automatically to the player responsive to the second disk is engaged with the player, the player using the key from the second disk to unlock the first disk to thereby permit the player to play content on the first disk in the high resolution format.