BBC iPlay DRM spurns open source plugins
p2pnet view DRM:- BBC DRM means its iPlayer now rejects open source plugins, taking the Flash-only path.
That’s because the BBC has “quietly updated” its iPlayer with a verification layer that “closes the door on open source implementations of RTMP (real-time messaging protocol) streaming”, says The Register, continuing Aunty “applied the update to its online video catch-up service on 18 February, just four days after Adobe Systems penned a corporate blog post about its ‘content protection offerings’.”
Now free RTMP plugins from such as the XBMC community, “whose code is based on the GNU General Public Licence v2″, can no longer stream iPlayer content, says the story.
The Register says it asked the BBC to explain why it’d implemented the change “without first advising its UK licence fee-paying users of iPlayer that plugins such as XBMC would no longer have access to the service”.
“Since launch in 2007, BBC iPlayer has always used content protection in order to provide UK audiences with the most compelling content. We periodically review the level of security to protect BBC programmes, brands and trademarks,” the Beeb said in a statement.
However, “it didn’t explain to us why Auntie had decided to put a block on open source RTMP plugins now”, says the story, adding:
“Reg reader, Tom Rouse, who alerted us to the SWF verification tweak to the iPlayer, wondered if the BBC was simply satisfying the demands of Adobe’s content licence desires.
“It would seem that this move is likely [to] impact users of platforms not supported by Flash, with an unsatisfactory implementation (e.g. too resource intensive for the platform, with video tearing, etc.), or those who just wish to use an open source player,” he said.
“Ironically, third party utilities that download files (which presumably the verification is there to prevent) still work fine. It is possible that this move will actually increase the occurrence of downloading files which will not be time limited, or torrenting of copyrighted material.”
For a limited time only
“H-Online notes that: ‘Some open source plug-ins get around SWF verification by transparently dropping the stream, reopening it and seeking to where it was before the ‘ping’ came in, though this is potentially punishing on servers’,”says the Guardian, noting:
“There’s no way of knowing how many UK-based iPlayer users have PCs but can’t or won’t run the Adobe AIR version, but it’s probably not a large percentage of 61.4 million”,
In January last year, “Thanks to Adobe, the BBC’s DRM-ed iPlayer now ‘allows’ Windows, Mac and Linux users to download programmes” said p2pnet, adding, “Previously, the ability to download programmes was only available for Windows users,” says Aunty.
“Now, the new download manager allows users to view their favourite BBC shows, online or offline, with a high quality solution across operating systems.”
But only for a limited time. And only if you’re in the UK.
It, “lets viewers stream programs for up to seven days after broadcast or download and watch them for up to 30 days,” says the Adobe Air blog, going on that it, “makes use of the Flash Media Rights Management Server (FMRMS) to DRM-protect content which is downloaded to the user’s desktop”.
In other words, it has a little Police application sitting on your computer.
Stay tuned.
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
The Register – BBC iPlayer rejects open source plugins, takes Flash-only path, February 24, 2010
Guardian – BBC’s iPlayer verification blocks open source software, March 1, 2010
p2pnet – BBC iPlayer DRM for everyone, January 5, 2009
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March 2nd, 2010 at 11:58 am
This is pretty old news. The more dangerous thing is kservice.exe which is intergrated inside the programme.
a quick google search should explain it.
March 2nd, 2010 at 12:35 pm
It ain’t old news to me.