Digital rights management (DRM) technology is used by OTT platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime to securely deliver video streams to the user device, including premium video content that can only be accessed via OTT apps. There is a high probability that the content will be copied if this technology is not used. Over-the-top (OTT) platforms are exploding all over the world right now. A wide range of devices allow viewers to access these services, which are now on par with cable TV in terms of quality and quantity. As OTT content has become more popular, it has also become more vulnerable to piracy because of a wide range of devices and browsers on desktops. When it comes to controlling access to premium content, content providers and OTT platforms rely on digital rights management (DRM) technology. It is possible for a DRM module to limit the number of devices or users per account, which, in turn, enables the OTT company to devise subscription plans accordingly.
A video asset can be safeguarded in a variety of ways by DRM protection. The video asset is protected from copying by embedding a code sequence into it. DRM technology can also restrict access to content based on time periods, such as how many days a piece of content is available to a specific user.. With this technology, the number of devices a user account can be used to operate on is also limited. It gives OTT providers the opportunity to price their subscriptions appropriately.
DRM technology is commonly used in the multi-DRM format to address the fragmentation of the market, since DRM licences are provided by different companies, such as PlayReady, Google Widevine, FairPlay, and NCG. These companies have their own licencing servers, from which each piece of content is verified using licence keys before it can be played on the user’s device.
An OTT app can store a licence for each DRM-protected video asset provided by a DRM service provider like those listed above. This option eliminates the requirement to obtain a new licence from the licencing server for each playback request. As an alternative, the embedded licence can be used to decrypt the video by the device player. In order to prevent unauthorised access to premium content, OTT players take the utmost care and precaution. Video watermarking serves as a second line of defence, allowing them to track down the origin of any leaked material.
The DRM licence can be embedded in an offline file, as well as purchased online. Users can obtain a licence for the video file and use it on a domain-bound desktop in offline mode. When the desktop does not have access to the licencing server, the user will be able to decrypt and play the video embedded in the video. A media library’s embedded licence does not work when it is moved to a new device. The licence must be re-acquired in this situation.
However, the content owner chooses to do it, adding forensic watermarking to the licence embedding is an excellent idea.
