Two Week Warning

[jimc115]

Does it really matter when half of the downloaders don't work anyway?

[abcdefg]

Can you Download any MAX content in 4k today? Have not subbed in a while.

[Sebastian001]

Well, then I understand it like this, it's not a tradition to change that in December. They do it when they feel like it :-) But I'm glad you have good prospects.

[Chameleon]

We all knew this day would come, the question is and remains, which one of these streaming downloaders is ready for it? Will all the programs here at StreamFab go the way of MAX and never see 1080p again? None of these programs will last without 1080p downloads. Maybe I am wrong. Who knows?

[Cats4U]

While I do not doubt that "another big DRM update" is coming and long overdue, what specific reputable source can you point to that states that this will happen in December 2023? Personally, my opinion without any direct knowledge is that it will not happen until Hollywood and the Networks have fully recovered from the recent actors/writers strike and streaming of new shows/movies is back to full strength. It makes no sense to do a DRM change when most of the entertainment available on the streamers is old and will still be available under the older DRM. I think December is a little early but I am open to changing my beliefs if the news comes from a reliable source like I found when I wrote up my initial "Two Week Warning". So far I have not found a reputable report to back up this December 2023 date for a DRM change.

[Sebastian001]

There will be another big DRM update in December. Has anyone heard anything yet?

[artsunlimited]

Artsunlimited,

Just got the attached in email - timely for this post.

It's from DVDFab.cn re: StreamFab and mentions the issue.


Someone posted in the past that they weren't getting these emails and it was probably sent to DVDFab customers.

I don't know if everyone gets these.

Nope, not a sausage from DVDFab or StreamFab, so obviously they like you best.

Honestly, it just makes sense to have any notification/update at the same location where people are gonna go to complain - which is on the website's Online Help section or on the forum, rather than by email.

[artsunlimited]

Reading the last few posts....

Yes, there SHOULD BE a stickied banner that explains the DRM issues and what to expect currently. BUT there isn't one. And To be honest, I don't recall one last year right away either. The only real mention is in the 6.0.0.7 release notes and lets be honest... not many actually take the time to read the release notes, so its lost. And of course if people take the time to read this thread.

Yes, the Devs should concentrate on cracking the new DRM and fixing that for all providers before looking at any other complaints/issues.

BUT not having a banner or such announcing the DRM changes/issues is also allowing lots of bug/issue posts which are likely related to the DRM issues.

The competition did have a big ol' banner notice/progress report on the forum and download page last year about the DRM shakeup, and it WAS helpful in that it was informative and cut duplicate complaints to a minimum, but unless I blinked and missed it, it wasn't in place this time around.

Oh, and a big YES about AngryFox1. Say theirs is superior in every way over there, or get your head chopped off (I even got DM's from him ripping me!! because I had the audacity to say I couldn't find things in HBOMax on theirs, which are easy to find on SF). What's worse is he admits having never used StreamFab, but he knows its "crap" compared to theirs.

LOL, don't even try asking about VPNs - they're all crap and all the services are gonna block them any second now anyway. Even though they aren't, and they haven't.

It's not...friendly there. While I've personally been treated more than fairly when I complained on the forum regarding their upgrades to more services not being included in my recently-purchased lifetime subscription, what I object to is the dogpiling by the same three or four self-important posters that goes unmoderated. I got tired of the unsolicited "you're an idiot if that's what you think/want to do/like" judgmental comments and seeing people belittled because they were simply ignorant that release notes even existed. The last time I DM'd AF1 was about the possibility of actually providing thumbnails because I didn't want to do an open criticism and comparison of the software on the main board and I got pretty short shrift for my pains, since REAL download services don't deal with namby-pamby pictures. Pfft, the very idea.

[Cats4U]

I still have some ideas for StreamFab in this situation. They are actually old ideas that I posted here the last time we were in this boat. I need a little rest before I dig into them. I also want to see if I can find my original postings of them so that I'm sure my memory matches what I wrote then.

Please roll 'em out whenever you can get to it!

I found the original message and after thinking about it, in all fairness to the Developer and Fengtao, now is not the time to post it again. Let's see how things go first and if warranted I'll post it. Hopefully I won't have to.

[KidJoe]

Reading the last few posts....

Yes, there SHOULD BE a stickied banner that explains the DRM issues and what to expect currently. BUT there isn't one. And To be honest, I don't recall one last year right away either. The only real mention is in the 6.0.0.7 release notes and lets be honest... not many actually take the time to read the release notes, so its lost. And of course if people take the time to read this thread.

Yes, the Devs should concentrate on cracking the new DRM and fixing that for all providers before looking at any other complaints/issues.

BUT not having a banner or such announcing the DRM changes/issues is also allowing lots of bug/issue posts which are likely related to the DRM issues.

Oh, and a big YES about AngryFox1. Say theirs is superior in every way over there, or get your head chopped off (I even got DM's from him ripping me!! because I had the audacity to say I couldn't find things in HBOMax on theirs, which are easy to find on SF). What's worse is he admits having never used StreamFab, but he knows its "crap" compared to theirs.

[bwnautilus]

But on the positive side, they always *escort* my downloads...

. It's a reference to an old Japanese video game. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[Mike_M]

LOL, as I never read those I dunno how effective that would be.

Artsunlimited,

Just got the attached in email - timely for this post.

It's from DVDFab.cn re: StreamFab and mentions the issue.

*****

"Because of upgraded DRM schemes, fixes were quickly made in the latest version of StreamFab.

With the efforts of technical team, now some videos can be downloaded as usual.

Unfortunately, the video and audio quality of new-releases is slightly affected. Don't worry, we still need some time to correct all problems, and always escort your download."

*****

Someone posted in the past that they weren't getting these emails and it was probably sent to DVDFab customers.

I don't know if everyone gets these.

Perhaps something similar can/should be sent out to StreamFab users with a tad more detail like:

Effects on time to download, HBO Max 1080p, Apple+ resolution/audio of ~32.5kb/s, Paramount+ unavailable, Amazon Prime temporarily only certain formats for some videos, etc... for other effected Streaming services availability & effects.

I know a lot of users use sites (probably especially not US only) via StreamFab that I've never even tried.

But on the positive side, they always *escort* my downloads...

Mike

US - CST, No VPN, Current version of StreamFab

[artsunlimited]

Artsunlimited,

I don't believe you are off-base.

I get lot's of popups about specials and sales when using StreamFab/DVDFab and various marketing emails all the time.

StreamFab has users email addresses to do this and constantly offer the "best discount rates"/etc...

It would be really cool customer support if the sent a distributed email using their email user database explaining this situation to current users of their software due to the huge impact we are currently experiencing.

Another cool thing to do would be to update their current website(s) (DvdFab.cn/StreamFab.com/?) to open to a page that addresses this situation similarly and then proceeds to the normal website.

Can you imagine a purchaser that goes to the website now and purchases the product without a heads-up and encounters the current situation?

Mike

LOL, as I never read those I dunno how effective that would be. As I didn't purchase StreamFab until after they'd gotten around the DRM shakeup of last December I have no idea what they did last year while it was going on, but as people are coming to the forum to report the results of the DRM issue but have no idea what's causing it, IMO this is where any notification needs to be - in addition to addressing it on the website.

[Mike_M]

It shouldn't be up to us to inform people that there's been a DRM change and 6.0.0.7 is a stopgap - it should be coming from StreamFab to cut down on this static. That they're telling her to do this, instead of informing their users what's going on? It doesn't feel good from where I'm sitting - but as I don't have anything close to your expertise, maybe I'm off-base here.

Artsunlimited,

I don't believe you are off-base.

I get lot's of popups about specials and sales when using StreamFab/DVDFab and various marketing emails all the time.

StreamFab has users email addresses to do this and constantly offer the "best discount rates"/etc...

It would be really cool customer support if the sent a distributed email using their email user database explaining this situation to current users of their software due to the huge impact we are currently experiencing.

Another cool thing to do would be to update their current website(s) (DvdFab.cn/StreamFab.com/?) to open to a page that addresses this situation similarly and then proceeds to the normal website.

Can you imagine a purchaser that goes to the website now and purchases the product without a heads-up and encounters the current situation?

Mike

[artsunlimited]

Exactly! Tell us what's going on. Lie to us if you have to but give us some hope. What really bugs me is that Mona is still giving everyone the old, "I'll send this over to the Developer." Don't you dare! Leave the Developer alone to work on the DRM problem. Period. She's got to start saying, "I'm sorry that you can't read the subtitles for your cartoons but we've got a crisis on our hands and for the benefit of the majority of the users here, you're just going to have to wait." Don't get me wrong, I love Mona for what it's worth, but she is just doing what they are telling her to do which is be nice and not be a bonehead like AngryFox.

What concerns me is that what they're complaining about (for the most part) isn't subtitles - it's "I can't download anything from X Y or Z" or "X just keeps analyzing" or "Can't download the latest episodes from X Y or Z."

That one of these posts actually showed up right above your "Two Week Warning" post is a facepalm for the ages, but that aside, Mona telling them to try 6.0.0.7. and then submit a logfile for the developer if the issue isn't solved? Like it's just another day and this latest version should totally fix the problem? YIKES. I was gobsmacked when I saw this was now the blanket response.

It shouldn't be up to us to inform people that there's been a DRM change and 6.0.0.7 is a stopgap - it should be coming from StreamFab to cut down on this static. That they're telling her to do this, instead of informing their users what's going on? It doesn't feel good from where I'm sitting - but as I don't have anything close to your expertise, maybe I'm off-base here.