[6.0.0.8] Successful 1080p download from Amazon Prime, but H.264 instead of H.265

[JeffDavis]

I tried out 6.0.0.8 and it succeeded in 2 downloads, at 1080p, that consistently failed with 6.0.0.5, 6.0.0.6 and 6.0.0.7. These are Hart to Hart S03E02 and S03E03. The file sizes were larger than expected, which is explained by the downloaded files being AVC encoded rather than HEVC. I checked my settings and the 6.0.0.8 install left my Amazon video setting default as H265. I'm happy that 6.0.0.8 succeeded where the previous versions failed, and I don't mind the AVC downloads much as I will be reencoding them anyway. But it raises a question: Did 6.0.0.8 attempt to download as H265, found that did not work and automatically shifted to an H264 download, or is 6.0.0.8 ignoring the Amazon Video Codec setting?

StreamFab.log

[Marty92]

Could you also download in Dolby Digital Plus, or only in AAC ?

And could you select whether CVBR or CBR is downloaded as bitrate ?

[JeffDavis]

I always download AAC audio and CVBR video.

[Mona]

I tried out 6.0.0.8 and it succeeded in 2 downloads, at 1080p, that consistently failed with 6.0.0.5, 6.0.0.6 and 6.0.0.7. These are Hart to Hart S03E02 and S03E03. The file sizes were larger than expected, which is explained by the downloaded files being AVC encoded rather than HEVC. I checked my settings and the 6.0.0.8 install left my Amazon video setting default as H265. I'm happy that 6.0.0.8 succeeded where the previous versions failed, and I don't mind the AVC downloads much as I will be reencoding them anyway. But it raises a question: Did 6.0.0.8 attempt to download as H265, found that did not work and automatically shifted to an H264 download, or is 6.0.0.8 ignoring the Amazon Video Codec setting?

[ATTACH]n419285[/ATTACH]

I will have the QA team check. If there is news, I will update here.

UPDATE:
The developer said to wait for the coming version and then try again, thanks.

[Cats4U]

I will have the QA team check. If there is news, I will update here.

UPDATE:
The developer said to wait for the coming version and then try again, thanks.

Does that mean that the coming version will be using the new Widevine 2 DRM or is the Developer wasting time playing with the re-encoded method? I don't know why you keep entertaining questions from people that don't have a clue that we are presently in a dire situation with the original Widevine being replaced. If Google does finally depreciate Widevine completely as was supposed to occur, you can forget about your emergency re-encode method.

December 6th, 2022
– Older CDM versions will be revoked and deactivated and cannot be used any longer

The reason people don't have a clue is because StreamFab has held back all information on this major issue except for this little ditty in the Changelog of a previous version -

6.0.0.7 2022-12-11

• Fix: Due to the upgraded DRM schemes applied on Dec. 10, timely fixes were made in this new version, however, we still need some time to correct all the other problems.
  Here below is the current status of the streaming services:
  - For Amazon, most of Prime videos can still be downloaded in 1080p with EAC3 5.1 audio track, however, the newly-released ones will be downloaded in 480p with AAC 2.0 audio for now.
  - For other services, most of videos can be downloaded as usual, only the newly-released ones will switch to the new re-encoding mode. (The audio quality is down to AAC in this mode, and the download speed will also be slightly affected but the video quality remains almost close to the original.)

That's not enough. That and combined with a good portion of (mainly new) users here, never reading any of the posts made by (mainly long time) users, that give warning about the DRM change. The clueless have a problem and they post about it in a new thread, never looking to see if anyone else might have the same problem in another thread. StreamFab needs to make a better effort to alert all of their customers to what the situation is concerning the Widevine DRM and what is being done to remedy that. At this point I am not going to push the fact that this DRM change has been known about since about September 29th and in the message https://forum.dvdfab.cn/forum/softwa...916#post416916 Mona reported the Developer had the Canary version of the Chrome DRM release 4.10.2557.0. I won't even push about the Competitor as some are wont to do. But the clock is ticking and the clueless will get more aggressive as time goes on if you continue to keep them clueless.

[artsunlimited]

6.0.0.7 2022-12-11

• Fix: Due to the upgraded DRM schemes applied on Dec. 10, timely fixes were made in this new version, however, we still need some time to correct all the other problems.
  Here below is the current status of the streaming services:
  - For Amazon, most of Prime videos can still be downloaded in 1080p with EAC3 5.1 audio track, however, the newly-released ones will be downloaded in 480p with AAC 2.0 audio for now.
  - For other services, most of videos can be downloaded as usual, only the newly-released ones will switch to the new re-encoding mode. (The audio quality is down to AAC in this mode, and the download speed will also be slightly affected but the video quality remains almost close to the original.)

Apart from the fact that both statements are not even remotely true, it's all good, right?
In other forums, where the clueless who've bought this product within the last week were blaming its failures on Adguard, it's getting heated for all of the reasons you've listed. And if SF doesn't want to have to process a tsunami of refunds for non-performance this month, they need to stop pfaffing about with re-encoding and get serious.

[Cats4U]

Reminds me of a post I just read over on the StreamFab Reddit... https://www.reddit.com/r/Streamfab/c...mpd_downloads/ Poor guy, he has no clue what the normal StreamFab operates like. He probably won't buy the program now.

I always start reading the Forum by going to Page 4 and work my way to Page 1 clicking on all the "Go to first new post" buttons along the way. After posting the message you quoted above I now see that Mona is now leaving hints that the DRM problem (I think for, atleast, Amazon) will be fixed in the next version, which I guess would be 6.0.0.9. I hope she is correct. That would be very nice. I wasn't too worried about how long it took, I was more worried about the communication of what was going on. With the exception of one or two times when I used StreamFab to get something since December 10th I've gotten everything I need via my old method, torrenting. I'm prepared to cancel all my streamer subscriptions on New Years Day if the DRM problem isn't fixed by then.

[artsunlimited]

Reminds me of a post I just read over on the StreamFab Reddit... https://www.reddit.com/r/Streamfab/c...mpd_downloads/ Poor guy, he has no clue what the normal StreamFab operates like. He probably won't buy the program now.

I always start reading the Forum by going to Page 4 and work my way to Page 1 clicking on all the "Go to first new post" buttons along the way. After posting the message you quoted above I now see that Mona is now leaving hints that the DRM problem (I think for, atleast, Amazon) will be fixed in the next version, which I guess would be 6.0.0.9. I hope she is correct. That would be very nice. I wasn't too worried about how long it took, I was more worried about the communication of what was going on. With the exception of one or two times when I used StreamFab to get something since December 10th I've gotten everything I need via my old method, torrenting. I'm prepared to cancel all my streamer subscriptions on New Years Day if the DRM problem isn't fixed by then.

I so hope you're right, but after nine months of waiting for HBOMax to be restored to the standard it was at when I bought my lifetime license and still seeing nothing on the horizon but more stalling and failure, "we're working on it" just doesn't do it any more for me. I was so pleased with this product in January as it was superior in every way and beat the competition hollow, and now it's earned itself a reputation for ignoring DRM issues that should embarrass them, but just doesn't seem to matter. New buyers and triers are gobsmacked to find once they use it, they can't do any better than 720p for HBO, and if they weren't being quiet about that before the 10th, they certainly won't remain silent about the rest of it.

Based on the whopping misrepresentations in the previous version's release notes, I really do think SF is going to try and push the "new re-encoding mode" as an "almost-close-to-the-original" fix in upcoming releases because they actually think people will accept it. The reality is that they stopped being competitive nine months ago when they could no longer deliver HBO at 816 and 1080p, and as the other thing they could offer that the other animal didn't was a wide variety of second, third and fourth-tier streaming services, they focused on developing those for all they were worth, while basically letting the priority channels slowly slide off the cliff edge. I'd dearly love to be wrong about this, but I have a sinking feeling that I'm not.

[Mike_M]

Hi Artsunlimited,

I'm pretty much in a "wait and see" mode as far as resolution time for StreamFab DRM issues.

I've spent more money on DVDFab/StreamFab products and modules/updates than all the other software I use for this combined.

That includes the Other Streaming Service, Topaz AI and my capture software.

Luckily up till now, I've gotten everything I've wanted since the DRM changes between using the Other streaming service, StreamFab, Capture Software and Topaz AI for enhancing/upscaling of 720p/Sub 720p.

Two downloaders, Peacock+ & Apple+, kinda threw a wrench into it due to Peacock+ not being offered by Other service yet & Apple+ with it's low resolution and sound via StreamFab is also not offered there.

I was able to use StreamFab/Apple+ strictly as a player for content after exiting out of download and capturing content in higher resolution with better sound that downloading from StreamFab.

Not so good when you have series, but hey - I can run in background & utilize 2 P.C.s.

I was also able to get a fairly good copy of a movie I wanted from Peacock+ that StreamFab is stuck on analyzing on Youtube and enhance/upscale it to good quality.

I'm sure they'll be something down the pike I can't get though.

When I saw that HBO Max was offered via Amazon now as a channel I figured that would give StreamFab additional room for not addressing the 2nd DRM change and finally fix it after months but now with the 3rd I don't *think* that's a viable thing for StreamFab to continue to do.

StreamFab has to fix DRM for all their software modules including HBO Max, Apple+, Peacock+, etc...

I feel sorry for "Mona" while also wondering if "Mona" is the real name and gender of the person responding in this forum.

After seeing how StreamFab fleshed out bios, pictures and even went so far as to say in one bio (paraphrased) "her passion is technical writing and she's a graduate of _____ University in U.S.A.", I'm a little wary of assuming when it comes to representation.

Mike


US CST, No VPN, Win10/64Pro & Win11/64Pro, Current StreamFab Lifetime, Current DVDFab Lifetime

[artsunlimited]

Two downloaders, Peacock+ & Apple+, kinda threw a wrench into it due to Peacock+ not being offered by Other service yet & Apple+ with it's low resolution and sound via StreamFab is also not offered there.

When I saw that HBO Max was offered via Amazon now as a channel I figured that would give StreamFab additional room for not addressing the 2nd DRM change and finally fix it after months but now with the 3rd I don't *think* that's a viable thing for StreamFab to continue to do.

StreamFab has to fix DRM for all their software modules including HBO Max, Apple+, Peacock+, etc...

Thing is, most people who buy/bought this product aren't expecting to then have to pony up another $300 for enhancing/upscaling software like Topaz - nor, frankly, should they have to, any more than they should have to rock two PCS to capture content off Apple+ when this product can no longer provide a download quality that isn't a rival of a 1963 Walter Cronkite broadcast.

Nor should HBOMax on Prime mean that SF should get a reprieve from restoring HBOMax, especially as many people have an HBOMax subscription as part of their cable package at 1/3 the cost of the channel through Prime. Which, BTW, is already dropping a lot of content on Dec 31st from their lineup that will still be retained on HBOMax proper, so it already has a major drawback as it won't have the full HBOMax catalog.

Peacock will be the next addition to the competition, and as SF's presentation of Apple+ is sadly far below anyone's generous definition of SD and you're already reduced to upscaling Peacock, neither of those are exactly compelling reasons to tip the balance scale in SF's favor for any buyers who have to chose one or the other. The only reason I bought SF in January of this year was because you-know-who hadn't fixed their DRM issues in over a month, and SF had - and the difference was...well, damn. So much so that I really regretted not having found SF first, because it really was all that AND a bag of chips, in a way that software rarely is.

No such regret remains today, and I'm really sad about that.

I feel sorry for "Mona" while also wondering if "Mona" is the real name and gender of the person responding in this forum.

After seeing how StreamFab fleshed out bios, pictures and even went so far as to say in one bio (paraphrased) "her passion is technical writing and she's a graduate of _____ University in U.S.A.", I'm a little wary of assuming when it comes to representation.

And um...yeah. Just call everyone "Emily" and call it a day, because I can tell when an editor knows how to edit, and when they're a native English speaker and when they...aren't. I'm still bemused as to why "Harrison" decided that "Malcolm" is a preferable "pseudonym" - and why he disclosed it, along with his full name, since the major purpose of a pseudonym is anonymity. And also why his pfp looks like someone just photoshopped Karl Urban.

[Mike_M]

Thing is, most people who buy/bought this product aren't expecting to then have to pony up another $300 for enhancing/upscaling software like Topaz - nor, frankly, should they have to, any more than they should have to rock two PCS to capture content off Apple+ when this product claims to provide downloads.

And um...yeah. Just call everyone "Emily" and call it a day, because I can tell when an editor knows how to edit, and when they're a native English speaker and when they...aren't. I'm still bemused as to why "Harrison" decided that "Malcolm" is a preferable "pseudonym" - and why he disclosed it, along with his full name, since the major purpose of a pseudonym is anonymity. And also why he looks like someone photoshopped Karl Urban.

Hi Artsunlimited,

Luckily I got Topaz AI at more that 50% discount in October during Black Friday Sales and also used a coupon code on top of that for $135.15 (which includes any taxes).

I shouldn't have had to get it, but it has also come in handy for using on old stuff I had that was 720p/sub 720 in addition to stuff now offered in lower resolutions due to DRM changes.

Not unhappy with it - especially being able to use on a couple of machines with 2 or 3 incidences running at same time in background w/o effecting other processes.

****

Just call everyone "Emily" - Artsunlimited

Well, when I get emails from DVDFAb/StreamFab telling me that they will well escort my downloads I *assume* that it's not the stock photo gal whose passion is "technical writing" and graduated from a US University that worked on the email/sales pitch.


Mike

US -CST, No VPN, Current StreamFab Lifetime, Current DVDFab Lifetime

[artsunlimited]

Luckily I got Topaz AI at more that 50% discount in October during Black Friday Sales and also used a coupon code on top of that for $135.15 (which includes any taxes).

I shouldn't have had to get it, but it has also come in handy for using on old stuff I had that was 720p/sub 720 in addition to stuff now offered in lower resolutions due to DRM changes.

Not unhappy with it - especially being able to use on a couple of machines with 2 or 3 incidences running at same time in background w/o effecting other processes.

Smart of you - but think how much less sanguine you'd be about this DRM kerfuffle if you didn't have it!

As I have a lot of VHS footage I ripped to my laptop some years ago I'll probably get something similar, but not for awhile yet. Your experiences with it have made for interesting reading - I'm at the point where the interlacing on the AVI bonus videos I grabbed from my older DVDs set my teeth on edge. Is the denoising really all that it's cracked up to be?

Just call everyone "Emily" - Artsunlimited

Well, when I get emails from DVDFAb/StreamFab telling me that they will well escort my downloads I *assume* that it's not the stock photo gal whose passion is "technical writing", graduated from a US University that worked on the email/sales pitch.

*snerk* I'm convinced it's "WiKi" who "received her education from the college of Arts & Humanities in Harvard University" even though there's no such "college" AT - not "in" - Harvard.

[Mike_M]

Smart of you - as I have a lot of VHS footage I ripped to my laptop some years ago I'll probably get something similar, but not for awhile yet. Your experiences with it have made for interesting reading - I'm at the point where the interlacing on the AVI bonus files I made from my older DVDs set my teeth on edge. Is the denoising really all that it's cracked up to be?




*snerk* I'm convinced it's "WiKi" who "received her education from the college of Arts & Humanities in Harvard University" even though there's no such "college" AT - not "in" - Harvard.

(see attached)

Perhaps DVDFab/StreamFab is spending *way* too much on the below "authors" and needs to spend it on DRM? /S

****

Authors per DVDFab/StreamFab

https://www.dvdfab.cn/author.htm

Harrison Wilson (with Malcolm as pseudonym), graduated from Florida International University with an MA degree of Translation & Interpreting, has been a senior English editor, translator and copywriter of DVDFab Software for over 10 years.

Stella Young (Starry as the Pen name) graduated from Newcastle University, majoring in MA Translating & Interpreting. She has been working as Editor & Translator in the Internet industry for years.

Hillary Owen (under a pseudonym of WiKi) received her education from the college of Arts & Humanities in Harvard University.

Anne Smith (Anne as the Pen name) graduated from Columbia University, majoring in MA in Literature.

Emily Brown (Emily as the Pen name) graduated from Cornell University, majoring in MA in Literature. She loves writing informative posts related to the Internet fields.

Kathy Grace (with Nicole as pseudonym), graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a MA degree of technical writing.

Echo, who loves video processing and digital products

Margot, who received a master's degree in Business Analytics from MIT, is professional at presenting the latest and critical analysis on edging technologies.

Nancy, graduating from New York University, is fond of reading English literature and analyzing articles about society and human rights.

Erika, who graduated from New York University,

Phoebe, dedicated to essay writing for more than 5 years

Wenny, graduated with a Master's degree of Translation


Mike

[artsunlimited]

Anne Smith (Anne as the Pen name) graduated from Columbia University, majoring in MA in Literature.

Emily Brown (Emily as the Pen name) graduated from Cornell University, majoring in MA in Literature. She loves writing informative posts related to the Internet fields.

O help, "majoring in MA in Literature"? Amazing that with all those MAs in Lit not a one of them appears to have written their own bio, or realize that one doesn't "major" in a BA, BFA, MA, MBA, PhD or other degree.

How long have you been keeping this to yourself?

[bwnautilus]

O help, "majoring in MA in Literature"? Amazing that with all those MAs in Lit not a one of them appears to have written their own bio, or realize that one doesn't "major" in a BA, BFA, MA, MBA, PhD or other degree.

Probably how WeChat translates it.