Two Week Warning

[Just Me]

From what I can see, if you had it queued up for DLing, then it came through OK. What was added after it went into effect is what's now downgraded.

I had a large queue that has been running for a few says and didn't have problems till it got to stuff I added in last night. Once my original queue ended, then all the added on stuff was affected.

Now I'm playing "wait and watch" game like everyone else.

I also tip my hat to Cats4U for the heads up along with another friend (you know who you are so I won't mentions names ) who gave me a heads up on this issue.

[artsunlimited]

I spoke too soon - now nothing from the new HBOMax channel on Prime will download, but I can get some older Prime content. The failures were in my queue on Dec 7th, and I've just added older content and downloaded it at 1080p, so I dunno if having it in original queue is what's doing it.

I also got this, so oops.

[Mike_M]

[/QUOTE] I love helping out although I have no intentions of doing it here anymore. Thanks, Chameleon. - Cats4U[/QUOTE]

(above edited for response, from another thread & probably more appropriate here... - Mike)

Cats4U,

When Chameleon was gonna leave you asked him to re-consider.

You should also do the same in regards to helping and participation.

Especially since you are helping in the spirit of helping and bring a lot to users with your knowledge.

When that is in you, it's hard not to jump in and try to help and also hard to stay away.

The posts from other users that took your warnings as a opportunity (like me), those thanking you afterwards for the heads-up once stuff started going south or just dropping in and finding out what the heck was going on via this thread clearly demonstrates the value you bring and the appreciation by other users.

Rather than focus on the negative of some interactions, I'd focus on the forest.

User contributions via helping other users is one of the best things here and reasons to stay and participate.

This acts as a counter to some of the negative experiences like Apple+ issues, HBO Max 720p, "be patient" for extended periods, seeing new things being worked on when core items scream for attention, overlooked posts that users make that are not responded too, some users not able to view logs, problems with registries, SF not clearing logs/temp cache when it should (uninstall) or including an option to do that, SF wiping out the existing queue in new version update (reported by another user), knowing and having to go grab an offline full version rather that using SF's in program update, typically missing "weekend" support (was nice to see response to this latest problem during "weekend"), SF server side certificate expirations (I believe you pointed that out quickly), inadequate testing of new features that mess up other things, having to document and test in order to get Amazon Prime audio the best it can be, thinking about what probably is a typical user's experience that encounter some of these issues and not coming here for education and their frustrations - I'm sure there are more things that some can think of.

May your internet be stable and swift!
(Wish I could say that in Klingon...)

Mike

[corey75]

Hi @Cats4U,

Even though you and I didn't hit it off well in here in the past, and we probably still will have disagreements, I just wanted to express my thanks on behalf of everyone in here for your help.

Helping out is usually what our best interests are and it's easy to miscommunicate things on the receiving end. I know I'm guilty sometimes of misunderstanding a person's post at times. Usually it's all in good faith from my experience.

Just wanted to let you know that many in here have appreciated your help and I have respect for your attempts at assisting others. Don't worry about a couple of negative replies. As I see it, there's far more positive than negative in your participation with the forum. You're a great asset here to some. I realize that you coming back is completely your decision. I just felt a heaviness on my heart (probably from the Lord lol) to reach out and let you know that I see the good efforts you put in to help. I know how it is first hand how it is to reach out and help someone, only to find they receive and process it the wrong way than the way it was intended.

Take it for what it is, but I respect you for all you've done here in this community. Hope to see you around and if not, may you and your family be blessed and merry Christmas!

[mobriskie]

HBO MAX DRM was changed back in the summer of 2022 and it was never fixed. So you are saying this new DRM will be resolved? By what metric is this coming from?

[jpp72]

HBO MAX DRM was changed back in the summer of 2022 and it was never fixed. So you are saying this new DRM will be resolved? By what metric is this coming from?

I am obviously hoping i am wrong but the fact they enabled recording in 6.0.0.7 tells me they are not confident they will get this resolved quickly...if at all... Look at AppleTV+... 360p...

[DeadPixel]

I am obviously hoping i am wrong but the fact they enabled recording in 6.0.0.7 tells me they are not confident they will get this resolved quickly...if at all... Look at AppleTV+... 360p...

That has me worried as well, got zero interest in recording software

[Cats4U]

Guys,
I wish this forum allowed the full set of emojis because I would fill the page with red hearts. I really, really appreciate all your positive comments. Unfortunately I think I'll stay on the sidelines for now. There's really nothing any of us can do to help each other until this DRM thing gets worked out by the Developer. I think the best thing everyone here could do is read my original post in this thread, the actual warning. I'm really not one to brag but I nailed it, except for the date it all started to go into effect but I was relying on the news story. Some streamers have changed to Widevine 2 (that's what Amazon is calling it, check your logs), and others haven't yet. As far as I can see, there has not been complete deprecation of the older Widevine certificates yet but it was always assumed that they would delay that for awhile despite them saying it would be right on Dec. 6th. So, things could possibly still get worse here. Here... that's an important word meaning the StreamFab forum. StreamFab. StreamFab. I think it is distasteful that some users here (there's that word again) are taking the news that the competitor has been able to get around the Widevine 2 problem for one streamer and are gloating about it here..HERE! No one would dare gloat about a StreamFab accomplishment over there (the opposite of here) because AngryFox would shut it down immediately. 'Nuf said.

Getting back to my original message, I wrote...

I hope everyone here realizes that "picking the lock" of this new DRM, needs to be, and is, the top priority right now. All other complaints about little inconveniences can wait until after the new DRM is solved.

That was a total bust. The complaints still kept on coming such as (phony example); "I VPN into GolumpkiTV.va and Episode 6 of Season 2 of My Mother the Car will not show Sindarin subtitles. I paid good money for this program. I want this fixed immediately." Meanwhile, the Developer is struggling to break through Widevine 2 and he has to take time out to work on the subtitle issue.
Part of the problem is that a large number of visitors to this forum never read any of the existing messages. They just write up their problem and half of them never return to read the replies. If they do return it is to write, "I figured it out myself." That's another reason why I'm not too eager to help out anymore. So many times someone will post a problem and I'll do my research and downloading and writing up of a possible solution and the user with never ever reply back to me or I'll get the "I figured it out myself." In retrospect I don't know why I expected anyone to read a message titled "Two Week Warning" even if I did make sure it had enlarged lettering. Heck, there are still people today that are complaining about Amazon Prime and they don't have a clue that there was a DRM change.

I, also, wrote in the original message...

And don't even think for a microsecond that StreamFab is to blame if the only thing available for a time are videos in SD or something equally annoying.

I'm starting to see a lot of microseconds being wasted on this. StreamFab has used the recoding method in the past to stall for time while the Developer worked on the DRM change problem. This is nothing new and you were warned to expect it. Stop your complaining about it. In the meantime, if you can't live without HD there's always torrents, newsgroups, and yes, that other place.

Well, that's that. My spleen feels well vented now. 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.

Again, thank you for your warm comments and for putting up with this old cynical curmudgeon.

[artsunlimited]

No one would dare gloat about a StreamFab accomplishment over there (the opposite of here) because AngryFox would shut it down immediately.

I have to laugh because you're so right. Last December/January SF had things truly sorted after the last DRM shakeup while the competition was still somewhat in the weeds, and the only reason I found this software was because too many people were referring to it [obliquely, naturally] to shut them all up. I was looking for "monkey software" but all I saw was a mongoose - and then of course the pin finally dropped because I'm dead clever like that.

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! One thing that I noticed is that outside of the 6.0.0.7. update info, there's not any sort of general notice or banner heading on the forum about the DRM shakeup and that StreamFab's aware of it and working on it, which would sure as heck cut down on the "I can't get Amazon to download anything, what's going on?" posts that Mona has to take time to answer.
I have no idea whether SF did this last year, but as these users clearly aren't reading previous posts & updates, maybe that notice would get their attention and cut down on the board clutter?

P.S. And as you well and truly nailed it, there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't brag about it - loudly and at length. You earned the right!

[Cats4U]

One thing that I noticed is that outside of the 6.0.0.7. update info, there's not any sort of general notice or banner heading on the forum about the DRM shakeup and that StreamFab's aware of it and working on it, which would sure as heck cut down on the "I can't get Amazon to download anything, what's going on?" posts that Mona has to take time to answer.

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.

[Marty92]

After all, every CDM update jeopardizes the entire program.

Why buy StreamFab if it doesn't work ?

So the developers should do everything to solve the problem quickly.

[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.

[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]

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]

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