Originally posted by Kattanders
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Complaint Amazon, Netflix... DRM-Fix
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Agreed, lack of updates is a bummer, as the last message from them is 24th February, they haven't even bothered to update that with a newer date 2 months later.
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DVDalibaba, NewMelle
very glad both of you responded :-)
Absolutely agree with you, better communication and status updates would really relax this situation - unfortunately this doesn't happen.
The option to to sign up somewhere else exists but for now I have no need for that yet - Disney still works and for Amazon I also can still get what I want.
I grew up with copying VHS tapes (even accepting, that not only the recordings were of pathetic quality, but even the copy protection would result in a video going bright and dark). SVHS and a digital video mixer made things better. Years later we were encoding MPEG-I to VCD keeping computers run for days and nights for just one movie. I also remember when DVDShrink came out and we would rent DVDs on an hourly basis and "shrink" 'em. FAB-Decrypter came in handy for the candidates shrink and RegionFee would fail on. For years DVD quality (SD) was satisfacotry. Then came blueray (HD). My first stream recording was a Netflix serial I had to have and ended up using a screen recorder with 60fps 50 minutes per episode. Next came the idea of Plex and the huge task to get all my DVDs into Plex and for the bluerays I "invested" in the life time Fab Blueray ripper and finally realised how bad DVD quality actually is. StreamFab was the solution and begining of last year I bought the life time for Amazon, Disney, Netflix and youtube. All of a sudden everything was just so, so easy. As a Star Wars fan I was in the cinema, had bought the VHS tapes, then the DVDs and even the bluerays (bought it often enough, right?) and didn't feel one bit bad about downloading 'em in full HD finally. Also I bought quiet a few titles on Amazon over time when they had bargains like 99Cent a movie (and I still feel entitled to download them - I mean I bought them).
The happyness ended all of a sudden on 25th of Feb. this year. What was taken for granted no longer worked :-( - I guess you all know this feeling?
Then came updates with apparently "useless" features and all the negativity about "recoding". Still, recoding allows to download new DRM protected material -
and whether you like it or not, SF still delivers - just not in the way we obviously expect it.
So far I still seem to be able to get all I want - just takes longer and with try and error I could overcome the "problems" of re-encoding.
I do want H.256 and what I cannot get in that codec I request the download in H.264 best quality offered and run it through handbrake or vidcoder using hardware NVEC to recode it to H.265 which takes maybe 20min for a movie. If I request H.265 and only get H.264 (means, that SF will recode based on the bitrate requested for H.265 which is much lower than needed for decent H.264). Therefore I stop the download and request it in H.264 best qaulity. Never had sync problems and the resulting quality I cannot complain about - it is not upscaled or whatever you read in the forum. Framerate and resolution of the outcome is the same as the source. Recoded video size in general is 20% larger indicating a minimum loss of quality. Just one thing to consider! don't change your windows session nor lock your screen - this seems to result in a not rendered video. So I check the recoded video whether the ending is playing and also if audio tracks are still in sync towards the end.
Anyways, maybe this is of help for you till SF is back, or a change to some other service has to be considered.
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Originally posted by Kattanders View PostDVDalibaba, NewMelle
I do understand the frustration, I am not happy either. However, my frustration doesn't really go against SF but towards Copyright holders, Content rights owners, streaming platform terms of service, and especially to those who make the laws that using any software or means (such as DVD/StreamFab) circumventing any copy protection (DRM) is a violation of law. It's downright outrageous that a law forbids to posess legally purchased content (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, or even streaming platform content) by copying their content to some local media store such as a private media streaming server (i.e. Plex).
Just because SF and other download providers counter copyprotection I will stay loyal to them (for a certain time at least), even if it will take a bit until they can offer again the service we pay(ed) for and take for granted that it works. We all know, that SF and others are operating in a legal grey area which may or may not affect the functional lifespan of their services.
I might be more forgiving if there was far more interaction between development and the customers. Perhaps even daily updates. What are the priorities, progress, barriers etc. are and where they stand. At least we would see movement but at present only silence. Others having cracked the DRM long since is only a secondary complaint but the silence compounds this. Although it may not be true, it implies indifference. What really chafes my ass is it is being sold with zero mention of the numerous issues and also sold as a fully functional product. The last thing I want is someone else falling into the same trap we are stuck in currently.
As far as lifespan is concerned I learned my lesson. I will not buy a lifetime license again. I paid for a 2 year license of the other solution (one year was only $16 less). That way should this situation arise again I have a backup one way or the other. No more lifetime licenses unless it is for something like Reaper who thumbs their nose at the money hungry issue-prone resource hogs ProTools and Cubase.
Nothing is more annoying than buffering and stuttering or audio going out of sync. So I guess all these streaming services are only catering to those who have reliable broadband internet access (we're rural and we get a crappy 8Mb here at best). Basically "So sad, too bad. Move into the city." SF and applications like it allow us to watch our movies and shows without these aggravating annoyances. The streaming services are only concerned with one thing and one thing only. Making as much money as they can. Not to provide quality content or bring entertainment to the masses. Just money.
Same with broadband. If there aren't enough suckers on a run there won't be a run in that area. Where we lived last was also once rural (once meaning suburbia had moved in and stunk up the place) and also had crappy i-net (6Mb at best). There were three new subdivisions less than 1/8 mile from us on our road that had fiber. Their reason for not running fiber further down the road past me was "not enough potential subscribers." They simply wouldn't rake in enough dough. Satellite i-net is a joke and if you've never experienced it you're all the better for it.
So in a way I completely agree with you. Those with the money want more and when they get it, what do they want? Even more money of course. Amazon really pissed me off adding ads to their "Included With Prime." Freevee I can see. Now I'm paying them for the privilege of watching shampoo and tampon commercials? I'm an old guy and I'm almost bald for ***** sake. Or, I can pay even more to avoid some of them. We buy a lot of movies on Amazon and we expect to own them from there on out, not just until Amazon sees fit to take it down. So yes, I completely agree they are overbearing and driven by greed and WE are the ones footing the bill and feeding that greed.
I am still going to voice my aggravation regardless. I paid for something I am not getting and am an old biker with a bad temper. I am sure I could find far more colorful ways to express my opinions. Trust me, I've been holding back, just ask my Wife.I can see a month, on the very outside two. We are now pushing three with ZERO from the developers. A little communication would go a long ways.
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Originally posted by Kattanders View PostDVDalibaba, NewMelle
I do understand the frustration, I am not happy either. However, my frustration doesn't really go against SF but towards Copyright holders, Content rights owners, streaming platform terms of service, and especially to those who make the laws that using any software or means (such as DVD/StreamFab) circumventing any copy protection (DRM) is a violation of law. It's downright outrageous that a law forbids to posess legally purchased content (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, or even streaming platform content) by copying their content to some local media store such as a private media streaming server (i.e. Plex).
Just because SF and other download providers counter copyprotection I will stay loyal to them (for a certain time at least), even if it will take a bit until they can offer again the service we pay(ed) for and take for granted that it works. We all know, that SF and others are operating in a legal grey area which may or may not affect the functional lifespan of their services.
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DVDalibaba, NewMelle
I do understand the frustration, I am not happy either. However, my frustration doesn't really go against SF but towards Copyright holders, Content rights owners, streaming platform terms of service, and especially to those who make the laws that using any software or means (such as DVD/StreamFab) circumventing any copy protection (DRM) is a violation of law. It's downright outrageous that a law forbids to posess legally purchased content (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, or even streaming platform content) by copying their content to some local media store such as a private media streaming server (i.e. Plex).
Just because SF and other download providers counter copyprotection I will stay loyal to them (for a certain time at least), even if it will take a bit until they can offer again the service we pay(ed) for and take for granted that it works. We all know, that SF and others are operating in a legal grey area which may or may not affect the functional lifespan of their services.
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Originally posted by Kattanders View Post
What do you expect? DRM is there to prevent what SF and Co are doing - it's like the lock on your front door to keep "unwanted visitors" out, and it is a state of the art lock. It is not a question that it will get broken, but it is not predictable when that will be - we are not talking a feature to implement, this is hardcore hacking!
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Originally posted by Kattanders View Post
What do you expect? DRM is there to prevent what SF and Co are doing - it's like the lock on your front door to keep "unwanted visitors" out, and it is a state of the art lock. It is not a question that it will get broken, but it is not predictable when that will be - we are not talking a feature to implement, this is hardcore hacking!
I did get some use out of SF but in no way do I owe them even an iota of loyalty. I paid for it, it was not a gift. Like buying a 30K mile tire and the tread flies off on the highway at 10K miles and the manufacturer can't honor the warranty. I got something, but it would appear "lifetime" isn't it. I just hope those buying licenses for it now know to do their homework so they know what they are getting into.
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Originally posted by Cats4U View Post
For the gazillionth time, that is not what re-encoding does. It is a misnomer. The result of a Chinese misuse of the English language. There is no rescaling or re-encoding involved. If anything, it should be known as the CleverGet method of downloading. It is simply a modified video recording method. This is an example of how it works: Because the user is locked out of doing a 1080p L3 download because they do not have the latest L3 DRM key, they do a screen recording of the video. The screen recording is done on the display from a regular browser, which has the newest DRM built-in. This display is at 1080p (or greater, if available). In order to save time, the video is sped up, two or more times. In other words, for a one-hour show it is displayed and video recorded in half an hour or better. When the screen recording is finished, during processing, the video is slowed down to the correct speed, and if there are any commercials, they are removed. The CleverGet method is known for its sync problems. The commercial removal process is usually where the sync problems appear, but even a few milliseconds miscalculations can ruin a whole video's sync, especially near the end of the video. Another problem with the CleverGet method is that you need fast memory and storage, otherwise you risk losing data. You'll probably run into problems with an old computer with slow RAM and a hard drive for storage (especially if that hard drive is seriously fragmented.) The CleverGet method (aka "re-encoding") is not worth the bother. Stick with 6.1.6.7, which is the last non-"re-encoding" update. You may not get the full resolution that you hope for but, for now, until the DRM gets fixed, you'll have the direct streaming download that you paid big money for. If you must use a video screen recording method, it is best to go with a "1 to 1" screen recorder, meaning one that records a one-hour show in one hour. Even then, it is best to use a newer computer with fast RAM and fast SSD storage.
Thank you for describing (once again) how that works. If it works the way you describe it, that leaves only one question:
Why does it not work this way with Netflix?
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Originally posted by DVDalibaba View PostEven though customers have been complaining for the past 2 months, I have not seen any admin come forward to explain to customers? They have collected money and they no longer care about the person who paid, their need now is to only care about new customers. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE REAL OPERATOR, not Cats4U and jpp72 . Cats4U and jpp72 are just customers like us.
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Originally posted by DVDalibaba View PostEven though customers have been complaining for the past 2 months, I have not seen any admin come forward to explain to customers? They have collected money and they no longer care about the person who paid, their need now is to only care about new customers. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE REAL OPERATOR, not Cats4U and jpp72 . Cats4U and jpp72 are just customers like us.
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Even though customers have been complaining for the past 2 months, I have not seen any admin come forward to explain to customers? They have collected money and they no longer care about the person who paid, their need now is to only care about new customers. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE REAL OPERATOR, not Cats4U and jpp72 . Cats4U and jpp72 are just customers like us.
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You can also use Google Translate (search on that in your browser or go to translate.google.com). Two text boxes appear side-by-side. Text entered in the left box is translated in the right box. There are dropdown lists for selecting the source and destination languages.
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