Ripping streaming video

[moviemadness]

Is ripping streaming video a lot more difficult than ripping DVDs and Blu-rays? If so, are the studios winning the war on piracy? While videos ripped from discs are common, I have never seen a video ripped from commercial streaming video. I have seen movies exclusively available on streaming and have yet to see any ripped versions of them. And we know AnyDVD never has the feature for decrypting streaming video, and probably never will. As more and more people watch streaming videos from Netflix and the likes and fewer and fewer of them buy discs, it is easy to conclude that the war on piracy has already been won in the studios' favor. It's funny that torrent sites added the ability to stream videos in order to "compete" with Netflix and the likes. But of course, they can only stream videos ripped from *discs*. And some time in the future when discs are no longer made, will we actually see zero piracy? I never thought I would see that day. Three things have always seemed to be certain in life: death, tax, ... and pirated IPs.

 

[Adbear]

Streaming video has been getting ripped for years. Downside is that the HD quality of streaming is less than the Blu-ray

 

[Mr Cron]

People can capture streaming services either with screen capture software or via HDMI. One issue is that it's quite hard to capture the surround sound via HDMI (hard to capture DD+), not sure on this with screen capture software.

The big downside is even with the lower bandwidth of the stream vs Blu-ray already reducing quality, you end up having to re-encode which even further reduces the quality. So all fairly unsatisfactory.

There were some hacker groups that managed to circumvent Amazon's protection and downloaded the stream directly (they were even taking requests apparently), so the quality was okay (as good as it's going to get) and with 5.1 surround.

But again this is always a game of cat and mouse. It would be nice if there was a simple software solution that could capture the stream (not a screen capture) from all the major providers. An "AnyDVD" from streaming services, where they would keep up with these companies. But unlike Blu-ray the content providers can change things quickly, so the target moves faster.

I do find it frustrating that I supposedly *own* content on these services (strictly speaking a right to stream permanently), yet this can be taken from me if I fall out with the streaming company, or they fall out with the owners of the content. And I can't just play this content I own on any system, in any country I happen to be travelling to.

We just have to hope enough people have bad enough Internet bandwidth that physical media continues for a long time.

 

[moviemadness]

Streaming video has been getting ripped for years. Downside is that the HD quality of streaming is less than the Blu-ray

If AnyDVD can't decrypt streaming videos, I doubt anyone else can. Of course, there are lots of streaming videos with little or no copy protection but I'm not talking about those. I'm talking about videos on Netflix, iTunes, Vudu, etc. They have lots of videos that are not on Blu-rays, and yet I rarely see them torrented. For instance, the 1976 Shaw Brothers classic Killer Clans (iTunes edition here). I bought it, and the 1080p picture is pretty nice. It has a full suite of audio and subtitle options: English & Chinese audio, English & Chinese subtitles. And it's cheap too, at $7.99. Now, show me a torrented copy of this particular video. Even if someone could rip the video, I doubt he could rip the subtitles too.

 

[moviemadness]

People can capture streaming services either with screen capture software or via HDMI. One issue is that it's quite hard to capture the surround sound via HDMI (hard to capture DD+), not sure on this with screen capture software.

The big downside is even with the lower bandwidth of the stream vs Blu-ray already reducing quality, you end up having to re-encode which even further reduces the quality. So all fairly unsatisfactory.

There were some hacker groups that managed to circumvent Amazon's protection and downloaded the stream directly (they were even taking requests apparently), so the quality was okay (as good as it's going to get) and with 5.1 surround.

But again this is always a game of cat and mouse. It would be nice if there was a simple software solution that could capture the stream (not a screen capture) from all the major providers. An "AnyDVD" from streaming services, where they would keep up with these companies. But unlike Blu-ray the content providers can change things quickly, so the target moves faster.

I do find it frustrating that I supposedly *own* content on these services (strictly speaking a right to stream permanently), yet this can be taken from me if I fall out with the streaming company, or they fall out with the owners of the content. And I can't just play this content I own on any system, in any country I happen to be travelling to.

We just have to hope enough people have bad enough Internet bandwidth that physical media continues for a long time.

The ability to capture video from cable TV with relative ease is why there are many torrents of cable TV programs. But not so for copy-protected streaming videos from Netflix and the likes, because capturing them is *not* relative ease, and that's my point. And the latter part of your post explains why it is difficult.

 

[Ch3vr0n]

AnyDVD can't decrypt streams because it's not designed to, it works with discs only. That doesn't mean other programs can't. You're comparing apples with oranges.

 

[moviemadness]

AnyDVD can't decrypt streams because it's not designed to, it works with discs only. That doesn't mean other programs can't. You're comparing apples with oranges.

Then name me the other programs. There are quite a few programs that can decrypt discs, but we all know there aren't nearly as many (maybe none) that can decrypt commercial streaming videos. Because if there were, we would be seeing as many torrents made from discs as those made from streaming videos, would we?

 

[Ch3vr0n]

personally i don't know one, as i have no need for one. I prefer physical discs. Maybe someone else does.

 

[Adbear]

The ability to capture video from cable TV with relative ease is why there are many torrents of cable TV programs. But not so for copy-protected streaming videos from Netflix and the likes, because capturing them is *not* relative ease, and that's my point. And the latter part of your post explains why it is difficult.

I often see 'web-dl' or 'web-rip' for torrents when searching on Google. Web-DL is where the file is downloaded then the DRM removed, web-rip is where the stream file is stripped from the RTMP and remuxed into an MKV or other file type. I've seen plenty of Netflix web-rip files around.

As to software I don't know what they use as I've never been interested in doing it

 

[ddjmagic]

For instance, the 1976 Shaw Brothers classic Killer Clans (iTunes edition here). Even if someone could rip the video, I doubt he could rip the subtitles too.

iTunes DRM was broken years ago, you can use an older version of iTunes in combination with Requiem to remove the DRM.
There is no re-encoding and you end up with a DRM free file with untouched video/audio/subtitle.
The only requirement is you have to own/buy the iTunes content for it to work - you could do it on your own Killer Clans movie and play in Kodi for example.
However this doesn't stop the DRM free file being shared online, which is what happens.

As @Adbear said Netflix/Amazon webrips are available for all their exclusive content.
I remember reading a while back that Amazon's "The Grand Tour" first episode had been downloaded 5 million + times through torrents (may of been exaggerated, I don't know)

So pretty much all the popular services are compromised.

 

[moviemadness]

iTunes DRM was broken years ago, you can use an older version of iTunes in combination with Requiem to remove the DRM.
There is no re-encoding and you end up with a DRM free file with untouched video/audio/subtitle.
The only requirement is you have to own/buy the iTunes content for it to work - you could do it on your own Killer Clans movie and play in Kodi for example.
However this doesn't stop the DRM free file being shared online, which is what happens.

As @Adbear said Netflix/Amazon webrips are available for all their exclusive content.
I remember reading a while back that Amazon's "The Grand Tour" first episode had been downloaded 5 million + times through torrents (may of been exaggerated, I don't know)

So pretty much all the popular services are compromised.

But Requiem itself is also broken. It hasn't been updated for a long time, and the author has retired. If your iTunes videos were downloaded long ago when Requiem still worked, then you might be able to decrypt it. But if you download them now even with older iTunes, it doesn't work. It may work for 480p or 720p, but not 1080p, which is what matters. Same with the ripping of Netflix and Amazon videos. You may be able to find exploits that let you rip the videos temporarily, but not for long, because exploits reside on the server side and can be patched. With discs, exploits are found the discs themselves, and there is no way to patch them once the discs are pressed. More to the point, even the best copy-protection on DVDs/BDs is still easily exploited. Not so for streaming videos.

 

[Adbear]

Episodes are still being ripped weekly, and even up to 1080p. A quick Google search brings up alternatives to Requiem

 

[ddjmagic]

But if you download them now even with older iTunes, it doesn't work. It may work for 480p or 720p, but not 1080p, which is what matters.

Nope, even though Requiem isn't updated it works in 1080p in older iTunes with new content. I have used it many times to remove DRM on my 1080p iTunes purchases in v10.7, works fine.

 

[moviemadness]

Nope, even though Requiem isn't updated it works in 1080p in older iTunes with new content. I have used it many times to remove DRM on my 1080p iTunes purchases in v10.7, works fine.

When was the last time you did this? Because, this just in (a month ago actually, on Jan 25, 2017). If you use obsolete software, even if it works now, it will break eventually, like it did last month. Apple pushed a button just like that and took away what you were able to do.

 

[moviemadness]

Episodes are still being ripped weekly, and even up to 1080p. A quick Google search brings up alternatives to Requiem

But most of them are just cat-and-mouse exercises: people finding an exploit, server patching the exploit, rinse and repeat. This is like anti-malware updates that patch exploits as they come out. This is a FAR CRY from AnyDVD's absolute rock solid performance for years. Again, this is all due to DVD/BD copy-protection being so weak. It is also easier to hack a disc that is right in front of you than hacking data on remote servers.

 

[Adbear]

Actually it's not really any different. AnyDVD is constantly being updated with fixes for new DVD protections and the OPD for Blu-ray playlists & BD+.

Also they aren't hacking data on a remote server. They are saving the video stream as it comes in and then remuxing it to a playable format

 

[ddjmagic]

When was the last time you did this? Because, this just in (a month ago actually, on Jan 25, 2017). If you use obsolete software, even if it works now, it will break eventually, like it did last month. Apple pushed a button just like that and took away what you were able to do.

A couple of days ago - however now I've looked at the newer DRM removed files, they are infact 720p (I hadn't noticed ).
So 5 years later (the cat is a little slow) Apple stop 1080p downloads for this method. Perhaps there are alternative methods for 1080p I don't know, but still DRM free HD files can be taken from iTunes even with the aging method.

Maybe the method I use is outdated now, but still the fact is iTunes, Amazon and Netflix latest released content is available in 1080p for pirates just as DVD/BD sources are.

 

[James]

Is ripping streaming video a lot more difficult than ripping DVDs and Blu-rays?

Not really.

While videos ripped from discs are common, I have never seen a video ripped from commercial streaming video.

I have.

I have seen movies exclusively available on streaming and have yet to see any ripped versions of them.

Maybe you need to look better.

And we know AnyDVD never has the feature for decrypting streaming video, and probably never will.

Sure. You know, it is called "AnyDVD", not "AnyStream".

As more and more people watch streaming videos from Netflix and the likes and fewer and fewer of them buy discs, it is easy to conclude that the war on piracy has already been won in the studios' favor.

I don't think so.
Actually, IMHO there is no need to "rip" streams. Maybe for Amazon & Netfix exclusives. I consider streaming like "throw-away-tv". Like normal, linear TV. There is nothing "premium" with a stream.
If there are no discs available anymore, the pirates will use streams instead. But until then, I am retired anyway.

 

[moviemadness]

Maybe you need to look better.

But that's sort of my point. I don't have to look better when it comes to discs, because it is much easier to find them. Streaming videos have tougher DRM, tougher for you to break it, resulting in fewer people who are able to break them, and therefore harder for me to find them.

Actually it's not really any different. AnyDVD is constantly being updated with fixes for new DVD protections and the OPD for Blu-ray playlists & BD+.

Also they aren't hacking data on a remote server. They are saving the video stream as it comes in and then remuxing it to a playable format

But AnyDVD only needs to hack a disc once, whereas a streaming video, whether it was released recently or long ago, may have its copy-protection altered again and again, thus requiring you to hack it again and again. To your second point, saving a video stream from a remote server still involves defeating the various mechanisms that prevent you from saving it and/or make it difficult for you to save it. No such problem with a disc.

 

[Ch3vr0n]

@moviemadness please do not double post minutes apart. Use the edit link below your post instead. Please keep torrent talk out of this forum. What you need / want to do is your business but that talk does not have a home on this forum.