Encrypted Media Extensions

Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) is a W3C draft specification for providing a communication channel between web browsers and Digital Rights Management agent software.[1] This allows the use of HTML5 Video to play back DRM-wrapped content such as streaming video services without the need for third-party media plugins like Adobe Flash or Microsoft Silverlight. However the use of a third-party key management system may be required, depending on whether the publisher chooses to scramble the keys.

EME has been highly controversial within the W3C, because it places a necessarily proprietary, closed component into what might otherwise be an entirely open and free software ecosystem.

Netflix has supported HTML5 video using EME on the Samsung Chromebook since April 2013.[2]

As of 2014, the Encrypted Media Extensions interface has been implemented in the Google Chrome,[3] Internet Explorer[4] and Safari[5] web browsers. Mozilla's Firefox web browser will not support EME directly, but is planned to have a mechanism for running a third-party implementation of EME within a sandbox. This has been the subject of controversy within the Mozilla community.[6]

Netflix supports HTML5 video using EME with a supported browser: Google Chrome (on Windows, OS X and Linux), Internet Explorer (on Windows 8.1 or newer[7]), or Safari (on OS X Yosemite or newer[8]).

The HTML5 EME is based on the HTML5 Media Source Extensions,[9] which enable adaptive bitrate streaming in HTML5 using e.g. MPEG-DASH with MPEG-CENC (Common Encryption) protected content.[10] Also YouTube is supporting the HTML5 MSE.[11] Available players supporting MPEG-DASH using the HTML5 MSE and EME are the bitdash MPEG-DASH player[12][13] or dash.js[14] by DASH-IF.

References

  1. ↑ "Encrypted Media Extensions W3C Working Draft". W3C. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Anthony Park and Mark Watson (April 15, 2013). "HTML5 Video at Netflix". Netflix.
  3. ↑ Weinstein, Rafael (26 February 2013). "Chrome 26 Beta: Template Element & Unprefixed CSS Transitions". Chromium Blog. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  4. ↑ "Supporting Encrypted Media Extensions with Microsoft PlayReady DRM in web browsers". Windows app development. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Protalinski, Emil (3 June 2014). "Netflix ditches Silverlight for HTML5 on Macs too: Available today in Safari on OS X Yosemite beta". The Next Web. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  6. ↑ Jeremy Kirk (May 15, 2014). "Mozilla hates it, but streaming video DRM is coming to Firefox". PCWorld.
  7. ↑ Anthony Park and Mark Watson (26 June 2013). "HTML5 Video in IE 11 on Windows 8.1". Netflix.
  8. ↑ Anthony Park and Mark Watson (3 June 2014). "HTML5 Video in Safari on OS X Yosemite". Netflix.
  9. ↑ HTML5 MSE
  10. ↑ David Dorwin. "ISO Common Encryption EME Stream Format and Initialization Data". W3C.
  11. ↑ The Status of MPEG-DASH today, and why Youtube & Netflix use it in HTML5
  12. ↑ bitdash MPEG-DASH player for HTML5 MSE and EME
  13. ↑ bitdash HTML5 EME DRM demo area
  14. ↑ dash.js

See also