Is it possible to record an internet audio/video stream with DRM encoding?

Originally Posted by Kevin

I am considering producing an audio book and the publisher wants me to find out if it is possible to record an internet stream with DRM encoding even if the service is offering both purchase rights and non purchase rights stream options?

Is it possible to DOWNLOAD / RIP / CAPTURE an internet audio/video stream with DRM encoding
If your streamed audio/video files will have a one-time play license, then after downloading/ripping/capturing such an audio/video file with a streaming audio/video ripper or audio stream rippers, one won't be able to play it. And without playing the audio/video file, it is impossible to remove DRM protection.

Is it possible to RECORD an internet audio/video stream with DRM encoding
One can use

• direct sound recording software to record any audio from his/her sound card
• screen video capture software to record any video from the screen with the audio from the sound card

When one records from the sound card or from screen, there is usually some loss in quality. But in most cases it is not that significant.


If you use a "Protected audio path" in Windows Vista, then Vista users won't be able to record anything from their sound cards (at least I don't know how to do it). The problem is that DRM protected Windows Media files are not supported on computers with Mac OS and Linux.

Another good thing is that most web-sites (including this one) only suggest how to remove DRM protection from legally purchased files only. It means that it will be harder to get any advice on removing the DRM protection from a file with a rental license.


At the moment I consider DRM as a pure evil. It is more a measure that bounds legal customers than a way to stop piracy.

[any ANONYMOUS forum user]

Originally Posted by About WM Recorder

In most cases the ASF and RM files come encapsulated in a format that cannot be played back from a local computer. There are many items that need to be removed, changed or added in the broadcasted stream. The most complicated is to detect and recalculate the frame times and frame counts which are inserted allover the broadcast in mini headers for each individual stream that forms the video/audio.

Real Player usually has 2 streams but Windows Media has much more (for example a live TV show will have as many streams as the number of video cameras and microphones used in the broadcast).

The simple way to do this is to use DLL's from Microsoft or RealPlayer which do everything for you: make the connection, parse the stream and give you an ASF or RM file output. The only problem with this is that it is illegal. These DLL's are not public domain.

The problem becomes even more complicated with Real Player which includes an encrypted authentication for every RTSP stream accessed. In this case, when you use their DLL to do the authentication you break the DMCA (Digital Millennium Act) law which is what happened with Streambox. The court decision in the Streambox case specifies that Real Player streams can only be accessed using the Real Player. Only Real Player can access the DLL.

WM Recorder brings up the Real Player every time you play or record a stream with it. Real Player brings up the DLL which makes the connection and does the authentication then WM Recorder only get the stream data. It is much more complicated
than what other stream recording programs do.

The reward for doing this is that WM Recorder can control the connection as it wants. For example a 4 hours BBC radio show can be recorded in 10 minutes or less using the Turbo Mode.

Same with ASF although Microsoft does not use a password. Using their DLLs is also illegal. Again, the reward for WM Recorder is the capability of recording DRM and password authenticated streams which are not included in the DLLs used by all other stream recording programs.

Please note that when recording DRM-protected streams from Windows Media or Real Player WM Recorder doesn't change the license terms in the DRM file. The recording can be played back from a local computer for as long as the license allows it.

Originally Posted by Anonymous Stream Ripper

when recording DRM-protected streams from Windows Media or Real Player WM Recorder doesn't change the license terms in the DRM file. The recording can be played back from a local computer for as long as the license allows it.

You should only remove DRM protection from legally purchased files. Please do not abuse rental licenses!

Luckily most content providers are smart enough to use one-time play licenses, so after downloading/ripping/capturing audio/video stream from such a web-site, you won't be able to play the downloaded/ripped/saved DRM-protected file. And if you can't play DRM protected file, you can't remove DRM protection from it!