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You won’t be able to watch HD content on Netflix or Amazon Prime (at the very least) that way though. You can only get HD streaming via a browser on Windows, wh

by pja 5y ago

You won’t be able to watch HD content on Netflix or Amazon Prime (at the very least) that way though. You can only get HD streaming via a browser on Windows, which appears to have an exception to the usual DRM rules. edit: As pointed out below, Windows is implementing DRM via decoding in hardware, which WideVine (Google’s DRM layer) on desktop Linux doesn’t / can’t do, so there’s no special exemption here.

kuschku 5y ago
You can get 1080p with Netflix or Amazon Prime in Firefox on Linux. It just requires some addons to modify their client app js (because the DRM verification level is high enough, it's only their frontend that disables this)
- pja 5y ago
  Except that the WideVine DRM library under Linux only does software decoding, so HD video tends to stutter according to the issue logs on said extensions on GitHub. Assuming you get it to work at all of course.
  - riskable 5y ago
    I haven't had any lag issues with it and my HTPC is running a 12-year-old processor with a 10-year-old AMD GPU. Maybe it's an Intel or Nvidia driver issue? I'm running KDE and have it configured to disable the compositor when an app goes full screen. Maybe that's your issue? Try turning off desktop effects and screwing around with your compositor settings. Edit: I want to point out that since my GPU can't handle 4k the desktop resolution is limited to ~2k (whatever the highest was that it can handle at 60Hz--I forget now haha).
    - zihotki 5y ago
      I assume that that was a point in regards with $100 mini-pc (think ARM-based one). Your 12-year old device likely has more performance comparing to those modern and cheap pc's.
- bityard 5y ago
  I already get 1080p on Netflix in Firefox on Linux. However, Amazon Prime on the same setup gets me 720p at most. (This is a regression because I _know_ I used to watch the first few seasons of The Expanse in 1080.) Which add-ons allow you to watch Prime in 1080p on Linux? I wasn't able to find them.
  - Crespyl 5y ago
    Same experience here, Netflix works without too much hassle, but Prime is limited to a much lower bitrate than on Windows. At one point I experimented a bit with making an addon myself, and it's possible to intercept the requests and spoof the UA/platform to get URLs for the HD streams, but then it goes to VMP/widevine and is a bit beyond my abilities. Best I could get was for the HD quality option to appear in the UI, but with a complaint that it wouldn't work because I needed to update or use a different browser. Now pretty much the only time I use Prime video is for the occasional watchparty, and I'll just pirate the stuff I want to see in HD.
leephillips 5y ago
Thanks for pointing this out, I wasn’t aware.
Mindwipe 5y ago
You can watch HD in the Netflix app on Windows if your hardware supports HDCP. Edge on Windows also gets HD from Netflix and Amazon, because it uses the same DRM pipeline as the app does (Microsoft PlayReady). There's no exemption from the DRM rules here, Edge and the app implement hardware backed DRM systems.
- pja 5y ago
  WideVine is level3 for browsers on the Desktop: https://go.buydrm.com/thedrmblog/why-google-widevines-drm-is-a-must-for-any-successful-video-delivery-model https://go.buydrm.com/thedrmblog/why-google-widevines-drm-is... I guess Windows streaming is going via PlayReady then.
  - Mindwipe 5y ago
    Widevine is not used by Edge for Windows, as you say PlayReady is. (Well, Widevine actually is also present for a site to use if you really want to, but other than being too lazy to have two license servers there's very little reason why you would.) Microsoft have not ported PlayReady to other OSes, so Edge for Mac/Linux does use Widevine and gets Level 3.
darig 5y ago
Then how do I watch both of those services in 720p on a mac using a 140" projector that looks flawless? Or, are you a first adopter type that only considers 4K+ "HD"? 1080i also works, but the projector is 720p native, and progressive scan prevents the jagged edges during fast motion.

by pja 5y ago

kuschku 5y ago

You can get 1080p with Netflix or Amazon Prime in Firefox on Linux. It just requires some addons to modify their client app js (because the DRM verification level is high enough, it's only their frontend that disables this)

pja 5y ago
Except that the WideVine DRM library under Linux only does software decoding, so HD video tends to stutter according to the issue logs on said extensions on GitHub. Assuming you get it to work at all of course.
- riskable 5y ago
  I haven't had any lag issues with it and my HTPC is running a 12-year-old processor with a 10-year-old AMD GPU. Maybe it's an Intel or Nvidia driver issue? I'm running KDE and have it configured to disable the compositor when an app goes full screen. Maybe that's your issue? Try turning off desktop effects and screwing around with your compositor settings. Edit: I want to point out that since my GPU can't handle 4k the desktop resolution is limited to ~2k (whatever the highest was that it can handle at 60Hz--I forget now haha).
  - zihotki 5y ago
    I assume that that was a point in regards with $100 mini-pc (think ARM-based one). Your 12-year old device likely has more performance comparing to those modern and cheap pc's.
bityard 5y ago
I already get 1080p on Netflix in Firefox on Linux. However, Amazon Prime on the same setup gets me 720p at most. (This is a regression because I _know_ I used to watch the first few seasons of The Expanse in 1080.) Which add-ons allow you to watch Prime in 1080p on Linux? I wasn't able to find them.
- Crespyl 5y ago
  Same experience here, Netflix works without too much hassle, but Prime is limited to a much lower bitrate than on Windows. At one point I experimented a bit with making an addon myself, and it's possible to intercept the requests and spoof the UA/platform to get URLs for the HD streams, but then it goes to VMP/widevine and is a bit beyond my abilities. Best I could get was for the HD quality option to appear in the UI, but with a complaint that it wouldn't work because I needed to update or use a different browser. Now pretty much the only time I use Prime video is for the occasional watchparty, and I'll just pirate the stuff I want to see in HD.

leephillips 5y ago

Thanks for pointing this out, I wasn’t aware.

Mindwipe 5y ago

You can watch HD in the Netflix app on Windows if your hardware supports HDCP. Edge on Windows also gets HD from Netflix and Amazon, because it uses the same DRM pipeline as the app does (Microsoft PlayReady). There's no exemption from the DRM rules here, Edge and the app implement hardware backed DRM systems.

pja 5y ago
WideVine is level3 for browsers on the Desktop: https://go.buydrm.com/thedrmblog/why-google-widevines-drm-is-a-must-for-any-successful-video-delivery-model https://go.buydrm.com/thedrmblog/why-google-widevines-drm-is... I guess Windows streaming is going via PlayReady then.
- Mindwipe 5y ago
  Widevine is not used by Edge for Windows, as you say PlayReady is. (Well, Widevine actually is also present for a site to use if you really want to, but other than being too lazy to have two license servers there's very little reason why you would.) Microsoft have not ported PlayReady to other OSes, so Edge for Mac/Linux does use Widevine and gets Level 3.

darig 5y ago

Then how do I watch both of those services in 720p on a mac using a 140" projector that looks flawless? Or, are you a first adopter type that only considers 4K+ "HD"? 1080i also works, but the projector is 720p native, and progressive scan prevents the jagged edges during fast motion.