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More => Old Versions => Media Center 17 => Topic started by: glynor on May 20, 2012, 11:01:51 pm

Title: Playing Back iTunes Protected Video Content
Post by: glynor on May 20, 2012, 11:01:51 pm

Hello there... I'm going to ask a crazy question.  Does MC's Quicktime Engine playback still work right, and does it work with DRMed videos?  If not, can it?

I don't have a bunch, since I don't buy audio or video with DRM on general principle, but I do have a handful of protected iTunes M4V files.  For example, I have the (free) Game of Thrones Season 1 extras (http://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/game-of-thrones-season-1/id482730236), and a few other things they gave away for free here and there.  They play correctly in Quicktime player on this machine, and it is all authorized and everything.  With the M4V file type set to Automatic Playback Method on MC17, files with DRM (from the iTunes store) fail to play with a Failed to connect video decoder to source error.

It is convenient that MC has separate settings for just M4V files (separate from MP4), since files named that way are likely to come from iTunes.  In my case, all of my files with the M4V extension are from iTunes.  So, I went in there and changed M4V to the Quicktime Engine Playback Method.  I'm pretty sure this used to work for iTunes protected stuff way, way back in the day, but I don't remember clearly because wine.  In any case, it doesn't seem to work now for my Game of Thrones extras.

Playback doesn't fail with an error with MC set to use the Quicktime Engine on those files, but the video window is gray and there is no audio.  But the scrub bar seems to work and MC counts time as though it is playing, though, and it doesn't throw any errors.  It would be cool if this could be fixed, obviously.  Is fixing this possible using the Quicktime Engine?

And... Down the road, if so, should the M4V file-type do this by default?

Title: Re: Playing Back iTunes Protected Video Content
Post by: Aljieinchina on May 27, 2012, 09:25:45 pm

I have the exact same problem - I tried the same action ,amended the file associations to Quicktime- I reinstalled quicktime and CCCP codecs, I tried playing movies, TV shows and had the same result a Grey Screen

Title: Re: Playing Back iTunes Protected Video Content
Post by: rowens on June 18, 2012, 08:04:16 pm

bump... would love to be able to do this.

Any possibility of making this happen?

Title: Re: Playing Back iTunes Protected Video Content
Post by: Jvpk on October 08, 2012, 10:41:18 am

I am on a trial of MC 17 and finding the same thing. I thought they were working for a while but all of my movies and recorded tv shows come up with a grey screen and no audio. But the time bar is moving right along as if it is doing something...

I have cccp and QuickTime installed. M4V is set to QuickTime. I have some music videos in M4V format and they work ok... All originate from iTunes...

This is a show stopper for me, no movies etc and MC is not for me.

Thanks

John

Title: Re: Playing Back iTunes Protected Video Content
Post by: Matt on October 09, 2012, 03:22:01 pm

The QuickTime engine is working alright for me on files without DRM.  Obviously it disables video controls, the audio engine, etc., but basic playback is working.

I'm not sure about Apple DRM files.  It wouldn't be surprising if Apple simply disabled DRM playback in other applications.

Title: Re: Playing Back iTunes Protected Video Content
Post by: Jvpk on October 10, 2012, 03:15:54 pm

Got to say that is a real shame. I really liked the audio playback I was getting through my ASUS Xonar Essence but there is no way my wife will go for separate systems for audio and video. Looks like its back to sucky itunes for me.
Thanks

John