According to SIVD Systems (SIVDSystems.com), content theft is not something that website publishers have to live with anymore, as they can now fight back against it. This is especially true of new or as yet unreleased content, proactively protected before it is published and pirated across the Internet.
The company claims to offer the only video player that prevents users from stealing a website’s content. SIVD, an appropriate acronym for Secure Internet Video Delivery, uses a smart video player designed to prevent theft, copyright violation and the general piracy of video content.
The SIVD Video Player is Windows-based software that plays encrypted versions of MP4 and AVI formatted video files, using the .mpn, .mpx or .mpy formats.
The SIVD Video Player is Windows-based software that plays encrypted versions of MP4 and AVI formatted video files, using the .mpn, .mpx or .mpy formats. An Android application is also available, allowing for secure video viewing on this popular platform.
A SIVD rep explains that all existing pay-per-view and video on demand applications are vulnerable to content theft, and that websites that provide video content without using the SIVD system can have their content easily stolen whenever it is displayed on a user’s computer screen, readily recorded from their screen using free software.
It is an oversight that contributes to the glut of illegally obtained material that could be mitigated by protecting your content in order to increase your website’s profits.
“With the proliferation of tube sites, Internet forums, blogs and file sharing websites, the inherent risks contained in providing Flash videos and downloadable video content in an online environment has increased over time,” the SIVD rep states. “No longer can you offer Flash, streaming video or downloadable content, and then assume that it’s safe from piracy and that you will be adequately compensated for your work.”
“The SIVD Video Player is easy to install, easy to operate and will save you the time and frustration of browsing hundreds of web pages on a daily basis to see where your latest stolen content has landed,” the rep adds. “Our player also saves you the cost and time involved in sending out numerous DMCA takedown notices almost daily, which can amount to huge savings.”
The company notes that it not only markets the SIVD Player, but that it also provides training and support for the product, which may be unfamiliar to its neophyte users.
From concept to features to business model, it’s an interesting proposition all around — and one that XBIZ wanted to examine more closely.
Here’s what we found:
According to SIVD, its system encrypts each video differently in order to provide an extra layer of security against reverse engineering attempts; with videos being encrypted individually, as a package or universally.
End users are only able to view a video if they have been granted approval by the content administrator, who has a very fine degree of control over video content viewing; such as the ability to set expiry dates on clients’ memberships — and thus their access to your video content.
Videos that are individually encrypted use a different code for each video, providing an ideal solution for websites offering individual videos at a set price. A member would only have access to the video he paid for. SIVD recommends this method for cascading price specials for individual videos, and notes that manual approvals may be appropriate.
Package-based video encryption enables categoryspecific website memberships.
“For example you could have a premium membership, regular membership and a trial membership. Videos with a particular encryption code can be distinguished and accessed only for that membership category,” the rep explains. “So a member who pays $5.99 for a trial membership will only have access to … trial membership videos.”
Universal video encryption employs one common encryption code and is intended for typical paysites with a single members’ area.
“With this type of encryption, a member has access to the entire library of videos with a single registration, [which] can be approved automatically or manually,” the rep notes. “Automatic approval is recommended for this type of encryption [and easily integrates] with CCBill or other billers. This means that an individual is automatically approved for access to your video library once they join your website.”
The SIVD Player also secures clips against screen capturing, which the company calls “the Achilles heel of all Flash and streaming video content.”
“If a user tries to perform a video recording or capture, the SIVD Player detects it quickly and covers the video with a warning message,” the rep says. “Although the audio continues to play, the video cannot be seen until the user stops the recording software, or SIDV Player can completely abort the process.”
A maximum number of recording attempts before play is abandoned can be specified; and a user who attempts screen capture can be blacklisted from further viewing, unless he is reauthorized by the website’s administrator.
Other features including PC binding, so that a user can only play videos on the PC used for his registration; making video content non-transferable — while LAN support allows the player to be run from a computer that does not have a direct Internet access.
“This is ideal for use in schools/colleges where PCs are available on a LAN,” the rep states. “Video content can be placed on one centralized server, and an unlimited number of clients can view it.”
Administrative tools include a list of videos watched by a particular user along with the IST time and the IP of the PC from which the video was watched. This will counter users who deceptively claim to not have been able to access your site’s video content.
Also available is a video log containing a list of users who have watched a particular video or video package, along with the IST time; or by clicking on a user, a list of videos viewed by that user can be seen, as well as any attempts he made to do a screen capture; as well as a report listing the most watched videos and video packages.
The SIVD Secure Video Player application is based on C++, launches quickly and is installed with a single click on PCs running Windows XP, SP2, or later versions.
While the software only encrypts MP4 files, the company offers a conversion service as well as enduser support services, which can be necessary for dealing with customers that have usage issues — including those malicious users who were denied access and the ability to illegally distribute your product, when they attempted to screen capture videos.
All said, SIVD offers an interesting approach to a perennial problem, although one that works against the trend of consumer demand, where streaming rather than downloads is the preferred consumption channel.
