Time Locked Video

[dm64]

Hi

Does anyone know how to time lock a video? Searching aorund hasnt lead to many ideas.

What I want to do is stop a video distributed on a DVD/CD from playing after a particular date. These are internal company training videos and my aim is that after 3 months, for example, they wont play anymore - it gives me some version control so people arent using old videos.

Its been suggested that a variable in flash might do the trick but I havent been able to nail it

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Dennis

[aedipuss]

wouldn't it be easier to put the videos on a company server and change them as they are updated? then they will use whatever is the latest. otherwise you will need to implement some sort of drm infected video. you'll need to use drm encoders and players.

[dm64]

wouldn't it be easier to put the videos on a company server and change them as they are updated? then they will use whatever is the latest. otherwise you will need to implement some sort of drm infected video. you'll need to use drm encoders and players.

Thanks for the reply...yeah I have them up on a streaming video server but that is causing some headaches in some training areas. Was exploring the idea of them dying on DVD after a period of time as another option.

Cheers
Dennis

[guns1inger]

Not as DVD Video. You might explore other DRM alternatives for non-DVD video formats such as Divx or WMV, however there will probably be a license fee associated with each video you encode/distribute.

[noemi7]

I have never tried it but Nero has option to set "Volume expiration", so maybe it may work for you

[guns1inger]

Is that option available for DVD Video - your example is for a DVD-ROM ISO

[stantheman1976]

"Thank you for watching our new training video. This disc will self-destruct in 89 days, 23 hours, and 30 minutes. Have a nice day."

[AlanHK]

Does anyone know how to time lock a video? Searching aorund hasnt lead to many ideas.

Basically impossible with a normal DVD. You might be able to make it work if it used a player on a PC (eg, Flash), which would check against your server or just against the date to see if it was still current. But I think it would be a lot simpler just to have on the opening menu:

Training video #12
Not valid after June 2008

If people ignore that, let it be on their heads. You're otherwise likely to annoy people and have them calling you when they're locked out of using them for whatever unanticipated glitch, and smartarses will just change their PC date or find another way to spoof it.

[noemi7]

Is that option available for DVD Video - your example is for a DVD-ROM ISO

For any type, including CDR discs.

[Midzuki]

Would that "expiration date flag" receive some consideration from the standalones

[Baldrick]

Has anyone tested the volume expiration in nero burning rom? Exactly what does it do? I haven't find anything about it.

WMV with DRM is the only format I know that supports time locks.

[dm64]

"Thank you for watching our new training video. This disc will self-destruct in 89 days, 23 hours, and 30 minutes. Have a nice day."

Hahahahaha I like this option

[dm64]

I have never tried it but Nero has option to set "Volume expiration", so maybe it may work for you

Thanks for the tip - I will explore this

[dm64]

Does anyone know how to time lock a video? Searching aorund hasnt lead to many ideas.

Basically impossible with a normal DVD. You might be able to make it work if it used a player on a PC (eg, Flash), which would check against your server or just against the date to see if it was still current. But I think it would be a lot simpler just to have on the opening menu:

Training video #12
Not valid after June 2008

If people ignore that, let it be on their heads. You're otherwise likely to annoy people and have them calling you when they're locked out of using them for whatever unanticipated glitch, and smartarses will just change their PC date or find another way to spoof it.

Thanks to everyone who has given some ideas on this thread!

If the Nero idea doesnt track then my next option is warnings all over the place. I will probably setup and autorun then load a html page with links to the videos on the disc (probably go with videos format rather than dvd format). That way I can embed links to the streaming videos but allow them to use the videos on the disc with a bunch of warnings about checking if its the latest version.

Thanks to the experts

[guns1inger]

The expiration date appears to work for PCs, as there are reports from people who have been unable to access their discs because they set the start and expiration dates to be equal.

This won't work on standalone players because they have no sense of time. DVD recorders do have a time clock, but standalone players do not, and hence no reference point for an expiration date. This doesn't mean that DVD Recorders will take any notice, just that they may be equipped to do so, whereas standalone players are not.