How to use Widevine L1 encrypted streams on Microsoft Edge?

[calande]

Hello,

I have TV channels that I can access on television and on the computer. On television, the channels are displayed in full HD resolution. On the computer, I use the Edge browser to access the TV channels, as it seems it's the only browser that is Widevine L1 capable. However, the stream is in 720p only, and when I right-click the video and select properties, it says Widevine L3 is used, hence the downgraded resolution... How could I do to have Edge display the stream using Widevine L1 instead of L3 DRM?
Thank you.

[LZAA]

Change the processor.

[[ss]vegeta]

Video Streaming Downloading

Everything about downloading streaming video and audio streams from sites like Youtube, Vimeo, BBC, Facebook, etc. How to prepare video for streaming sites and how to stream video and audio. Also how to screen capture /record your desktop.

[codehound]

Hello,

I have TV channels that I can access on television and on the computer. On television, the channels are displayed in full HD resolution. On the computer, I use the Edge browser to access the TV channels, as it seems it's the only browser that is Widevine L1 capable. However, the stream is in 720p only, and when I right-click the video and select properties, it says Widevine L3 is used, hence the downgraded resolution... How could I do to have Edge display the stream using Widevine L1 instead of L3 DRM?
Thank you.

Its not true about Edge, what is true is that for WV L1 you need hardware authentication, a secure tunnel between server and device. TEE (trusted execution environment)

This is why you can get it on your phone (if you have something half reasonable) or your nVidia Shield device, tv etc, but not on a PC.

BTW wrong forum as [ss] vegeta said. This is Video Streaming Downloading, unless you think you can just copy and paste a L1 CDM in to some webscript for downloading purposes (?) I an assure you, it doesn't work like that.

[blimey]

I have TV channels that I can access on television and on the computer. On television, the channels are displayed in full HD resolution. On the computer,
...
the stream is in 720p only

Does the provider claim to offer "full HD resolution" (1080p?) over the edge web browser?

If the provider never attempts to send any better resolution than 720p to the brower, then the browser's capabilities aren't relevant.

For providers that do require elevated drm for HD on the edge browser, they often use playready instead of widevine.

[codehound]

Full HD isn't 1080p, I can download from many websites in 1080p with L3. (NBA LP, Hulu, Dazn, Showtime)

With full HD, the OP is probably talking about 4K.

[blimey]

That's why I included the question mark (1080p?) in my prior reply, with the hope that the OP would clarify.

Although the term "Full HD" was adopted by equipment manufacturers to mean 1080p; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1080p

AV equipment manufacturers have adopted the term Full HD to mean a set can display all available HD resolutions up to 1080p.

[codehound]

Yea any clarification would be nice......website even (?).

Well he doesn't need a L1 CDM to view / download 1080p (in 99% of instances inc NF, Amzn plus all those I mentioned above use weekly).

[blimey]

Yes, it is up to the provider whether or not they use single or multiple content keys (and/or different levels of widevine) for different resolutions.

Whether or not they allow their 1080p resolutions to use the same content key (and/or level of widevine) may be done directly, or accidently (allowing for some workaround that wouldn't necessarily also work in their players).

That's why I asked the OP what the provider claims to support on the browser

[ridibunda]

Hello,

I have TV channels that I can access on television and on the computer. On television, the channels are displayed in full HD resolution. On the computer, I use the Edge browser to access the TV channels, as it seems it's the only browser that is Widevine L1 capable. However, the stream is in 720p only, and when I right-click the video and select properties, it says Widevine L3 is used, hence the downgraded resolution... How could I do to have Edge display the stream using Widevine L1 instead of L3 DRM?
Thank you.

"Watching Widevine-L1 protected contents on computers" is impossible. All browsers and programs, including Edge, are not L1-capable.

Widevine-L1 is a hardware-based protection, like Microsoft's PlayReady 3.0... The issue is not directly related to the browser/software.

UHD contents (and most of 1080p contents) are protected with L1 and/or PR3. Generally, both of them are being used at the same time. It's the streamer's choice. Subscribers can watch the contents if they have the support for one of those encryptions.

Some of 1080p contents (with lower bitrates) are protected with Widevine-L3... So, if you can watch a 1080p DRM stream in your browser, it's definitely a L3-protected one.

L1 and PR3 are not software-based. What is "software-based"? You insert a L3-decryption module in the browser (Firefox, Chrome, Edge...), and it works.

"Hardware-based" means "directly related to the hardware/processor". You have to insert the decryption module into the processor. And only processor-manifacturers could do that.

Intel's latest processors (starting from 7th Gen) contain PlayReady 3.0 decryption module but not for Widevine-L1. That can enable you to watch Amazon Prime and Netflix in UHD resolution with your computer. Of course, you have to subscribe to their UHD packages at first. And then use the "official" applications from Microsoft Store - Not the browsers.

Widevine-L1 module needs ARM-structured processors with a "Trusted Zone". Decryption takes place in that zone. We see that kind of processors mostly in Android devices. And NVIDIA's, Sony's, Apple's high-level devices.

In my latest research, I clearly understood that you can't watch Amazon Prime more than 720p and Netflix more than 1080p, even in Edge browser. Because the latest chromium-based Edge browser does not support PlayReady 3.0. It is unable to contact with the PR3-decryption module existing in the processor. It only supports Widevine L3 as the other browsers.

This also shows that: Prime is protecting all of its 1080p contents with L1 and PR3 (because we can't get more than 720p with browsers) and Netflix is protecting some of 1080p contents with L3 (Because we can watch them with browser).

Hope I wrote it clear enough.

[calande]

Thank you. At the time, I threw in the towel and decided to buy an Elgato 4K60 PRO capture board, an NVIDIA ShieldTV multimedia gateway, and a PORTTA HDMI Splitter* in-between to get rid of the DRM protection. Now, this works well, I can watch my videos on my large monitor with top quality.

* Available here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09994NMS5/
https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08T5T9T8V/

[ridibunda]

You are welcome.

It is not "reasonable" to watch UHD contents on a PC with a small monitor (like 15-21 inches) with a lower resolution compared to UHD.

Most of PC monitors have lower resolutions like 1366x768 and 1920x1080 - not UHD (UHD means "more than 1920x1080", 4K means "3840x2160", 8K means "7680x4320", 4K and 8K are "UHD types").

Those are other reasons why Widevine-L1 decryption module is inserted to Set-Top-Boxes (which are being connected to big monitors like 55-65 inch TVs with 4K resolutions) and some high-level 4K Smart TVs.

Although you can also see that "trusted zone" in Intel's and AMD's computer processors, L1 module goes to ARM's Set-Top-Box and Smart TV processors. Because the final usage is for "the ultimate 4K experience". On PC, that would be a very very limited experience.

And some mobile phones with L1 support... I have no idea why a small phone supports L1. Watching L1 protected-4K-contents on a tiny phone is worthless.

[calande]

I agree with you, even though, the smaller the screen, the closer you watch. My PC monitor is an ASUS MG24UQ, it's a 24 inch, 4K monitor (3840 x 2160px), but I watch closely to enjoy the details. Only problem is that only a few dedicated channels and TV programs provide 4K videos (other are only full HD). With regular full HD channels, text outline is now clean when streamed through the capture board (as compared to the downgraded 720p resolution that is used when streamed through the web browser).

[vonDubenshire]

"Watching Widevine-L1 protected contents on computers" is impossible. All browsers and programs, including Edge, are not L1-capable.

Widevine-L1 is a hardware-based protection, like Microsoft's PlayReady 3.0... The issue is not directly related to the browser/software.

UHD contents (and most of 1080p contents) are protected with L1 and/or PR3. Generally, both of them are being used at the same time. It's the streamer's choice. Subscribers can watch the contents if they have the support for one of those encryptions.

Some of 1080p contents (with lower bitrates) are protected with Widevine-L3... So, if you can

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Hope I wrote it clear enough.

dude I've needed this laid out this well for a while when I see people ask!

Was trying to learn myself and it's just not a consumer friendly thing to explain.

Ty

[ridibunda]

dude I've needed this laid out this well for a while when I see people ask!

Was trying to learn myself and it's just not a consumer friendly thing to explain.

Ty

You are welcome.

It is confusing. Besides different encryptions, there are also different CDM types. That's why you'll be stuck at 720p videos with AAC sounds in an ordinary browser, but you get 1080p videos with DD+ sounds with a special one (called "Chrome-CDM").

All contents above 1080p are L1-protected, the only way for computers is Playready.

Shortly, you need a Playready-capable graphics processor, a HDR-capable external monitor (like a TV), a UHD-subscription plan and Windows applications for Prime, Netflix, Disney, etc.