Protect a video using a third-party encoder
This article is a part of a DRM Quick Start Guide.
If you have a video encoder in place, and you want to use it together with Axinom DRM, you can do so. Axinom DRM can work with any encoder that follows standards used by Widevine, PlayReady, and FairPlay.
During encoding process at some point the encoder will need an encryption key. You can request this key from Axinom DRM Key Service using its Key Acquisition API.
Key Acquisition API supports a number of protocols for key acquisition and specific encoders, including:
- Widevine Common Encryption (Google) - simple, JSON-based protocol
- SPEKE (AWS) - CPIX/XML-based protocol to acquire content keys and other DRM data
- Harmonic
- Anevia
- Broadpeak
Even if Widevine Common Enryption has "Widevine" in its name, this protocol fits well to acquire keys to be used by any DRM system, such as FairPlay and PlayReady.
Check the pages above for the details specific to your encoder and protocol. Note that different endpoints support different authentication schemes.
Keep in mind, that you need the value of keyId used to protect the video.
With some encoders, e.g. AWS, it is not immediately obvious how to do this.
For workarounds, check SPEKE keyId Override and SPEKE Key Id Extraction.
Before you integrate encoders using Widevine Common Encryption or SPEKE, try out corresponding tools first to make sure that your configuration is correct and the response from the Key Service is what you expect:
We have also prepared a few guides explaining Axinom DRM integration with specific encoders (see below).