Microsoft: this is not how you should do DRM
Posted on Friday, November 14th, 2008 at 9:21pm. #
So, I’m the proud owner of a Samsung YP-Q1, or, as Amazon.co.uk likes calling it, a Samsung YP-Q1JEB/XEU 16GB Black MP3/4 Multimedia Player Works w/ BBC iPlayer
With a name like that, you’d guess that it works with the BBC iPlayer. They make much of it, with a sticker on the box, and leaflets proudly proclaiming that it works with the iPlayer. So before leaving work today, I decide to quickly download Never mind the Buzzcocks so I have something to watch on the way home, and so I can put this device through its paces before working out whether to bother you with it.
Emboldened by iPlayer’s simple instructions, saying simply “You can copy [the file] over to your portable media player”, I go to download the portable media player version of the TV show from the iPlayer website. That bit worked fine (no need for the Kontiki client) – it worked quickly and simply.
And now to “copy the file over to my portable media player”. I plug the media player in, and choose to ‘browse the folder’. And copy the file over.
Not sure what device limits are, but I’ve got a file that’s out of them. Hmm.
Well, let’s try hitting ‘yes’.
Oooh, that’s interesting. Right, then. Windows Media Digital Rights Management. I wonder what application supports that? I guess Windows Media Player might. So let’s try opening it.
Right, I’ve discovered a sync button. Ah, that’s spotted the Q1, and wants me to install it. There, that’s done. Good. Now I can’t work out how to add the video file, because by default Windows Media Player only shows music. Hmm.
OK, I’ve just worked out how to change the view to video. And I can see my video file! Yay! So, let’s drag and drop it into the sync list… and press the other button marked ‘Sync’. And… oh. It says “Error” next to the video upon trying to sync. Right, well, let’s look at this again.
Um.
I have just had the bright idea of right-clicking the video file. And hitting ‘properties’. Turns out that this file can’t be synced, look.
Oh dear. Well, maybe I’ve read the instructions wrong. I might have downloaded the wrong file from iPlayer.
No… er…
Well, let’s try playing the file on the PC.
Oh, another message. Okay, let’s try hitting ‘Update’.
Yay, it works!
And now, can I sync this file over to my media player?
Yes!
Brilliant.
I understand why the BBC uses digital rights management – they/we have to. But, any high ranking Microsoft executives who might be reading: please go and find your user experience specialist, sack them, sack anyone who works with them, burn their building to the ground, bulldoze the remains, and start again. For all our sakes. This is a horrible, horrible experience.
Photo by Norway’s Andreas Åkre Solberg – used under licence. Disclaimers: I received the Samsung YP-Q1 at a press launch, in connection with this blog. I didn’t promise to review it (though I will), or to be positive about it (though I might be, mildly). The link to Amazon.co.uk contains an affiliate link for Not At All Bad Ltd.
