OT Video on Web Page so it Can’t be Copied?

Opticus wrote on 12/12/2009, 1:10 PM

I need to put clips of my work on my own film company professional website, but prevent viewers from copying the video or linking to it.

I know there is probably always a way for someone clever to copy video from a website, no matter what you do to prevent it. But is there a reasonably secure way to show video on my website and prevent most viewers from downloading it, from linking to it or from otherwise distributing it freely on the web such as on You Tube?

I could place a watermark on the video, but I’d prefer not to for aesthetic reasons. I could also post a low-res version, but that would not show the work in it's best light. I will put a copyright notice beside the clip window.

Any ideas appreciated!

Thanks,
Cal

Comments

Jay Gladwell wrote on 12/12/2009, 1:41 PM

This has been discussed here many, many times. The outcome is... if it can be seen, it can be copied.

The bottom line is, if you don't want your video copied, don't put it where people can see it. Period.

Opticus wrote on 12/12/2009, 1:47 PM

I know it's impossible to totally prevent copying, but is there a way that would prevent most viewers from copying it easily? Sorry if this has been covered before, I couldn't find it.

Thanks,
Cal

richard-amirault wrote on 12/12/2009, 1:53 PM

You could put a watermark across the face of the video to identify it as yours. You could make it available only in a low res, small format version. OR .. just not put it up at all.

TheHappyFriar wrote on 12/12/2009, 2:14 PM

Put it in a strange codec, like make it a stream from your site via a MS codec. But the more you do to protect it the more you limit people that can see it. IE works webcam requires IE & active X. There got all non windows machines.

musicvid10 wrote on 12/12/2009, 3:49 PM

You can prevent anyone from hot-linking to your video with a couple of lines in .htaccess
I would look something like this:

RewriteEngine On

Then you can write exceptions for certain referrers that need to access the files, like feedburner in the example above.

This prevents bandwidth theft, while allowing others to view the video while on your site or feeds.

It does nothing however to keep people from copying it from their browser cache or using a utility to save it from your site.

ushere wrote on 12/12/2009, 4:28 PM

if it's on the net, it's downloadable. period!

musicvid10 wrote on 12/12/2009, 4:33 PM

Certain sites, like hulu.com use the Adobe Secure RTMP protocol. It is not free (the Flash Media Server looks to be about $1000).

While not foolproof, at least someone would likely have to be determined enough to purchase software to capture the stream.

Ordinary freeware like Download Helper won't touch MMS, RSTP, RTMP protocols according to their site, but HTTP only.

jetdv wrote on 12/13/2009, 5:29 AM

It doesn't matter what you do. If I can play and I want a copy of it, I can get that. Bottom line... All I have to do is point a video camera at the computer screen and I can copy ANYTHING I can see... Don't have to worry about capturing video streams or converting things or anything else using that method.

JohnnyRoy wrote on 12/13/2009, 8:56 AM

> at least someone would likely have to be determined enough to purchase software to capture the stream.

Actually, any free screen capture utility like CamStudio can capture it. Like others have said... if I can "see" it... it's mine!

If you don't want to watermark it, then your only option is to limit who can see it. Password protect the page that it's on and only let clients have the password. But then... they have it and can copy it.

~jr

Chienworks wrote on 12/13/2009, 12:16 PM

And those clients can pass on the link and the password to anyone else without your control or permission.

Opticus wrote on 12/13/2009, 2:08 PM

Thanks for the advice and knowledge. I will watermark the video, encode it at a somewhat lower res, place a respectfully worded title at the beginning requesting that viewers kindly not copy or link the content, and I will place a small copyright notice beside the video window on the website... and hope for the best. If people still insist on copying, I guess their karma will take care if it.
-- Cal