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Describes Microsoft Windows Media technologies that can be used to implement a video purchase or rental service from an online store. The scenario is one that enables customers to download video directly to a mobile device. This article also outlines some basic information about what you need to implement on the mobile device for this type of scenario.
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Janet Thomas Microsoft Corporation January 2006
Applies to: Microsoft® Windows Media® Digital Rights Management 10 for Portable Devices Windows Media Video Codecs
Contents
IntroductionThis article describes a Windows® mobile media infrastructure that can be used on a mobile device to download video from an online store. The mobile device can be anything from a basic wireless telephone with a data connection to the Internet, to a high-end Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) that supports Web browsing.
To download and play video, a mobile device must have an enabled data connection to the Internet and a media player. Then, when a customer initiates a file download, their mobile device establishes a connection with a Web server over the mobile network. When the video is downloaded, it is stored on the mobile device, and can be played when the download is complete. If the playback application on the device supports progressive download, it can begin playing the file before the download is complete.
To implement a download service on a mobile device, the first thing you must decide is whether you will provide your own content or obtain the content from a partner. Then you will need to consider a transaction model (purchase, rental, or subscription), and the device capabilities so that you can provide your customers with a positive experience downloading and playing the video. You will need to target a device with appropriate processor power, storage space, and display capabilities to play the video. Microsoft® provides porting kits and licenses for the Windows Media® technologies that can help you successfully apply and test Windows Media technologies on a mobile device.
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TechnologiesWindows Media technologies enable the delivery of digital video files directly to a user's mobile device. Customers can download video on-demand (VOD) content on a purchase, rental (pay-per-view) or subscription basis. The content is then played back from storage on the device.
When you use Windows Mobile 5.0 with Windows Media Player Mobile, the technology for the format, the codecs, network protocols, device transfer protocols, and digital rights management (DRM) are all built into the system. If you use an alternative platform, and create your own media playback engine and user interface, Microsoft provides porting kits, specifications and sample code to help you implement Windows Media technologies on your platform.
The following table describes the Windows Media technologies that can be used to enable a mobile device to download and play Windows Media audio files.
| Technology | Description |
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Windows Mobile® 5.0 with Windows Media Player Mobile
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A device platform that can implement the following Windows Media technologies
| Windows Mobile 5.0 with Windows Media Player Mobile includes all of the necessary Windows Media technology built into the system, including Windows Media DRM 10, Windows Media codecs, and Windows Media streaming protocols.
If you use an alternative platform, the Windows Media technologies mentioned below can be implemented on your platform.
| Windows Media Porting Kits
| If your device platform does not include Windows Mobile 5.0, you can use the various Windows Media porting kits to implement the core Windows Media technologies for your device platform and then create your own media player application on top of those implementations.
For more information, see Licensing Consumer Electronic Devices That Support Windows Media.
| Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable Devices
| Digital rights management (DRM) is used to prevent the duplication of protected media content, and enable numerous business models for legitimate use of commercial content.
This component consists of a porting kit containing ANSI-C source code, documentation, and sample applications to help implement support for Windows Media DRM 10 on portable devices.
Windows Media DRM 10 For Portable Devices is available as a porting kit from Microsoft. This porting kit contains source code, documentation, and sample applications to help implement support for Windows Media DRM 10 on portable devices.
For more information about licensing this Windows Media technology, see Licensing Chipsets and Devices That Support Windows Media DRM.
| Windows Media Audio and Video codecs
| These Windows Media codecs are used by the playback application to decode and play Windows Media files.
Windows Media codecs are available as part of the Windows Media Components porting kits.
For more information about licensing this Windows Media technology, see Licensing Windows Media Technologies for Use in Interim Products.
Windows Media codecs can be implemented in a variety of environments using the Windows Media Porting Kit.
For more information, see Licensing Consumer Electronic Devices That Support Windows Media.
| Media Transfer Protocol (MTP)
| Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) is a protocol designed for portable media devices. The primary purpose of this protocol is to provide a common protocol for exchanging data between a computer and a portable media device without having to write custom drivers for the mobile devices.
For more information about MTP, see Media Transfer Protocol Specification.
| Advanced Systems Format (ASF)
| ASF is an extensible file format commonly used for digital media content. An ASF file is composed of one or more digital media streams and supports both local playback and data delivery over a wide variety of networks and protocols.
For more information about the Windows Media SDKs, which include support for creating and reading Windows Media content, including ASF files, see the Windows Media Developer Center.
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ImplementationYou can use Windows Mobile 5.0, which includes all the Windows Media technologies you need on a mobile device, or you can use your own platform and build and test your own playback application on the device using the various Windows Media Porting Kit. In either case you will need to determine where you will get the video content, what your transaction model will be (purchase, rental or subscription), and what the capabilities of the device are. Once these parameters are defined, you can begin implementing Windows Media technologies on the device and testing it with the help of Microsoft porting kits, license agreements, and PlaysForSure logo program.
Content acquisition or encodingYou can offer content that is created specifically for mobile device playback, such as movies and television shows, and exclusive news and informational features that help promote the relevancy of video on a mobile device. You can build your own online store, or work with a Microsoft partner, or service provider to make video content available. To find a Microsoft Windows Media service provider in your area, search the Windows Media Service Provider Program Directory.
Device capabilitiesFor its size, the basic mobile device is asked to do a lot, and as customers demand more services, the list of functions that a device must perform will increase. It is important to consider how the capabilities of the device are going to effect your customers download and playback experience.
Consider the following:The CPU on a device must be able to decode video content. Memory and storage on the device must be adequate for video content. The power that is required to play the content may adversely shorten battery life. The display size and quality must be adequate for video content. There must be a secure clock and secure storage areas on the device to support rental and subscription scenarios where the license will expire.
Mobile service providers can work with the content provider and the mobile device manufacturers to make sure the mobile device meets the minimum requirements and leaves room for future improvements—all the way up to high-definition content—without having to switch out technologies.
Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable DevicesWindows Media DRM enables a purchase, rental or subscription model for licensing video content. With a purchase model, a transaction covers the purchase of specific video and takes place after the content has been selected. Typically, a customer searches, selects, and purchases video tracks with their mobile device. After the transaction is approved, the video and licenses are downloaded. The rental model is similar, except for the fact that with a rental, the license expires when the rental period is over. With a subscription model, the license is renewable, but this transaction model requires a device with a secure clock and metering capabilities.
Within each transaction model, you can set an expiration date; limit the number of plays for a title, or apply various other business rules. After the license expires, if the service supports it, the customer can also choose to purchase the title, and receive a license that has no expiration time and no limits on number of plays.
Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable Devices enables playback of protected content on mobile devices using one of these transaction models. For more information about how to license Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable Devices, see the Licensing Windows Media DRM Technologies.
Device Platform and Media PlaybackThe Windows Mobile 5.0 platform enables you to use all of the Windows Media technologies. You can use Windows Media Player Mobile to play back and manage the user's content or use the programming model to create your own user experience while keeping the same great, reliable media playback experience already built for you. For more information about Windows Mobile 5.0, see the Windows Mobile Web page.
Windows Media Player Mobile is the latest release of Windows Media Player for Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs and Smartphones. For more information about the functionality of Windows Media Player Mobile, see the Windows Media Player Mobile Product Reference Guide.
Windows Media Player Mobile provides users with a rich multimedia experience that provides high-quality support for both audio and video playback. Windows Mobile 5.0 makes these capabilities available to application developers who want to incorporate multimedia playback into their applications by exposing the Windows Media Player 10 as an OLE Control Extension (OCX). Using the Windows Media OCX, developers can manage playlists, enumerate content, stream content, control playback quality, and much more.
Sample code is available that shows the user interface elements and the integration of the Windows Media Player Control in a stand-alone application. For more information about this sample application, see Platform Builder for Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 Windows Media Player. For more information about the Windows Media Player Control, see Platform Builder for Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 Windows Media Player Control.
If your device platform does not include Windows Mobile 5.0, you can use the Windows Media porting kits to implement the core Windows Media technologies for your device platform and then create your own media player application on top of those implementations. For more information, see Licensing Consumer Electronic Devices That Support Windows Media.
Another option is to work with a Microsoft partner to get a device implementation for your device platform. For more information, see Windows Media Partner Center.
TestingWindows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) works with mobile device manufacturers to ensure that their hardware is compatible with Microsoft Windows operating systems. WHQL supports hardware compatibility testing, and reviews hardware submissions for the “Designed for Windows” Logo Program for Hardware. For more information, see WHQL Testing - Overview.
You can ensure that your device meets the criteria outlined in the PlaysForSure test kit and then submit your device to a certified PlaysForSure testing center for logo certification. For more information, see Playsforsure Starter Kit: Process Overview.
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