Product Overview

Microsoft PlayReady content access and protection technology is a set of technologies that can be used to distribute audio/video content more securely over a network, and help prevent the unauthorized use of this content. This technology is used for defining, incorporating, and enforcing rights for digital media. The service provider and content provider can control the expiration date, the number of times a user can play the content file, the resolution of the content that can be played on a screen, the type of screen that content is rendered to, and many other control settings. PlayReady technologies can be incorporated into media applications on televisions, set top boxes, mobile phones, tablets, personal computers, and other devices to enforce the content access rules defined by the content owners.

Microsoft PlayReady is the Widest Deployed Content Protection Technology in the World

Microsoft PlayReady is a Content Protection Technology that is massively deployed in the world. PlayReady runs on all sorts of devices and apps, and all operating systems. Thousands of services around the world and more than four billion devices use PlayReady.

Microsoft PlayReady content protection is proven, versatile and scalable. The development of Microsoft PlayReady is the culmination of over 14 years of research and development, with significant patent portfolio and a large R&D investment in content protection technology. Microsoft provides valuable and reliable IP protection to over a thousand licensees from all parts of the ecosystem to deliver millions of secured, premium content and assets. What makes PlayReady so effective in an ever evolving marketplace is Microsoft’s direct collaboration with the media industry leaders, content providers, OEMs, Service and Network Providers to develop features and functionality for premium entertainment scenarios.

PlayReady can work on non-Windows platforms (such as iOS and Android) and is used by most major online video services today. Visit the technical pages to learn more about the PlayReady feature shown below.

PlayReady Overview

PlayReady Enables and Protects Content Anywhere

Watch and engage with more content, on any device. PlayReady supports all content types and various user scenarios for premium VoD and Live TV. The flexible business models enables versatile user scenarios including subscription services, advertising, rentals and single purchases.

Microsoft provides security solutions to high volume platforms and mobile devices such as Windows, iOS, Android and Linux; enables content consumption via browsers and apps; as well as a large range of consumer electronic devices with the PR porting kit; including implementation for Game Consoles, Blu-ray and DVD players, Smart TVs, STBs etc.

Our business models enable licensees to work together to leverage their specific skill and expertise to create unique, compelling and successful services. Microsoft provides server and client components that work together, enabling seamless consumption of protected content on various endpoints and devices.

Microsoft PlayReady Provides End to End Ecosystem Enablement

The PlayReady platform provides a well-documented device porting kit and source code for hardware, application and system integrator partners. It also has a license server component to integrate easily into a service provider’s existing infrastructure. PlayReady offers a comprehensive secure content delivery and management solution that acts as a strong foundation for products, services and devices in the media and entertainment industry. Visit our technical pages to learn about the PlayReady ecosystem and scenarios.

Encoding for PlayReady

Developing or operating a PlayReady packager can be done without signing any PlayReady licensing agreement with Microsoft, and without paying any fee or royalty to Microsoft for the PlayReady technology. Visit our technical pages to learn how.