# Current Status of DRM playback development?

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/current-status-of-drm-playback-development/596683>\
**Category:** Live TV & DVR\
**Tags:** livetv-dvr\
**Created:** [May 28, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/current-status-of-drm-playback-development/596683 "2020-05-28T17:24:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![surfinbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@surfinbox](https://forums.plex.tv/u/surfinbox)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/current-status-of-drm-playback-development/596683/1 "2020-05-28T17:24:49Z")

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Can a dev/leader offer an update on progress for DRM cable channels playback on Plex for Live TV.  
Please share where progress can be monitored, where talent or money can be brought to bear to solve. Question from USA. HDHomerun app does work w/calblecard, but REALLY TRYING to invest solely in Plex for LiveTV and this gap is tough issue to overcome.

Thank you!

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**Author:** ![JasonsPlex](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jasonsplex/32/133693_2.png) [@JasonsPlex](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JasonsPlex)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/current-status-of-drm-playback-development/596683/2 "2020-05-28T22:38:53Z")

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That would be really cool, but I don’t think they have plans of getting DRM approval.

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**Author:** ![adam\_1991](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@adam\_1991](https://forums.plex.tv/u/adam_1991)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/current-status-of-drm-playback-development/596683/3 "2020-05-29T10:55:27Z")

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I agree.

The costs and hurdles for supporting DRM TV are so incredibly high, and in a streaming world the ROI is so incredibly low, I expect we’ll never see anyone do it again.

Consider who has done it: the cable companies, Tivo, and Microsoft. That’s it. Tivo started it long ago (and it’s why they charge what they do for their cableCARD products) and has a huge ongoing customer base to support it. Microsoft had the deep pockets and the OS to support it, but of course they dropped WMC.

Look into what Cable Labs requires for certification. You’ll be astonished. They really don’t want anyone joining the old boys’ club.

The cable companies around here don’t put DRM onto anything other than premium channels like HBO, though, so if I had cable it wouldn’t be a problem for me. If your cableco uses clear QAM as well, then you should be able to use Plex DVR.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2020, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/current-status-of-drm-playback-development/596683/4 "2020-08-27T10:55:30Z")

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