DRM Channels Not Working on Android Devices

[Arty2024]

I am still getting “Unable to play channel: No Video Data” error for all DRM channels from my HDHomeRun PRIME Model HDHR3-CC running Firmware 20230713. Non-DRM channels play just fine. And my HDHR Flex 4K works perfectly too for all OTA channels.

I tested the HDHR app on the following devices – and all failed to play DRM channels:
Samsung Tab S7 running latest Android 13, app shows as Version 20240801 (App) / 20241007 (UI)
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra running latest Android 14, app shows as Version 20240801 (App) / 20241007 (UI)
iPad Air 4th gen running iOS 17.6 app shows as Version 20241007 (UI)
HDHomeRun Windows PC App Version 20240705 (App) / 20241007 (UI) running on ASUS desktop and Dell laptops
Acer Chromebook running latest ChromeOS
Apple MacBook Pro (Mid 2015) running macOS Monterey 12.7.5 app shows as Version 20241007 (UI)

Last month the PC and MacBook apps were working fine as was the iPad, but the Android-based apps were not - I was waiting for the fix for Android. Now they have all stopped working.

I have rebooted the HDHR Prime and the devices multiple times.

Since it seems DRM is now working for other folks, what am I missing?
Thank you.

"No Video Data" is a different issue than the DRM issue of
"Unable to play channel: Content Protection Error Content Protection Required" that was due to DRM issue


Something is not being found with the data stream

[signcarver]

I am still getting “Unable to play channel: No Video Data” error for all DRM channels from my HDHomeRun PRIME Model HDHR3-CC running Firmware 20230713. Non-DRM channels play just fine. And my HDHR Flex 4K works perfectly too for all OTA channels.

I tested the HDHR app on the following devices – and all failed to play DRM channels:
Samsung Tab S7 running latest Android 13, app shows as Version 20240801 (App) / 20241007 (UI)
Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra running latest Android 14, app shows as Version 20240801 (App) / 20241007 (UI)
iPad Air 4th gen running iOS 17.6 app shows as Version 20241007 (UI)
HDHomeRun Windows PC App Version 20240705 (App) / 20241007 (UI) running on ASUS desktop and Dell laptops
Acer Chromebook running latest ChromeOS
Apple MacBook Pro (Mid 2015) running macOS Monterey 12.7.5 app shows as Version 20241007 (UI)

Last month the PC and MacBook apps were working fine as was the iPad, but the Android-based apps were not - I was waiting for the fix for Android. Now they have all stopped working.

I have rebooted the HDHR Prime and the devices multiple times.

Since it seems DRM is now working for other folks, what am I missing?
Thank you.

"No Video Data" is a different issue than the DRM issue of
"Unable to play channel: Content Protection Error Content Protection Required" that was due to DRM issue


Something is not being found with the data stream

Agreed and post probably should have been moved to its own thread as it is a different issue... most likely if not on all platforms, it is a pairing issue of the cablecard. It wouldn't surprise me if those channels would drop out if you ran a channel scan (I prefer on the device, not through app, and then restart app) which would help indicate such.

There were a number of things I found surprising in that post... macOS should not support DRM but in theory one of the main things I have always heard as blocking macOS support for drm is the "official" methods for determining HDCP are not approved for cablecard and ts streams in general (I've always been told its a library that requires HLS in the case of macOS and tvOS... with iOS the screen is always built in and can have different rules applied... even iOS section of DRM for the app mentions if an external display is connected or there is an attempt to cast, drm channels will not play). Chromebooks also have been hit or miss over the years as chromeOS isn't Android.

Another thing that might possibly produce that error is RTT being too high (I always say the app appears to want <5ms rather than the required <7ms as when I would end up going over both moca and wifi which in my tests were always up to 5ms I would have fails, but I could never find a 6ms or 7ms reading). I would expect a different error message for this (more in line with the drm message) but the results could have triggered such as there would be no useable video data. Unfortunately I can't easily check on DRM issues as my provider "forced" my neighborhood (but not the neighborhoods around it) to iptv thus no cablecards for me... but I can say I have not had anyone call me from other installs I've done when it comes to windows.

[bennyhugo]

Unfortunately DRM still isn't working on my Nvidia ShieldTV but working on my phone and tablet. Thanks to the team for getting us this far! Hopefully they can resolve the SheildTV not working.

Thanks

Same here for Shield 2019 Pro and Shield Tube not working. Only latest Shield Pro is working with PRIME DRM.

nickk, any suggestions?

[pflyaz]

Thank you Arty2024 and Signcarver for replying to my post. I am indeed a Windows person, a smart end-user but not an engineer. So guidance from experts is much appreciated.

Signcarver, you were correct – I ran a channel scan on my HDHR Prime which caused several channels to disappear from the channel list. This included ESPN (Ch33 on Cox in Phoenix) which was the channel I watched most on the HDHR app. Because it was my most-watched channel, I used ESPN as the test for all my devices to check out the “DRM” issue I previously reported. ESPN had always worked in the past on all my devices (except MacOS – see below). Had I used a different DRM channel to test I would have noticed that some DRM channels were working and some were not. For example, FoxSports1 (channel 31 on Cox in Phoenix) was working fine. Because ESPN stopped working, I stopped trying to watch any DRM channels assuming it was DRM and not an issue on just some DRM channels. Now I know better!

To try to clear the fault, I then power cycled both Cox’s Vecima tuning adapter and my HDHR Prime, and I then ran another HDHR Prime channel scan. All the channels returned, and I can watch ESPN again from my PC and my Android and iOS devices. All other “lost” channels I checked are working fine. All indications are that the reboot of the Tuning Adapter cleared the fault, as I had power cycled the HDHR Prime previously without success (but never the TA).

Lesson learned: whenever I get channel tuning issues, reboot both the HDHR Prime and the Vecima TA!

Regarding macOS support, I made a mistake previously stating that DRM channels had been working on my MacBook Pro. My only use for my old MacBook Pro is to watch sports because it has the largest screen of the laptops/tablets in our home. I have always been able to watch football on the MacBook, but the broadcasts I watch come from local NBC/CBS/ABC/Fox channels which are not DRM. Hence my mistake – my apologies. I checked again and can confirm that the HDHR app on MacOS does not support playing DRM channels – the error I get is “Unable to play channel: Failed to connect Not connected”. Non-DRM channels play fine.

Thanks again for your responses here. I have everything HDHR-related working again as before, and I learned a lot about the difference between DRM errors and other channel tuning errors.

[jco23]

I, too, can confirm that DRM channels are now showing back up on my android TV.
I did perform a channel re-scan first, though.

thanks!

[banders5144]

Was there an explanation as to what the solution was? Just curious

[jasonl]

The old Google API that stopped working magically started working again. Still working on an update to move to the new one.

[cejack]

The old Google API that stopped working magically started working again. Still working on an update to move to the new one.

Thanks for the update. I can confirm my phone and my Google TV and AndroidTV devices around the home are now working again.

Please post when you fix and move to the new API. Would like to know if that creates any problems. I will reboot my TA and my Prime when you update to be sure there's no problem there.

[Arty2024]

Thank you Arty2024 and Signcarver for replying to my post. I am indeed a Windows person, a smart end-user but not an engineer. So guidance from experts is much appreciated.

Signcarver, you were correct – I ran a channel scan on my HDHR Prime which caused several channels to disappear from the channel list. This included ESPN (Ch33 on Cox in Phoenix) which was the channel I watched most on the HDHR app. Because it was my most-watched channel, I used ESPN as the test for all my devices to check out the “DRM” issue I previously reported. ESPN had always worked in the past on all my devices (except MacOS – see below). Had I used a different DRM channel to test I would have noticed that some DRM channels were working and some were not. For example, FoxSports1 (channel 31 on Cox in Phoenix) was working fine. Because ESPN stopped working, I stopped trying to watch any DRM channels assuming it was DRM and not an issue on just some DRM channels. Now I know better!

To try to clear the fault, I then power cycled both Cox’s Vecima tuning adapter and my HDHR Prime, and I then ran another HDHR Prime channel scan. All the channels returned, and I can watch ESPN again from my PC and my Android and iOS devices. All other “lost” channels I checked are working fine. All indications are that the reboot of the Tuning Adapter cleared the fault, as I had power cycled the HDHR Prime previously without success (but never the TA).

Lesson learned: whenever I get channel tuning issues, reboot both the HDHR Prime and the Vecima TA!

Regarding macOS support, I made a mistake previously stating that DRM channels had been working on my MacBook Pro. My only use for my old MacBook Pro is to watch sports because it has the largest screen of the laptops/tablets in our home. I have always been able to watch football on the MacBook, but the broadcasts I watch come from local NBC/CBS/ABC/Fox channels which are not DRM. Hence my mistake – my apologies. I checked again and can confirm that the HDHR app on MacOS does not support playing DRM channels – the error I get is “Unable to play channel: Failed to connect Not connected”. Non-DRM channels play fine.

Thanks again for your responses here. I have everything HDHR-related working again as before, and I learned a lot about the difference between DRM errors and other channel tuning errors.

Everyone helped, I take no direct credit

What I normally do, every few months
Is to perform a channel scan, under the HDHomeRun setup app.
Reason being, for me, I have Verizon, and they constantly omit, move, and sometimes add channels.
I also find that performing a channel rescan every few months, it seems to keep the signals locked in/ better in tune.

Just my 2 cents
Glad everything is back up for you

[Fut4life74]

I’m new here but have been following this forum since drm channels started becoming an issue. I had been able to watch drm channels but today drm channels stopped working for me. I’m using nvidia shields.

[Fut4life74]

Drm Channels are working again for me!

[jmontyb]

Is there any update here? I still can't watch DRM channels (content protection error) and nothing I've tried has worked. The Google API has not "magically" started working. It's been months. If YouTube TV comes up with a decent Black Friday offer, I'll be forced to switch so that I can actually watch what I pay for. What a concept! This is terrible customer service.

[signcarver]

What Android device? (shields are the only devices that I haven't seen some work on.. most likely those had installed a hotfix and hotfix's don't get "google" certification to work with the required drm.

Did you try a reinstall (I currently don't advise such as I can still see potential issues since much is relied on googles API).

[jasonl]

Is there any update here? I still can't watch DRM channels (content protection error) and nothing I've tried has worked. The Google API has not "magically" started working. It's been months. If YouTube TV comes up with a decent Black Friday offer, I'll be forced to switch so that I can actually watch what I pay for. What a concept! This is terrible customer service.

Can't help you if you don't ask for help. It started working for everyone else a month ago.

We would like to get some diagnostic data to see what is happening:

1. In a web browser go to http://hdhomerun.local
   NOTE: That address will go do the first HDHomeRun device found on your network. If you have more than one HDHomeRun device, use the "device ID" printed on the bottom of the unit instead of "hdhomerun" in the address. For example, if your device ID was 104FFFFF then you would go to http://104fffff.local
2. If it tells you that a firmware update is available, please install it
3. Click "System Menu"
4. Check the "Send diagnostic information" box (if this box is already checked, please un-check then re-check it)
5. Go back one page
6. Click "Channel Lineup"
7. Click on "Detect Channels"
8. After the scan finishes, open the HDHomeRun app
9. Go into the app settings: the gear icon in the top right corner of the "Live/Recorded/Discover/Tasks" page
10. Enable the option to "Send diagnostic information"
11. Try to watch a DRM channel

Reply back with the device ID for your HDHomeRun and we will check the logs.