Hulu: HTML5 Isn’t Ready for Prime Time

Well, the lack of support for DRM is always going to be an issue as long as content producers insist on having DRM. I know we've all been 'round this tree before, but I continue to be genuinely perplexed that they still insist on DRM. Network TV is broadcast over the air unencrypted to begin with. Why is the internet so special that all that same exact content has to be locked down? It's like a bank building a safe with several feet of reinforced concrete on the top, bottom, and sides, but putting a plywood door on the front.

The blog post itself seems to have been pulled, but here's a cached version: <a href="http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=http%3a%2f%2fblog.hulu.com%2f2010%2f05%2f13%2fpardon-the-dust%2f&#38;d=491976131405&#38;mkt=en-US&#38;setlang=en-US&#38;w=3441454b,2f202d1c" rel="nofollow">http://cc.bingj.com/cache.aspx?q=http%3a%2f%2fblog.hulu.com%...</a>

I read it as "HTML's &#60;video&#62; doesn't have DRM". However, his concern about streaming and buffering capabilities seem valid. I'm assuming this will be improved as time moves on.

Bruce Schneier's expression <i>Security Theatre</i> really describes video DRM. It's to provide the <i>illusion</i> of control, to reassure content intermediaries that their business model is safe regardless of whether it is or isn't.

Basically, as of today, HTML5 video isn't ready. We all knew that.<p>The guy goes on to say that technology moves at a fast pace and they haven't ruled out HTML5.<p>Google's rumored VP8 release at I/O will help catapult it into prime time.<p>DRM is pointless imo, the sooner the networks realize that, the better.

Rather, Hulu isn't ready for HTML5.

I would think they'd be best-off with writing their own software as a plugin... though granted, that's more work than coding it once for Flash. It's one of the things which Flash is really quite nicely suited for.<p>But if they're interested in offering higher quality w/ lower bandwidth and lower CPU usage on more machines, Flash is <i>definitely</i> not the way to go if you're making a custom DRM. Video decoding isn't exactly its strong point.

Is there a way yet to lock down the source file with HTML5 video in the same way that, say, Typekit locks down font files?

My first thought on reading the title was that they don't want the content accessible from the iPad so that they could charge for an app.<p>The other reasons discussed make sense (merits aside), but I still wonder.

Its about time a major video provider stands up for the current limitations of HTML5. I'm glad to see them do this and I would love to hear some BS response from jobs on why they are wrong.