Block streamed content being saved?

[Pulsedriver]

Hey folks;

Question - is it possible to stop audio/video from being saved...

An example is, say you post a video on youtube, and the embedded code is put elsewhere also, as a hotlink as such (to show the video etc).

There are ways people input youtube addresses in, then save the audio ripped as .mp3
Is there any way of STOPPING this from happening? Or is just impossible to stop?

Thanks in advance

 

[paulhuk2]

I'd say it would be extremely difficult to stop - especially if you were considering Youtube (very easy to rip videos from there).

Look at all the money the BBC throw at the iPlayer, and they haven't yet found a way to prevent the streamed programs being ripped to disk...

 

[Pulseammo]

You could use a java applet and transport the audio in an encrypted format. But this has obvious downfalls, firstly the user has to download the applet, secondly someone determined enough could easily crack the applet's bytecode to get the encryption key and or algorithm allowing them to save the stream directly, and ultimately someone could just use a line out into their line in or another way to record the PCM stream or whatever is sent to the sound card.