WM9 encoding question

djgator2002 · 8th November 2003, 04:23

Heres something that I have thought about for a while. Is it possible that when you encode a WMV file that it somehow includes information that can identify the person or machine that did the encoding? Just dont want to lend an encode to a friend to view and have them paste it all over the net and have it come back on me.

Also, wouldnt it be a wise idea for Microsoft to include the ability to create clickable menus just like DVDs and have it all included in the one encode. I think I read somewhere that it was possible with Mpeg-4 but I dont think M$ has thought of this yet.

Neo Neko · 8th November 2003, 06:48

To the best of my knowledge it did not. WM9 may be a different story even though WM9 did not come with a newer version of ASF. The ASF specification is know the best in our circles by reverse engineering often done on it since the specification for quite some time was better kept than most government secrets. Even now it is not really affordable for most independant developers to license. Uncertainty is the price you pay when using proprietary containers and formats. I am not sure anyone here can say with absolute certainty that asf files never contain such information. Especially since Windows itself is spying on you more and more with each version and hardware manufacturers are implementing things like unique hardware ID's. I can say with 100% certainty that AVI, Matroska, MPEG, and even OGM don't have such things. Which you can use WM9 in any of those save MPEG IIRC. Well video wise at least using the WM9 VCM. And WM9 files should be directly MUXable via graphedit etc into Matroska.

Once you get your media to a container you are sure of here is the next thing you should wory about. What's to say that there is no info in the audio or video stream headders that can ID you.

Again with the WM codecs Microsoft is about the only ones that know for sure the exact workings so who's to say. If that is not scarry here is a reposting of a story the BBC carried about how Microsoft Office documents were siphoning up personal info unrelated to the documents contents that were clearly readable via hex editors and such to those inquisitive enough to look. Things like social security numbers, account numbers, and any number of other things that are not visable in the document and have no business there in the first place.

Microsoft Vs. Privacy

And that is nothing compared to the many other ways Microsoft has been confirmed to be watching you. Thankfully your PC does not currently transmit this data outside itself. But it collects it all the same. A treasure trove of guilt and your habbits.

I guess what I am saying if that is a concern use open standards and open source. Then you can be sure of knowing.

Gotta love open standards and source.

Sirber · 9th November 2003, 17:26

Mozilla and OpenOffice is a good start

8th November 2003, 04:23	#1 \| Link
djgator2002 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1	WM9 encoding question Heres something that I have thought about for a while. Is it possible that when you encode a WMV file that it somehow includes information that can identify the person or machine that did the encoding? Just dont want to lend an encode to a friend to view and have them paste it all over the net and have it come back on me. Also, wouldnt it be a wise idea for Microsoft to include the ability to create clickable menus just like DVDs and have it all included in the one encode. I think I read somewhere that it was possible with Mpeg-4 but I dont think M$ has thought of this yet.

8th November 2003, 06:48	#2 \| Link
Neo Neko Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Posts: 1,812	To the best of my knowledge it did not. WM9 may be a different story even though WM9 did not come with a newer version of ASF. The ASF specification is know the best in our circles by reverse engineering often done on it since the specification for quite some time was better kept than most government secrets. Even now it is not really affordable for most independant developers to license. Uncertainty is the price you pay when using proprietary containers and formats. I am not sure anyone here can say with absolute certainty that asf files never contain such information. Especially since Windows itself is spying on you more and more with each version and hardware manufacturers are implementing things like unique hardware ID's. I can say with 100% certainty that AVI, Matroska, MPEG, and even OGM don't have such things. Which you can use WM9 in any of those save MPEG IIRC. Well video wise at least using the WM9 VCM. And WM9 files should be directly MUXable via graphedit etc into Matroska. Once you get your media to a container you are sure of here is the next thing you should wory about. What's to say that there is no info in the audio or video stream headders that can ID you. Again with the WM codecs Microsoft is about the only ones that know for sure the exact workings so who's to say. If that is not scarry here is a reposting of a story the BBC carried about how Microsoft Office documents were siphoning up personal info unrelated to the documents contents that were clearly readable via hex editors and such to those inquisitive enough to look. Things like social security numbers, account numbers, and any number of other things that are not visable in the document and have no business there in the first place. Microsoft Vs. Privacy And that is nothing compared to the many other ways Microsoft has been confirmed to be watching you. Thankfully your PC does not currently transmit this data outside itself. But it collects it all the same. A treasure trove of guilt and your habbits. I guess what I am saying if that is a concern use open standards and open source. Then you can be sure of knowing. Gotta love open standards and source. __________________ Opensource will not take over the world. But it will sure improve the lives of most of it! _______________________________________________ Inkscape - Scallable Vector Graphics for everyone. The GIMP - Free raster graphics and photo editing software. Planeshift - Free 3D MMORPG. Cause everyone needs some fun. Last edited by Neo Neko; 8th November 2003 at 07:13.

9th November 2003, 17:26	#3 \| Link
Sirber retired developer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 8,978	Mozilla and OpenOffice is a good start __________________ Detritus Software