castLabs Enables App-less Playback for DRMtoday Onboard

BERLIN, Aug. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- castLabs is pleased to announce a new version of app-less playback feature for DRMtoday Onboard that helps to simplify secured playback for passenger entertainment systems.

Passengers are now able to access inflight streaming media without the need to download an application as a result of a new version of the app-less playback feature developed by castLabs in collaboration with Lufthansa Systems. This functionality further expands castLabs' Digital Rights Management (DRM) services provided in closed connection environments.

"App-less playback makes inflight streaming accessible to all passengers with a personal electronic device (PED) and a browser," said Lufthansa Systems' Head of Passenger Experience Solutions Jan-Peter Gänse, "and avoids the necessity of downloading an app prior to departure."

App-less playback allows passengers to access the onboard media library on any platform, using HTML5 in browser-based environments. One of the advantages of the app-less playback feature is the usability on any platform, which is enabled through the use of single media format to address all platforms equally by using Apple's HLS and MPEG-DASH at the same time. castLabs' tool chain can deliver these formats and licenses from close environment DRM servers. This architecture also meets ultra-high definition (UHD) content requirements, including watermarking and addresses latest DRM feature requirements.

"The app-less playback feature introduces a faster and more convenient service to the end customers. We are looking forward to continue working with Lufthansa Systems in helping their customers and partners to offer the latest concepts, capabilities and technologies to the market," says Michael Stattmann, Founder of castLabs.

DRMtoday Onboard solution allows just-in-time license creation for all major DRM platforms, to unlock the most optimal content protection features on latest generation as well as common passenger devices simultaneously. While operating and building content preparation microservices around various customer projects, castLabs complements the offering of the onboard playback stack with fast customization of key components to create a standardized user experience. Due to the fact that content creation processes are fully based on modern industry standards, castLabs enables a swift and secure distribution of content, as well as content processing workflows in both connected and unconnected networks. To meet airlines' advertising activities castLabs simplifies the use of plugins for ads and analytics across multiple platforms, while supporting playback from a variety of formats and sources found in today's globally operating markets.

castLabs is constantly working on new features and ways to expand its flexible solution to allow DRM licensing to be delivered across existing onboard playback hardware or passenger-owned devices.

About castLabs

castLabs pioneers software and cloud services for digital video markets worldwide. They provide solutions to easily enable the secure distribution of premium movie, TV, and audio assets for high-quality video experiences. Their range of applications and services are designed to help businesses deliver DRM-protected content over a large selection of consumer devices and platforms which include DRMtoday licensing, PRESTOplay player SDKs, and Video Toolkit processing. castLabs also supplies end-to-end technical consulting for encrypted video playback integrations and projects.