Marlin DRM

Marlin DRM is an open-standard specification for digital rights management (DRM) that is applicable to a variety of use cases across content types, content formats, delivery mechanisms and platforms. It offers sophisticated copyrights management for playing entertainment and media content (including audio, video, ebooks, and games) distributed over mobile, broadband, and broadcast networks. Unique to Marlin is its general-purpose rights management architecture that allows for substantial flexibility and control in implementation. 

Since Marlin is not a proprietary DRM, it is able to deliver content over any network or physical media. It seamlessly ports licensed content across devices and services in a consumer’s home or personal domain and supports a large and flexible set of business models for content distribution.

Intertrust, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, and Sony co-founded the Marlin DRM standard in 2005. The technology specifications and test tools that were jointly developed are freely accessible for evaluation on the Marlin DRM website. 

Marlin technology is a consumer electronics and mobile friendly technology, compatible with all popular operating systems, platforms, codecs, file formats, and delivery systems. Marlin supports various content distribution models like download, progressive download, streaming, adaptive streaming, multicast and broadcast.

Intertrust ExpressPlay Multi-DRM Service and Marlin DRM

Intertrust’s cloud-based ExpressPlay DRM service offers a comprehensive Marlin-compliant solution for internet-based content protection and distribution with client SDKs for connected/smart TVs, set-top boxes, mobile apps and embedded devices. The SDKs are available in hardened binary form for iOS and Android devices. Moreover, the ExpressPlay Source SDK for OEMs and SoC enables the integration of Marlin DRM. 

Marlin DRM supports MovieLabs’ ECP requirements and is approved for licensing of premium and UHD content, taking full advantage of SoC facilities such as Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) and Secure Video Path (SVP).

Please refer to the DRM Compatibility matrix for a full overview of supported device types, and to our DRM FAQ for an explanation of technical concepts and terms. For more information, please visit the Marlin Community.

Intertrust has amassed more than 20 years of experience in designing, developing, operating and supporting DRM systems including the ExpressPlay multi-DRM service that enables the use of all common DRMs and a vast array of client devices. The Intertrust Professional Services team consists of highly experienced staff, who will make sure each project is executed and delivered on time.

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The ExpressPlay multi-DRM service also provides support for:

For a full DRM platform comparison, please visit our multi-DRM platform comparison page.