Explaining the Widevine Plugin and Decryption Module

The hunt for information has never been easier than it is today. The internet has made it possible to look up virtually anything. However, all search queries start the same. You turn on your computer (or smartphone if you’re away from your desktop), connect to the internet and pull up a browser.

Now, many people tend to confuse browsers with search engines. This is probably because both software programs allow the users to enter search queries and serve up a list of resources that closely match these queries. The difference lies in where they are located. Browsers are available locally, meaning they are installed on the device itself. Search engines, on the other hand, come in website form.

Still, it’s worth noting that one is the component of the other. For example, if you’ve installed Chrome then you also have access to the Google search engine itself.

Google is made prominent in this article because both the Widevine Plugin and Decryption Module are being used by this particular tech brand.

What is the Widevine Plugin?

Properly known as Widevine Media Optimizer, this plugin is designed for the viewing of premium content. It is made by Google and commonly used by premium content providers like Amazon Prime and Showtime Anytime.

What is the Widevine Decryption Module (Widevinecdm)

Widevinecdm is also another Google plugin. It’s specifically built into the Chrome browser the first time you install the said software.

Widevinecdm allows you to listen and watch to DRM-protected HTML-5 media content such as videos and audiobooks.

Do I need these plugins in my life?

If you are someone with a Netflix or Showtime account, then it would be sensible to keep these built-in plugins because they allow content from such streaming and sharing video content services to be viewed at the best possible quality.