DRM content format (DCF) is used to package and protect discrete media, such as ring tones, applications, and images. The content in DRM content format is encrypted using a symmetric encryption key. The content is then placed as a single content object in the DCF internal structure and layout. The MIME type for objects conforming to the DRM content format is application/vnd.oma.drm.content.
Packetized DRM content format (PDCF) is used to protect continuous media, such as audio and video. Continuous media is protected as a separate profile because it consists of data packets. Applications that read and parse continuous media handle the file on a packet-by-packet basis. To allow the playback of protected continuous media, the storage format needs to be structured to individually protect the packets.
This structurally aware packetization is also required in order to stream continuous media. An OMA DRM-compliant streaming server must be able to understand the content format structure in order to break the content into headers and packets that can be delivered to a client that understands the content format.