Copy Protection for HDTV Broadcasts

[-=Rudy=-]

From ExtremeTech:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,1375633,00.asp

An excerpt:

"This week, the FCC approved new regulations that appear to be a windfall for content producers but a setback for consumers. As detailed in the New York Times Technology section and the Associated Press wire service, these new provisions will allow TV broadcasters to protect their programming using a "do not copy" flag in broadcast content, resulting in consumers being able to record broadcast TV content, but not transfer it, even locally. This is similar to a feature found in DAT (digital audio tape) players, and we all know what a howling success DAT was among consumers…

Sure, content producers have the right to protect their product from mass redistribution on the Internet, but these new provisions seem to swing the pendulum too far to the side of content makers, and could make current-generation DVD players unable to play recorded content that contains this flag. The FCC's regulations stipulate that the new feature be implemented in products that ship beginning in July of 2005."

[Dan C]

I heard about this on NPR last week. It wasn't something I was aware of or ever gave consideration, but here it is. What an ugly can of worms this is opening!
I guess I can see "their" side. Why buy a big deluxe complete season DVD set when you can get HiDef copies from some bootlegger.

Of course the sad truth is copy protection won't stop the bootleggers, it'll simply be a pain in our asses.
Dan C

[-=Rudy=-]

It does hurt all of us, Dan. It's especially infuriating because with all the millions of dollars spent on copy protection of anything, give it a week, a month, whatever, and the hacking community has already found a way around it. So the bootleggers and anyone else illegally copying still gets to make their copies.

It seems they want to tie the content to the box. In other words, you record something on TiVO or other hard drive recorder, it can only be played back on that box. In other words, no recording something in the living room so you can watch it in the bedroom. And what if your recorder needs to be replaced? Well, I guess you throw out your programming with your recorder.

I got burned by MS's DRM (Digital Rights Management), which is why it strikes a raw nerve with me. For a friend, I downloaded some tracks from the Pepsi site that he has collected points for. Shortly after that, I had to do a reinstall of Windows XP on that machine. Well...that changed my license, and now I can't even play back these tracks and put them on CD for him. I did some heavy Googling and found a little utility that would strip out the DRM portion, but only for the 2.0 version, not the 1.0 that I had in those files. So basically, my friend's points are wasted.

[Dan C]

That's true, and it probably means there won't even be analog outs to archive programs even on humble, relatively lo-rez S-VHS.
This SUCKS!:realmad: I don't trust a hard drive for long term archiving any more than I'd trust Gene Simmons with my girlfriend (uh, if I had one...;) )

Dan C

[BradOlson]

Hard drive recorders are not even made for long term archiving