Will Proposed HDTV “Flag” Make Your DSS Receiver Obsolete?

[BJ_M]

Will Proposed HDTV “Flag” Make Your DSS/Cable Receiver Obsolete in 2005?
date: February 27, 2004

author: Jerry Del Colliano http://www.audiorevolution.com/news/0204/27.hdtvflag.html


Recent reports say the FCC is considering flagging HDTV signals in order to protect against users recording them at their high-resolution native resolutions. This comes as the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) is lobbying the FCC aggressively so that Hollywood’s best movies and TV programs are not easily recorded and duplicated at HDTV resolutions.

While the FCC has not agreed to this flagging yet, fears of such a technological change have held up the much-anticipated launch of HDTV personal video recorders (PVRs). Over one year ago, Dish Network showed a PVR that could record HDTV at the CES trade show. They had the same black box at this year’s CES show just six weeks ago, yet none of the PVRs have been shipped to Dish Network consumers.

The idea behind the flag is to digitally encrypt HDTV signals and transmit them through an HDMI digital connection. This is a very simple and useful solution moving forward. However, as one custom AV installer wondered recently, “What happens to all of the receivers currently installed that don’t have HDMI connections?” Basically, he was referring to each and every HDTV receiver currently on the market instantly being obsolete and potentially non-functional if flagging is adopted.

While consumer demand for HDTV gets stronger and stronger as the technology develops, this kind of technological setback could douse the enthusiasm of the most important early adopters of the new video format. Most officials in Washington appreciate hearing from mainstream citizens on topics of interest. FCC Chairman Michael Powell offers his email on the FCC website at mpowell @fcc.gov. You might want to send him your thoughts on HDTV and how you would like to see the FCC deal with the problem of protecting HDTV feeds from piracy while providing a useful and entertaining product to consumers.

[jntaylor63]

Correct me if I'm worng, but I thought I had every legal right to record programs off my TV. (Was settled during the start-up of VCR's) As long as I did not re-broadcast or sell it, I have this right. By the way the Dish Network HDTV PVR is out now. I truly hope that the FCC looks out for joe consumer and the cost impact to us.

On second thought, Let's all do our part and trash all of our recording and back-up solutions. I'm more than happy to pay an extra 20.00 to replace a DVD or buy a copy of a show broadcasted to me.
Please people, think of the starving studios and the poor CEO's trying to make ends meet.

[BJ_M]

Correct me if I'm worng, but I thought I had every legal right to record programs off my TV. (Was settled during the start-up of VCR's) As long as I did not re-broadcast or sell it, I have this right. By the way the Dish Network HDTV PVR is out now. I truly hope that the FCC looks out for joe consumer and the cost impact to us.

On second thought, Let's all do our part and trash all of our recording and back-up solutions. I'm more than happy to pay an extra 20.00 to replace a DVD or buy a copy of a show broadcasted to me.
Please people, think of the starving studios and the poor CEO's trying to make ends meet.

you would still be able to -- but it would be in SD quality :P

[arklab]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding of DMCA (at least in USA), is that any DIGITAL SOURCE is (or may be at the option of the copywright holder) protected.

Only if the source is ANALOG (like standard TV or non-digital broarcast radio) can we legally "time shift".
I understand that the studios are now attacking this, too.

[Vanderlow]

HDMI source could be convert to DVI which most current HD TVs have. See link below.

http://www.digiupdate.com/G002_DVI_HDMI_and_HDCP.html#_Toc64160510

[GbMedusa]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding of DMCA (at least in USA), is that any DIGITAL SOURCE is (or may be at the option of the copywright holder) protected.

Only if the source is ANALOG (like standard TV or non-digital broarcast radio) can we legally "time shift".
I understand that the studios are now attacking this, too. :x

From what I've read here and elsewhere, it's not the digitial content that is protected by DMCA, but bypassing the copyguards. In other words, you can still capture the content (under the Fair Use laws) as long as you don't bypass the means preventing you from capturing it (thanks to DMCA)...

So many lawyers & politicians, so little kindling.

[painkiller]

Personally, I'd be more impressed to know how many of us there are that use this site (forums whathave you) AND will write a letter to the FCC complaining about this in a constructive manner.

It's the volume (quantity) of people that inundate a government official to try and change something - that makes a difference. (probably)

FWIW, I wrote the FCC commision letters in the note too distant past on this very topic.

I'd like to know how many here have.

And if we should do it again.

[BJ_M]

if i wrote them (FCC) a letter - it would do a lot more good if i lived in the usa ..

writing a letter to the CRTC in canada -- no holding out much hope if i am not a member of the party in office (canadian (not so) joke) to get any attention..

[TBoneit]

It hasn't held up sales as far as I know. There are shortages but according to the forums at www.dbstalk.com users are getting the Dishnetwork 921 PVR that records HD and Sd form the satellites and HD Digital from over the air. As I understand it it can only record the digital channels as it has no encoder. I have a feeling that they are only trickling out in limited quantities. I suspect that they may be almost hand made in low quantities due to either shortages or they didn't expect much demand. Ands if it were a requirement that they work with a digital don't record flag. The software is upgraded over the satellites so I don't think that is having any impact, with regards to holding back sales.

Cheers

[mmasw]

[quote="jntaylor63"] I truly hope that the FCC looks out for joe consumer and the cost impact to us.

where have you been??....m. powell is the head of the FCC and he takes orders from dubya and the last person they ever care about is joe consumer

besides, the FCC is still staring at replays of janet jackson's boob....no time for protecting the fair use doctrine

[paulw]

It sounds to me that GVT departments (FCC & FBI) are now being funded by the tax payer to work the corps like MPAA, RIAA and M$ and protect their interests to hell with the consumer rites..

[duhmez]

quote from dictionary.com
Circumvent

To go around; bypass:

By this definition, say for example, a macrovision protected vhs tape or dvd. To capture this or record it to another analog or didital means, would be circumvention of a technological measure. By not adhering to the protection you are circumventing. It's crazy, put the weakest crappy "protection" on something, then it's illegal to get around by any means even if that means is really easy.
Analog copies in this situation are NOT protected and still violate DMCZA. You americans have to do something about this law.

[BobV]

This is crap, more "copy protection". Just the other day I found out I can't convert my MOV recordings to another format unless I buy Apples QuickTime Pro. It's crap, it was my camera, my recording. I won’t buy another Olympus camera and I’m telling them why. I’m letting my $ speek.

[duhmez]

go to the convert section of this website. It splains how to use tmpgenc to convert mov files.