Recording streaming video programming; will this work?

[Electrojim]

Program streaming and subscription services like Netflix, Hulu, etc. are beginning to offer a two-tiered subscription platform, in which the service costs less if the viewer will tolerate inserted commercials. Generally these ad clusters are not as invasive as those of off-air TV, but I've found that skipping-back to catch something missed in the program can trigger additional advertising.

These services are not meant to be recorded, but the ability to skip over ads, just as one can do with satellite or cable providers, would be very welcome. If the HDMI output of a Roku or Apple stick were routed into an 8VSB RF modulator, couldn't the modulator RF then be recorded by a TiVo or Dish Network "Hopper" DVR, both of which include provision for recording off-air signals? Such modulators are available on eBay and elsewhere; just set it to an unused DTV channel, tune your off-air DVR to that same channel and it ought to work... oughtn't it? The object here isn't to steal programming, only to skip commercials.

[usually_quiet]

The HDMI output of those sticks is HDCP-protected, which should prevent the ATSC/QAM modulator from encoding it.

[Electrojim]

Curses, foiled again.

[Luke M]

Most streaming content is available ad free. There are some exceptions, like Thursday Night Football. If it becomes more common then it might be worth looking into. Won't be cheap or particularly convienient. Plus quality loss.

[jagabo]

The HDMI output of those sticks is HDCP-protected, which should prevent the ATSC/QAM modulator from encoding it.

Use one of the HDMI splitters that removes HDCP.

[usually_quiet]

The HDMI output of those sticks is HDCP-protected, which should prevent the ATSC/QAM modulator from encoding it.

Use one of the HDMI splitters that removes HDCP.

Unfortunately, I don't know which of the currently available HDMI splitters (if any) does that and neither did you the last time someone asked you.

[Electrojim]

Question: For those splitters that do, does the splitter actually remove HDCP, or does the program source device 'see' a legit TV or whatever on one of the outputs and decide from that whether it's safe to output forbidden material?

[usually_quiet]

Question: For those splitters that do, does the splitter actually remove HDCP, or does the program source device 'see' a legit TV or whatever on one of the outputs and decide from that whether it's safe to output forbidden material?

The splitter removes HDCP from the HDMI signal transmitted to the destination devices and "tells" the source device that the splitter and all the destination devices connected to its HDMI-out ports support HDCP-protected input.

[codehound]

Note: not all splitters work, there are certain models that do, and others that dont, and even with same brand / model numbers, different/compatible chipsets can produce different results.

This one does for sure I have 2

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006KZBC92/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jagabo]

Also note that manufacturers aren't supposed to make such devices -- it's an HDCP license violation. So they don't advertise this as a feature.