Warning: Long post/lead-up to my real question....

I just bought a Toshiba 27hlv95, I'm very happy with my OTA HD reception. I have no satelllite or cable service. While researching the possible purchase of a DVR, I stumbled across marketing statements from several manufacturers, clearly designed to appeal to the wary yet uninformed consumer, regarding the compatability of the upcoming, yet unimplemented CPRM encryption technology. This made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and my first reaction was "hell no!" I'm not buying this, so I started digging for information, and soon realized there're all that way, and, there are several hardware solutions available to alter the restrictions for copying under "fair use doctrine".

It seems this technology was a failed implementation of an attempt on the part of hard drive manufacturers to comply with DMC laws. I gather as digital technology and HDTV plowed forward, this spawned the "broadcast flag" to be inserted in digital broadcasts to limit/deny HD digital copies, and this is what these DVR manufacturers are saying they are ready to comply with.

It also seems that a July 1, 2005 deadline for manufacturers to comply with this broadcast flag compatibility has been defeated in some circuit court judgement. Toshiba was one of several manufacturers on some committee to define/create what ever this broadcast flag standard was to be. No mainstream manufacturer (especially committee members) would risk sending a product to the market capable of copying HD digital signals. All this allowed me to make the great mental leap, this is why my new HDTV only has analog video ouputs. ALthough I have not researched this, I assume terrestrial HDTV set-top receivers do the same. (my TV has HDTV receiver built in).

All the chatter about buying a product before the deadline passed seems moot, but this makes me question whether any manufacturers of HD TV's and HD tuners have already implemented the technology, but have no real reason to market this "feature" as future compatability like the DVR manufacturers are spinning the issue.

Is anyone here aware of TV/tuner manufacturers including this broadcast flag technology, yet not advertizing such?