[mythtv-users] firewire capture and broadcast flag

[Brad Templeton]

On Fri, May 13, 2005 at 02:20:55PM -0500, Neil wrote:
> I may confusing myself with broadcast flag. But I've read somewhere that it 
> doesn't only apply to OTA. Anyways, I've read from eff.org site and saw 
> from a television news that DC court shutdown FCC's request about it. Am I 
> correct that assuming if I get comcast DCT6200 box and request for a 1394 
> output interface, I will be able to record in clear the HD content of a 
> program? Also, is DCT6200 a recorder or just a receiver? 

The broadcast flag applied to broadcast, not cable.  (Though in theory
cable companies would have been required to follow its rules when
passing along broadcast content I guess.)

Cable companies have their own system, and there own complex plans for
copy protection.   The FCC regs require them to:

    a) Offer you digital TV stations in the clear when sent over QAM

        - Many do this, reportedly some do not.  You often don't have to
        buy "digital cable" to get it over QAM.  Digital cable and Analog
        are the same cable, they just give you a QAM decoding (and decrypting
        set top box on the same cable.)

    b) Give you a set top box that will do 1394 output.  However, they
        are allowed to have that 1394 output use a copy prevention protocol
        like 5C.

        - The good news is many of the boxes _don't_ do the 5C yet, so
        your myth box can record what they spit out.  That could end
        at any time, unfortunately.  However, it's a nice cheap way to
        get digital TV now since 1394 is much cheaper and better than
        using capture cards or tuner cards.

    c) Provide any customer a "cablecard" that plugs into an approved
       cablecard slot (such as on a PVR) and does the decryption part.

        - The bad news is, MythTV can't pass the requirements to be
        approved for a cablecard slot, and even if it could it costs
        $100,000 just to apply for a try at being approved!


Other than that cable and satellite companies are free to encrypted and
lock up the stuff they transmit, and keep it away from your computer.