[mythtv-users] Pre-sales open for HD-PVR

Kisner, Thomas tkisner at necunified.com
Mon Apr 7 20:03:34 UTC 2008


>
>>  There is a possibility that set-top boxes could disable their
>>  component output for certain flagged channels, but I've not heard of
>  > that happening. 
>

>Disabling component will never happen, the consumer backlash would be 
>enormous. There are way too many people that don't have HDMI on their 
>TV sets.
>
>The networks/studios could never mount an successful attempt to block 
>the use of the PVR-150 and just because it's a higher resolution is 
>not a valid argument. It's still analog and there are no legal 
>controls on analog capture for personal use.
>
>The networks/studios argument has always been against digital "bit 
>prefect" copies. A capture from analog will never be "bit prefect", 
>it might look very close but not a "bit perfect" copy.


Agreed.    Except there is a legal control for analog capture, with
special protections in the DMCA - 1980's era Macrovision.  And the
courts have upheld that it is illegal to sell devices that strip analog
Macrovision (look up "Macrovision Vs. Sima Products").   Make no
mistake, they *will* turn Macrovision on the component-out for at least
PPV, if it isn't on already in some markets (ohh yes, Macrovision
"works" on component out). The HD-PRV, if it is a good MPAA compliant
device, should recognize that Macrovision is on and refuse to record
like many Composite/S-Video capture devices/recorders do.

The DMCA actually mandates that Macrovison "work" on all VCRs made after
2001.  Thank goodness they didn't have the foresight to mandate it for
other devices.  If you know how Macrovision works, you may wonder how
this is possible on digital media.  *All* STB DVD players (thanks to the
DVD Consortium) actually artificially inject Macrovision into their
analog output if the DVD instructs them to do so.  *Your cable STB has
that same capability*. All STB DVD Recorders (Again, thanks to the DVD
Consortium) shut off recording if they detect Macrovision encoding, even
though there is no legal mandate in the DMCA like for VCRs.

Looking at they way they are marketing this device, this doesn't look to
be the case that they will do this...I don't know who has to play ball
with MPAA/Macrovision.  I think lawyers might be calling them, though.
They may take the stance that the software that does the actual
recording/playback is responsible for detecting Macrovision.  We know
that Mythtv won't ever care.

Of course, even if they do this on the low-firmware level of the HD-PVR,
Macrovision is *easily* defeated with hardware filters, still readily
available on net despite the case against Sima.




More information about the mythtv-users mailing list