[mythtv-users] FCC Broadcast Digital Channel Requirements

Chase Douglas chasedouglas.lists at gmail.com
Sun Aug 24 16:10:01 UTC 2008


On Aug 22, 2008, at 6:36 PM, R. G. Newbury wrote:
> Brad Fuller wrote:
>> On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 12:41 PM, Chase Douglas
>> <chasedouglas.lists at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> From what I have read online, though I can't find any specific  
>>> regulation
>>> (which may be because there is no such regulation), the FCC only  
>>> mandates
>>> that one version of a broadcast channel is transmitted in the  
>>> clear. The
>>> analog version counts, so they don't have to transmit the digital  
>>> channel.
>>> Secondly, the station may opt for retransmission consent instead of
>>> must-carry. I am not positive if this impacts channel encryption,  
>>> but I have
>>> learned that the FOX/ABC affiliate here (they are the same  
>>> company...) have
>>> their digital channels through retransmission consent instead of  
>>> must-carry.
>>> All of this may change significantly in november once the analog  
>>> cutoff
>>> occurs, but I'm not holding up any hope of receiving HD broadcast  
>>> of ABC and
>>> FOX through my pcHDTV anymore...
>>
>> Are you referring to the OTA cutoff? That's Feb 2009 (17th, I  
>> think),.
>>
>> But, I don't see how that makes a difference since the cutoffis OTA
>> and doesn't effect cable/sat services.
>
> You may want to take a look at 47 CFR 76.1621 which deals with  
> provision
> of descrambling devices....

76.1621 seems to be the most important regulation. It stipulates that  
cable operators may encrypt channels, but if they do so they must  
provide some setup that can decrypt at least two channels at the same  
time. Unfortunately, 76.1621 (d) also states that the cable company  
may charge for purchase or lease of such equipment.

So the idea here is that TWC is actually providing the local broadcast  
stations for ABC and FOX, but they are now encrypting them. The fact  
that they are providing them at all covers the mandatory carriage  
issue. Nothing seems to state that mandatory carriage of local  
broadcast stations must be unencrypted. Thus, the only recourse I have  
in regards to FCC regulations is that TWC provide me an STB to decrypt  
the signals. And they will charge me for it of course.

I will still try to contact my local TWC office as well as the public  
utilities commission to put pressure on them to reverse the  
encryption. Hopefully that will be enough as the FCC isn't going to  
help me out. Aside from that, I tried hooking up plain old rabbit ears  
to my tv and was able to pick up all the local digital broadcast  
channels that I want anyways, I believe at a higher quality as well.  
So in the end I'll be switching over to using the airwaves for these  
stations anyways.


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