[mythtv-users] Here it is. MPAA wants to close the analog hole

[George Galt]

On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 2:40 AM,  <jarpublic at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:59 AM, Kevin Kuphal <kkuphal at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> From the article at Ars Technica:
>>
>> http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081123-trade-group-video-output-limits-will-hit-millions-of-hdtvs.html
>>
>> "The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) says that, if the Federal
>> Communications Commission gives Hollywood a waiver on Selectable Output
>> Control, 20 million HDTV sets will cease to function as they did when they
>> were bought by U.S. consumers. These controls limit the ability of consumers
>> to send a broadcast to both their sets and other devices, but current FCC
>> policy prohibits SOC use. The request for a waiver from that policy comes
>> from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)."
>>
>
> They are seeking a narrow exemption allowing them to enable the SOC for
> movies that are released on VOD or elsewhere prior to being released on DVD
> and Blu-ray. So it would only be allowed during the time period prior to the
> DVD release. It isn't a blanket disabling of component outputs like the
> subject and the blurb implie. However, I don't think anybody is doubting
> that the MPAA would like to use this narrow exemption to get their
> proverbial foot in the door, and do something more restrictive in the
> future.
>
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>

Can you say "camel's nose under the tent"?  Once they got consumers
used to the fact that component might not always work, consumers will
accept it in an ever-expanding set of circumstances.  In addition,
once consumers know that component connections don't always work,
they'll start avoiding these connections on TV sets, so manufacturers
will stop making them, so set-top box manufacturers/cablecos will stop
supporting them -- effectively closing the analog hole.

George