[mythtv-users] HDHR Prime and Premium/Protected Channels

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 9:53 PM, Larry K <lunchtimelarry at gmail.com> wrote:
.....
> I do wonder, though, when the HDHR is asked to tune a premium channel like
> HBO, how does it know what software is making the request?

It does not.  And it does not care.

> I assume there
> must be some sort of authentication to identify the requesting system.

What happens for content marked "Copy Once" is that a protected content
stream must be established for transport of the content.  That protected
content stream requires the exchange of authentication tokens (for Cable
DTCP-IP, that would be signed certificates, with the CA being CableLabs).
Only those devices which have passed CableLabs certification testing get
the appropriate certificates, and can established the appropriate encrypted
path, and move the content.

Parts of that certification testing validates that the content is fully
protected, and that their is no (practical) way to obtain the content
outside of the protected (DRM controlled) path.

MythTV (being GPLed, and not having had many millions invested to
implement a protected path on a non-GPL project like Windows and TiVo),
is never going to get certified.

What one should ask/hope/legislate for, is that the content providers
change their protection criteria.  The most likely way to change the minds
of those that require strong DRM is do it through their wallet.  Ask
all your friends and enemies to stop watching HBO and when HBO
asks, tell them it is because of their restrictive DRM.  If you can get more
than a million or so to drop HBO for that reason, Time Warner might start
listening.