Possible good news for SDTV/HDTV hardware

[dvsing]

Hey! This looks like good news for those of us hoping the "broadcast flag" dies a horrible death:

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=7703873

-Dan

[stanger89]

Of course that doesn't really help a lot, since it only affects OTA.

[dvsing]

True... but it's a step in the right direction.

Perhaps if OTA signals are available without the broadcast flag, it will pressure cable providers to not encrypt those channels (via 5C/firewire) that are also available over-the-air (major networks, NBC, ABC, CBS, UPN, FOX, WB, etc...). Especially since those that are able to receive OTA signals will be getting the same picture quality as cable. In order to retain their customer base, they may be encouraged to not put restructions on their equipment.

If in the future I have an option of recording OTA digital broadcasts, for free (minus the cost of encoder card), versus paying for the same content over cable which I don't even get to time-shift on my PC, I will certainly go with OTA. 100% of the regular new shows that I record on Sage I could be recieving over-the-air if I bothered to get a decent enough antenna/amplifier and appropriate encoder for the PC.

-Dan

[stanger89]

Cable companies can't encrypt local channels they rebroadcast.

[dvsing]

Pardon my ignorance on this-- I would like to get a clear understanding though..

So my cable box has a firewire output which allows me to stream DTV signals directly to my PC-- I've read that this capability may eventually be revoked by something called "5C content encryption". Are you telling my that even if they do start using this 5C stuff on their premium channels, they'll never use it on the rebroadcasted local channels?

-Dan

[stanger89]

I believe that's the theory, although I'm not 100% sure on that. It's conceiveable that if the BF happen, a Copy Once or Copy Never flag in the unencrypted stream could invoke 5C on the FW port. However I think if you were to get a QAM capable card today that it would be able to record your locals indefinitely.

Truthfully I hadn't really thought about it too much because I have little/no interest in HD locals on cable since even if they were encrypted I can get them OTA.

[turak]

I hooked my laptop up to my motorola STB via firewire to see what HD channels they encrypt. The locals were unencrypted. All of the other HD channels were encrypted. Atleast I assume they are encrypted since I just got a black screen when I tuned to the nonlocal channels. I have comcast in philadelphia.