BBC looking at encrypting FreeView HD or EPG

[motobarsteward]

Anyone spotted this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8352241.stm

I wonder if the same thing is destined for FreeSat?

Looks like the Beeb have an uphill battle to push it through though.

[michaeldjcox]

This is the fragility of our sageTV world.

As someone who has just bought two HD200s and is about to invest in a dedicated sageTV server box this kind of news story makes me feel very uncomfortable.

SageTV is already excluded from accessing iplayer video for reasons of DRM and they want to do the same with live TV.

I don't have a problem with the DRM part - I don't want to make or keep copies.

I do have a problem with the fact that the only way to view the content probably involve something that only Micro$oft make as is the case with iplayer.

Michael

[brewston]

I thought they only wanted to encrypt the EPG, not the TV streams ? (Which we pay for in licence fee!) and now Oftcom is saying "Tell us what that would achieve...."

[MitchSchaft]

What about that awesome new 3-strikes ruling?

[fac13]

Yes it is only the EPG, so even it gets the go-ahead it's easy enough to work round. They aren't legally allowed to encrypt the programmes and to be fair the article quoted does make that clear.

This issue was discussed recently here

Somebody will have to have me with the 3 strikes thing, or was that just meant for another thread?

[MCE-Refugee]

The article also only refers to Freeview (DVB-T) HD which has yet to be launched. There is no way that they could introduce anything similar for Freesat (DVB-S) as the specification is already done & over 600,000 Freesat receivers have already been sold.