Verizon to set copy once bit on Premiums effective July 31, 2012

[Telecore]

Just got a letter from Verizon today regarding proper cable card activiation. On the back side under "IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING UPDATE" it reads:

We would like to inform you that on or after July 31, 2012, Verizon will begin to implement the requirements of certain premium channels (...), that prohibit the copying of recorded content to more than one recorder...

Sounds like the copy-once flag will be set and SageTV/SageDCT won't work for at least some channels with the HDHR Prime or Ceton InfiniTV.

This could be the beginning of the end for cablecard + SageTV.

If anyone has additional information/comments, please post.

[mistergq]

Are you in the Dallas market? So far Dallas market is the only market reporting this.

HBO and Cinemax have flipped to copy once twice that I can remember. Interesting, it usually happened on a Friday morning and would go back to normal on Monday or Tuesday. After the second time, I decided to keep the two STBs and HD PVRs.

[Telecore]

Yep - Dallas. I've also got a Windows Media Center PC with a Ceton card operating, but prefer my SageTV with multiple extenders and HDHR Prime. If it's just Showtime and HBO, I can live with that. If they flip the bit on ESPN and some others, TNT, FX, AMC, etc. then that would be a big problem and then Ceton Echo (or Xbox) here I come.

[mistergq]

Originally Posted by Telecore

Yep - Dallas. I've also got a Windows Media Center PC with a Ceton card operating, but prefer my SageTV with multiple extenders and HDHR Prime. If it's just Showtime and HBO, I can live with that. If they flip the bit on ESPN and some others, TNT, FX, AMC, etc. then that would be a big problem and then Ceton Echo (or Xbox) here I come.

I think it will just be the premium channels of HBO, Cinemax, and maybe Showtime and TMC.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by mistergq

I think it will just be the premium channels of HBO, Cinemax, and maybe Showtime and TMC.

I sure hope that is all it is, otherwise I'll be counting down to the ceton echo.

[davefred99]

Originally Posted by Telecore

Just got a letter from Verizon today regarding proper cable card activiation. On the back side under "IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING UPDATE" it reads:

We would like to inform you that on or after July 31, 2012, Verizon will begin to implement the requirements of certain premium channels (...), that prohibit the copying of recorded content to more than one recorder...

Sounds like the copy-once flag will be set and SageTV/SageDCT won't work for at least some channels with the HDHR Prime or Ceton InfiniTV.

This could be the beginning of the end for cablecard + SageTV.

If anyone has additional information/comments, please post.

Not sure what channels it will effect but I am planning already for the migration to Ceton Q if and when it comes out.

[Fuzzy]

This thread is one of many that makes me glad I wasn't one of the people who thought the R-5000HD was too expensive...

[Rob]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

This thread is one of many that makes me glad I wasn't one of the people who thought the R-5000HD was too expensive...

I still have my modded boxes, but with with a prime because I was sick and tired of having timeline issues late in football games.

Edit: and I know now that sage will never fix it.

[darcilicious]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

This thread is one of many that makes me glad I wasn't one of the people who thought the R-5000HD was too expensive...

How would a modded R-5000HD be of any use to a Verizon FiOS customer??

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by darcilicious

How would a modded R-5000HD be of any use to a Verizon FiOS customer??

Obviously, it wouldn't... which is why i also have Dish network...

[King of Bayonne]

Originally Posted by mistergq

Are you in the Dallas market? So far Dallas market is the only market reporting this.

I am in the Albany New York area and received this notice in today's mail. I do not subscribe to, and therefore don't care about the inability to record, any premium channels... if this goes by *my* defininition of "premium" (stuff that I would have to actually pay extra for, e.g. HBO and Cinemax). I will, however, be plenty cheesed off if the definition of "premium" includes things like the YES Network (which I don't pay extra for, but which *some* people might consider "premium" because it is a local sports channel).

I'll report back in August...


KoB

[mistergq]

I got my notice tonight...I am beginning to get nervous.

[macsupergeek]

damnit it all -- I got a special verizon fios letter yesterday, but threw it in my junk mail pile and never opened it. So now I will have to go back to my HD-PVR setup and revamp my whole setup yet again. Rotten stinkin bastards. This move will probably also kill off the Tivo users, which is my guess why they are doing this -- probably got too many phone calls for tech support and also to comply in some way with how the premiums want their stuff locked down instead of DVRed.

[mistergq]

The channel the flyer tells you go to to verify your cable card is activated correctly, I can't see it because it is copy once.

[Telecore]

UPDATE - It appears the Verizon FIOS tv change temporarily screwed up the HDHR Primes. After a power cycle, all channels have re-appeared. Will check out and update later. With luck, perhaps Verizon is only changing a few channels.

7/31 - this is the day that Verizon said it would begin enforcement of copy flags on some premium FIOS content. My initial check, via remote desktop to the SageTV client at home indicates that almost every channel that I want to see is now showing up as "No Signal" via SageTV/SageDCT/HDHR Prime.

Tried ESPN, AMC, SHO, TNT, NICK. Only Cartoon Network would come in. Haven't tried all channels, but so far it looks very bad. Will have to examine further tonight when I get home.

Fortunately, I have prepared myself for this by having a Windows Media Center PC and XBox 360, but I preferred SageTV. Looks like SageTV/SageDCT may not be a viable option for FIOS cablecard users.

* merged *

[PiX64]

Originally Posted by Telecore

7/31 - this is the day that Verizon said it would begin enforcement of copy flags on some premium FIOS content. My initial check, via remote desktop to the SageTV client at home indicates that almost every channel that I want to see is now showing up as "No Signal" via SageTV/SageDCT/HDHR Prime.

Tried ESPN, AMC, SHO, TNT, NICK. Only Cartoon Network would come in. Haven't tried all channels, but so far it looks very bad. Will have to examine further tonight when I get home.

Fortunately, I have prepared myself for this by having a Windows Media Center PC and XBox 360, but I preferred SageTV. Looks like SageTV/SageDCT may not be a viable option for FIOS cablecard users.

Wouldn't using another source for your TV content be better than the alternative which is to use Windows MC? It is in my book :-D

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by PiX64

Wouldn't using another source for your TV content be better than the alternative which is to use Windows MC? It is in my book :-D

Sometimes that is not a feasible option because most TV packages come with some kind of contract and deals... and have early termination fees... Also many times the TV package is tied on to the internet / phone packages.

[mayamaniac]

DUDE, YOU SCARED THE SH*T OUT OF ME!

I just checked and all my FIOS channels work. I don't have any premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Encore, etc.), so I don't know about those.

I'm in Los Angeles though.

[mistergq]

So it is july 31. Anyone lose any channels?

I still have all HBO/Max/Showtime, etc. However, I have those on HD-PVR because every once and awhile, they become copy once, and a couple days later go back to copy free. So it is just easier to leave them on HD PVR.

How about everyone else?

[Telecore]

Sorry, it scared the sh*t out of me as well. I was logged in remotely from work when I detected the problem. I got a Verizon person via web chat and asked them which channels would be effected, didn't get an answer, got passed onto 2 other Verizon support people and still didn't get an answer. They rebooted my cablecards, still didn't help.

HDHR Prime Channel lineup was missing most HD channels. Had wife at home trying to watch SageTV and it didn't work, however, my backup system = WMC-7 PC with a Ceton infiniTV card worked fine the whole time.

Got home, cycled power on HDHR Primes and everything came back. I'm pretty sure whatever happened was related to the June 25 letter saying that on July 31 there would be some cablecard issues and copy flag changes. The thing that scared me was that Verizon implied as long as you didn't move the cable card from one piece of equipment to another (I didn't), it should have been OK, plus the WMC-7 system worked fine.

Right now, I can't find a channel that doesn't work. Even Showtime works, but I don't have HBO, so won't know about that. I have read speculation that it is HBO pushing Verizon for copy enforcement.

I sincerely hope that all channels remain as "copy freely" so that SageTV continues to work.