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I have digital cable and getting that working is a big thing for me.

look for them here.

http://www.pchdtv.com/hd_3000_right_down.html

http://www.cyberestore.com/product_info.php?cPath= 28&products_id=103

It makes it all the more difficult for the entertainment cartel to fight the provision. Using the VCR as an example, going forward the VHS tape VCR is going to become extinct. Replacing it is digital. Tivo. MythTV, Knoppmyth. Digital cards/units like Air2PC, HD3000 cards, and other versions that will come out now that the broadcast flag has been temporarily set back. Ideally, you would want the same rights for these new products that you currently have with your VCR, right?

You can currently record a television program or movie from over-the-air or cable, pop the tape out, take it to your vacation home or friend or relative's home, and watch that movie while on vacation or at your friend or relative's house. You can even pop that tape into the mail and send it to your mom's house so you can watch it together when you stop in from your business trip on your way back home. Or visiting temporarily from school prior to going home for summer break. Or simply let your mom watch it while you stay at school for extra studies.

With a digital recording and a networked home, why bother with VCR tapes? You simply transfer the recording over the internet to your mom's home. And if you forget to do it while at your home or dorm, you can do it remotely by logging in to your home network and then transferring the program to your current location.

Digital Restrictions Management schemes all interfere with the above. Interfere with rights you already have when those programs exist in other forms, on other media. Why does innovation result in lost rights?

It is very important to frame your statements using the above examples. Simply stating that proposed copyright rules or digital restrictions management or treaties dealing with "IP" and "copyrights" will outlaw future VCRs is not enough. Legislators aren't experts. Far from it. You telling them that the proposed legislation or actions by them in a treaty will outlaw future VCRs falls flat on its face because they won't believe it. They didn't believe it with VCRs even though it almost happened (remember the Sony Betamax case and MPAA's suggestion of a $100.00 "tax" on each blank tape payable to them as compensation for "lost" sales like they had/have with the current $1.00 per blank VHS tape or whatever on blank cassettes or on other media in other countries outside US like Canada and elsewhere).

You need to frame your statement in clear, short and easy to understand terms. Something that the MPAA/RIAA will have a difficult time arguing against. They will use tactics like changing the subject, or use other unrelated examples to argue their point but when they do, unbiased legislators sometimes catch it. Always frame it over rights already held with VCRs against the same rights being lost in the new technology (digital, Tivo, transferring a recording to mom's home, etc.).

Include examples that highlight constituent backlash. Imagine what will happen when cable companies (not the studios, check the MythTV mail archives) enable a broadcast flag to prevent recording of Desperate Housewives. Or have the program expire a week later. Or prevent the transfer of the episode to mom's house while on vacation at her home and she can't operate the old VCR (or reset the clock) let alone the newfangled Tivo thing. That will start them thinking what happens if they allow the entertainment cartel legislation and their own wives can't record Desperate Housewives. Or their understanding on how they can't watch football on the big screen because the wives need to watch Desperate Housewives and can't Tivo it for later or to watch over someone else's house during a playoff game or the Super Bowl.

Each one of the examples above are good if you take the time to frame the statement properly. Sho

pcHDTV 3000 from here

Air2PC from here or here

2. When you're ready, build a computer for MythTV. Use this guide, look here for HDTV tips, and ask questions on this mailing list. You can also search for answers on the mailing list archive.

3. You say that Myth isn't all you want. I think you're wrong. Here's what it can do:

It can record analog content from cable, satellite, and over-the-air broadcasts.

It can record digital content from over-the-air broadcasts, including HDTV.

It can record unencrypted digital content over firewire from some digital cable boxes.

Using free tools that come with MythTV, you can cut commercials and export any recording from MythTV to a number of different formats, including Divx, Xvid, VCD, SVCD, and DVD.

4. Here's what it can't do:

Myth can't record encrypted digital content from digital cable or digital satellite. Keep in mind that no PC-based solution can do this. The only possible ways to do record content from these sources in digital format are to use a black-box solution (usually) provided by the cable or satellite company or to put on your black hacker hat and crack the encryption. If you choose the former, odds are slim and none that you will be able to export the recordings.

You can also get the air2pc from http://www.cyberestore.com

I watch HD content on my standard Sony Wega TV (NTSC). Even works great with the 16:9 function of the TV that squeezes the image.

You will need seperate cards for ATSC and NTSC.

I have the Air2PC card. Works great.