ReplayTV 4500: No Hacking, or Else

mcglk writes "I was happy to see that SonicBlue had released its new generation of ReplayTV, the 4500. And it was $250 cheaper than the 4000. Except for that $250 one-time service activation fee. Worse is the agreement that goes along with it. Term1A basically says, No more hacking. Term1G says that they can enable or disable anything they want without notice. And Term2C says that if someone even alleges you are infringing on copyright, you can be shut down with no notice, no recourse, and there's nothing you can do about itthe agreement indemnifies them completely. I was really looking forward to getting one of these, too." Under that agreement, SonicBlue claims the right to destroy your device when you connect for updates.

Comments

Wolcott

[Graymalkin]

Section 4B: Do not taunt ReplayTV 4500.

Section 4C: If you hack ReplayTV 4500 and it begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head.

Geez, talking about infringement.

Re:Read Tivos agreement lately?

[echucker]

Well, I guess you're at least one step ahad of the rest of us- you actually read them! ;-)

Why accept *their* agreement?

[devnullkac]

Try mine:

REPLAYTV 4500 Digital Video Recorder
Activation and Service Agreement

1. Use of the Service
You may use the service for any purpose and SonicBlue can't say "boo" about it.

2. Fees and Term of the ReplayTV Service
SonicBlue would like for you to pay for the service, but if you figure out how to steal it, well we can certainly respect such an achievement.

3. DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY
If you use the ReplayTV 4500 to store emergency response procedures for a nuclear reactor and the product fails to function during a disaster due to neutron flux, SonicBlue accepts full responsibility for the resulting environmental damage.

4. Miscellaneous
You may modify this agreement at any time in any way without notice to SonicBlue. Failure of Sonicblue to notice or respond will constitute our agreement to the new conditions.

BY CLICKING ON THE "I AGREE" LINK BELOW, I REPRESENT THAT I HAVE READ, AND I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO, THE TERMS STATED ABOVE.

I Agree

DMCA

[stud9920]

I assume you clicked the "I agree" button for us. Therefore, you are a circumvention device and illegal under the DMCA. Your mother will bue sued.

Wow, reminds me of the CueCat...

[TrebleJunkie]

...and we all know how long *that* lasted, don't we?

Great Opportunity for Tivo!

[statusbar]

Imagine, tivo can obliterate their competition just by telling them that EVERYONE is performing hacks and copyright violations! ReplayTV will have to shut down all of their own customers! A great Denial Of Service attack!

--jeff++

Re:tick tock tick tock

[PhxBlue]

"Please sign this EULA before you buy this car." Its coming.

More likely we'll see something like this:

By driving this car, you agree to the following End-User License Agreement (EULA):

1. User assumes all responsibility for any defects on the part of the Vehicle, including defects sold to the User as Features;
2. The User may not sue the Seller under any existing or future laws that ever existed or ever will;
3. User may not user the Vehicle in a manner which violates any laws, bylaws, whims of our Corporate Dictatorship, or guidelines of Grannie Mae, that ever existed or ever will;
4. We reserve the right to remotely detonate the Vehicle if the User is found in violation of the EULA. If later determination finds that the User did not violate the EULA, we will modify the EULA retroactively.

Warranty call in mcglk and michael's world

[gad_zuki!]

Replay: "How may I assist you today?"

michael: "My Replay isn't working, smoke is coming out of it!"

Replay: "Really, what happened?"

michael: "I was trying to overclock it with a home brewed water cooled system like I saw on slashdot and spilled water everywhere!"

Replay: "Holy shit, sir. We'll send another $500 box to your house for free!"

muchael: "Cool. I'm gonna try to submerge the new one in a fishtank."

Replayl: "Awesome, do you believe the corporate pricks at Tivo won't even let you open the box without voiding the warranty? They got some fascist sticker and everything!"

michael: "How do they sleep at night?"

---

BTW, where's the obligatory link to SonicBlue's page and a link to the model discussed? Bad /. editor bad.

Warranty call in the real world

[Fulcrum of Evil]

Replay: "How may I assist you today?"

Joe Blow: "My Replay isn't working. Fix it now!"

Replay: "Really, what happened?"

Joe Blow: "I put it in the fish tank so it wouldn't clutter up my bookcase."

Re:you left out a few items....

[Dread_ed]

A1. Use of ReplayTV as a Cupholder. No individual, owner or otherwise, may place on, above, or even near, the ReplayTV Digital Video Recorder, without first purchasing an additional license to do so, a cup containing liquid, hot, cold or even luke warm. Furthermore, any such container and its contents immediately become property of ReplayTV upon the occurence of said item coming into contact with the ReplayTV 4500.

F1: TV Programming Ownership. Upon viewing any programs from the ReplayTV Service, any and all devices used to capture such programming information immediately come under the soivereign control of ReplayTV and its subsidiaries, agents and legal representatives. This includes eyes(retinas, cornea, fovae, irises, vitreous humor, and any other part involved in the acquisition and conveyence of said programming), nerves(Optic, individual rods and cones, neurons, gray matter, and any other part involved in the acquisition, conveyence and comprehension of said programming), and any device used to aid in viewing said content such as glasses, contact lenses, or hearing aids.

X1. Disagreements with ReplayTV. Anyone who disagrees with ReplayTV with regard to this agreement will be sacked. Those who are responsible for said sacking and who do not fulfil their responsibilities to sack, will be sacked. Upon the occurence of said sackers of the sackers not sacking thee sackees, a low yield thermonuclear device will be detonated over the city containting said individual who disagreed with teh Replay Terms of Service AND those sachers who did not sack the sackers of the original sackees sackers'ers, oh whatever!