Slashdot Mirror
Losing Control of Your TV
sp00 writes "The MPAA is now trying to prevent high quality copies made from TV broadcasts. The latest anti-piracy move will prevent you from making high-quality copies of broadcast TV programs. And the new "broadcast flag" technology enables all manner of other restrictions. In the future, the Motion Picture Association of America will control your television set."
Your VHS recorder (at least the current one, with marginal - if any - copy protection built into it) doesn't know that any of the these flags exist, so it presumably wouldn't honor them.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
"Look at some DVDs. You already can't skip some commercials on those"
Actually when the studios first started putting trailers and stuff before the movies on dvd's they fixed it so you couldn't get around them. Especially the warning pages. But every new dvd I've rented over the past few months has allowed me to hit chapter forward to skip past them. Even the FBI warnings. It shows up but chapter forward decreases the time you have to sit there watching. You still can't just hit menu sometimes to jump past the trailers but you can skip them. Obviously not ideal but better than it used to be.
For quite a long time there WILL always be analog video out, at least in the form of component video for high-quality.
;-)
So long as you have that, you can make a recording.
Yes they can try to put restrictions on it (like Macrovision does) but like Macrovision it will be fairly easy to circumvent. So don't go crazy yet... unless you live in the USA that is, where the DMCA would make it illegal
Not on future TCPA and DRM enabled computers, you already have that technology on your 64bit CPUs, Harddrives soon and currently DVD drives. Expect every hardware to be enabled. So, NO you WONT be able to in a few years.
The broadcast flag is old news. The FCC can control hardware, but not software.
e s. html
Thus the GNU project brings us an open source software tuner, which is not subject to regulation, and can tune/record HDTV.
Check out these HDTV screen shots:
http://www.gnu.org/software/gnuradio/hdtv-sampl
Sadly, the software controlled tuner cards, powerful processor, DRAM, wide screen monitor, good computer stereo, etc put this toy out of the reach of most geeks - for now.
The world will not get better through technology. We must seek to be better people.
How can they call it high quality when all of those damn logos are plastered all over the bottom of the screen. I don't see how it benefits me as a viewer or them as a broadcaster. The only thing it does is annoy me. It gets especially bad when you have the network logo on one side and the local channel on the other side of the screen. I was watching that awful Steven King series last night and every so often during the show my local broadcaster would put up a brightly colored not even translucent logo in the bottom part of the screen that was probably a third of the width of the screen. To me that is not high quality. Calling it quality is probably a stretch too.
In Republican America phones tap you.
Some choice excerpts from the website:
If you use or install television receiving equipment to receive or record television programme services you are required by law to have a valid TV Licence.
Students:
If you're using a television set at university or college, or anything else to receive or record television programme services (such as video recorders, set-top boxes or PCs with broadcast cards) without a valid TV Licence then you could be prosecuted and fined - which could make your days at college a lot less fun than they should be.
Mockery:
There is no valid excuse for using a television and not having a TV Licence, but some people still try - sometimes with the most ridiculous stories ever heard. To read some of our favourites click here.
Can't find the excerpt right now, but it says somewhere that blind people get a discount of 50% and seniors above 75 years go free.
AND ALL THIS: even if you want to receive free broadcast channels...wow.
An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
On an off-topic note - what Linux HDTV tuner do you use, and how open are the drivers?
... who knows how long before the thugs in Washington ban the technology outright.
I use a PC HDTV card. The drivers are free software (GPLed) and available online (they are v4l2 based, rather than v4l, but can be made to work with mythtv and xine-hd).
Buy 'em early and often
The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
The "broadcast flag" exists only in the digital domain. Since your standard VHS videotape is an analog medium, it's pointless for your VCR to have a digital input. Therefore, some device before your existing VCR is going to have to downconvert the signal to analog before outputting it.
Now, let's talk about DVD-R players. They could record digital TV bit-for-bit to the disc, but when it decodes the bitstream it'll be required to honor the broadcast flag and not output to digital outputs while doing so.
Basically, HDTV timeshifting will still be possible, but it'll have to use analog connections to go from the timeshifting device to your TV.
In the UK, all the latest DVDs from Fox have adverts at the start that you cannot skip. They go on for a while aswell.
What's worse is that these are the retail disks, not rental. I've written a letter of complaint and won't be buying any Fox DVDs from now on.
Same goes for Disney and there Ad-DVDs.
What it means is that your HD-TiVo will only have analog video outputs, as any digital video out would be unavailable too often too be bothered with. It can still save the digital bitstream and replay from it, it just can't pass it outside of its box without converting it to analog first.
The other option would be for the TiVo to be to pass the incoming stream through the analog hole inside the box upon request, which will either result in bitrate bloat or quality loss. Suffice it to say they'll stick with the first option.
Nothing TiVo's doing at the moment will be affected by the rules set to go into effect.
"...and a black market for chipping sets."
I'd think its more acurately described as a grey market. Last I heard its still legal to do what you want to stuff you've legally purchased. Smashing a TV or XBox is your right since you bought. Why should puting a chip in a device to enable features that you are legally entitled to do be any different (fast forward, play backups). Oh, wait.... I forgot that in the US now you don't have the freedom to do what you want any more unless the corporations say its okay first.
"On a scale from 1 to 10, people are stupid"
It only applies to digital outputs - S-Video and even Component Analog and RGB (VGA) are perfectly legit. Copies can be made digitally so long as they are made using approved technologies, to be determined by the FCC later this year.
/ FCC-03-273A1.pdf:
From http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch
(a) A Covered Demodulator Product shall not pass, or direct to be passed,
Marked Content to any output except
(1) to an analog output;
(2) to an 8-VSB, 16-VSB, 64-QAM or 256-QAM modulated output, provided
that the Broadcast Flag is retained in the both the EIT and PMT;
(3) to a digital output protected by an Authorized Digital Output Protection
Technology, in accordance with any applicable obligations established as a part of its
approval pursuant to 73.9008;
(4) where such Covered Demodulator Product outputs, or directs to be output,
such content to another product and such Covered Demodulator Product exercises sole
control (such as by using a cryptographic protocol), in compliance with the Demodulator
Robustness Requirements, over the access to such content in usable form in such other
product;
(5) where such Covered Demodulator Product outputs, or directs to be output,
such content for the purpose of making a recording of such content pursuant to paragraph
(b)(2) of this section, where such content is protected by the corresponding recording
method; or
(6) where such Covered Demodulator Product is incorporated into a Computer
Product and passes, or directs to be passed, such content to an unprotected output
operating in a mode compatible with the Digital Visual Interface (DVI) Rev. 1.0
Specification as an image having the visual equivalent of no more than 350,000 pixels
per frame (e.g., an image with resolution of 720 x 480 pixels for a 4:3 (nonsquare pixel)
aspect ratio), and 30 frames per second. Such an image may be attained by reducing
resolution, such as by discarding, dithering or averaging pixels to obtain the specified
value, and can be displayed using video processing techniques such as line doubling or
sharpening to improve the perceived quality of the image.
Federal Communications Commission FCC 03-273
42
(b) A Covered Demodulator Product shall not record or cause the recording of
Marked Content in digital form unless such recording is made using one of the following
methods:
(1) a method that effectively and uniquely associates such recording with a single
Covered Demodulator Product (using a cryptographic protocol or other effective means)
so that such recording cannot be accessed in usable form by another product except
where the content of such recording is passed to another product as permitted under this
subpart or
(2) an Authorized Recording Method in accordance with any applicable
obligations established as a part of its approval pursuant to 73.9008 (provided that for
recordings made on removable media, only Authorized Recording Methods expressly
approved pursuant to 73.9008 for use in connection with removable media may be
used).
(c) Paragraph (b) of this section does not impose restrictions regarding the
storage of Marked Content as a Transitory Image.
(d) The requirements of this section shall become applicable on July 1, 2005.
-Alison
Look for the MPAA to use the DMCA to sue anyone who disables the "anti-copy" circuit.
Or even worse than that, look for them to illegally sue anyone who purchases anything, like a soldering iron, that could be used to disable it.
Don't believe me? Look at how (1) (2) DirecTV is warping the DMCA in its own image. Sueing people for merely purchasing a smartcard reader!
Only 22,000+ people sued so far!
Watch for the MPAA to start this next, just like the RIAA and DirecTV have.First, the article implies that we will be able to make analog copies, but that isn't true, after 2005 it will be illegal for any television equipment to have analog outputs.
i ne er/f-MO-Earth_to_congress.shtml
i ne er/f_mo_the_masked_engineer-01.21.04.shtml
http://www.tvtechnology.com/features/Masked-Eng
Second, the article implies that broadcast flags will only protect high definition programming. That is not true. Broadcasters will even be able to place flags on public domain programming.
http://www.tvtechnology.com/features/Masked-Eng
It's a simple fact that in a few years, we will be unable to copy a TV show without breaking the law.
If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
The stereo AM radio story actually illustrates the reverse of your point- the market was forced into FM stereo by legal restrictions, and the market had inertia to stay there even after the ban was lifted.
If the US Government bans the sale of a specific product, like Stereo AM radio, it can and has resulted in a market demanding an inferior but established product (FM Stereo) instead of a superior product which is unestablished due to government interference (AM Stereo.)
The parallel to HDTV is clear: if alternative products of similar quality are unavailable for long enough due to FCC interference, people will settle on HDTV as the de facto standard just as they settled on FM stereo.
I've read a lot about this, and the reason they don't want people to have the ability to record high quality copies, and be able to post them on the Internet, is that most European Countries don't get American shows until 1-2 years later.
Even now, last season of shows like Scrubs, are being seen for the first time in Europe. Without the control over when these shows are seen be the Europeans, the MPAA loses the ability to get the higest price from advertisers.
I simply wanted to point out the MPAAs mindset behind why they wanted this. It isn't to "control your TV", it was only a way to make sure that they are getting the most return on their global investment.
I really hate Dan Patrick.
"DiVX, the Circuit City self-destructing DVD technology, in the end wasn't killed by geek complaints. It was killed by people who didn't buy it."
This argument is made a few times in the comments, but the flag issue is different enough to still warrant concern. Folks didn't buy the DivX tech because they could easily buy a lasting DVD. The difference was readily apparent to most every consumer. Few want to buy something that has a very limited lifespan when they can pay a little more and have a movie for years and years. The enforced broadcast flag technology, however, will come on ALL TV's after July 2005, meaning there's no alternative to buying into the MPAA's scheme. Most people won't even know what they are getting until they try to record that first time and call up their geeky brother-in-law to find out what's wrong. The average Joe is not likely to know what they're buying; all they know is they need to watch the latest "america's dummest reality."
http://www.swingmusic.net/Big_Band_Era_Recording_B an_Of_1942.html
New York - From today on there will be no recording of music, classical or jazz, in this country by union musicians. Prexy Petrillo has not backed down by his claim that recording was ruining the jobs of 60 percent of the AFM membership and that he meant to do something about it. As a result only Soundies and Hollywood are exempted from the "no mechanical reproduction of any kind" order.
Petrillo has shifted his position as to the sale of records. He had previously told the companies that they could record for home and Army use, but when it was pointed out to him that the companies would be violating the law if they tried to regulate who bought their records, Petrillo made the edict a complete stoppage.
Thanks to file sharing, I purchase more CDs
Thanks to the RIAA, I buy them used...
Thanks for the pointer.
I'd like to point out the content of section "73.9008 Interim Approval of Authorized Digital Output Protection Technologies and Authorized Recording Methods", which sets forth the very open and very public process of getting your favorite "digital output protection technology" and/or "recording method" authorized.
Unlike DVD and other digital media formats which may use only those copy protection technologies approved by the content owner with the broadcast flag the FCC as reserved to themselves the right to authorize copy protection technologies.
This means that Tivo can build their DTV receiver anyway they want so long as they can get the copy protection mechanism authorized by the FCC (section 73.9008 also covers what the FCC may consider in making this determination).
So if you want to get control of your TV back make sure an open source copy protection technology is approved by the FCC and only buy tuners that implement that technology.
This could be a golden opportunity to get a decent open source digital rights management system widely adopted.
Abstinence isn't a vote.
--Jerry
Call it what you want. They're buying and selling laws. It's just that simple. You can make all the rationalizations, engage in all the Jedi mind tricks, and paint all the pretty pictures "from certain points of view" but the essential truth of Money --> Favorable Laws is unchanged.
Jerry Doyle, the actor who played Security Chief Michael Garibaldi on Babylon 5, said that the first season was filmed for about $950,000 an episode -- he figured it was about $19 million for the whole season.
With B5 doing extremely well in DVD boxset form (Doyle commented that 350,000 boxsets at about $80 apiece would bring in $21 million) he remarked that they could effectively film a season and throw it in a box set and it'll eventually make money.
Obviously, that has some pitfalls -- I'm not going to shell out $75 to $100 for a season of a show I haven't watched any of -- but it does lend credence to what you're saying.
Another example would be Red Vs. Blue. Sure, the episodes are free for download in a low-res form; if you donate money, you can get access to high-res versions of the episodes; at the end of the season, they sell a whole season on DVD, and the best part is, if you basically donate the amount the DVD costs over the course of the season, you get it for free!
Leaving aside the fact that Paramount would bury them in lawyers for basically doing fanfic episodes in the vein of Star Trek: the Original Series, Starship Exeter would be another good example of something that might be entertaining, at $8 - $10 a DVD for two episodes, to pick up once in a while. (I'm not sure how they're making money doing basically fanfic episodes in the vein of Star Trek: the Original Series; I assume it's simply for the fun of it.)
I haven't had cable for over 4 years, and it hasn't hampered my ability to socialize with the world; I get my news from Google News and the local paper; friends will record stuff and loan it to me once in a while (I watched Battlestar Galactica and the SciFi Dune miniseries this way) and if you're good at listening, you can get people to tell you what happened on that show you used to watch. (Oral storytelling takes on a new life...?) I'm thinking of signing up for NetFlix and watching TV shows on DVD that way, at least enough to know whether or not I want to buy the box set.
If the MPAA or the networks or whoever want to try to force me to watch shows their way, on their schedule, they will fail. In fact, I'd say they've already failed, not just with me, but with the demographic that's typically the most lucrative for them as well.
Jay (=
People in Japan are really taken advantage of. If they want to buy episodes, they are forced to buy 1 or 2 episode DVDs. But since digital recording is prevelant, most wait for people who supply raw rips of the shows (anime in this case), download them, and since they speak the language, can store a very clean episode on their PC. This April, the changes mentioned in the article will be taking effect so it will be impossible to download recorded shows since they will be in encrypted format. What some fansub groups are doing now are putting together all their unused cycles to try to figure out if the encryption can be broken through distributed processing. More information can be garnered here and here.
I call bullshit on this. AM Stereo is a lousy option compared to FM for several reasons.
:-)
It's been a while since I was responsible for radio communications installations and repair, so I apologize for any minor mistakes that I might make. However, I'm 90% sure of my facts without going back to my old tech manuals.
1) The narrow spectrum allotted to AM stations means that the actual listening experience is crap.
1.a) So increase the slot! you say. Well, if you're going to do that, you'll have to dramatically reduce the power output so you don't end up stepping all over the other AM stations out there sharing neighboring slots.
1.b) But AM's biggest advantage over FM is its range! you say. True, but that's a combination of the power output allowed and the fact that AM's lower frequencies are much more likely to remain coherent as they bounce off the ionosphere and return to earth. If you don't reduce the strength of the AM signal and increase the slot dedicated to individual stations, you automatically eliminate the number of AM stations that can effectively broadcast. You'd probably need somewhere between 40 and 50 KHz dedicated to each station instead of the 10 KHz now alloted. You really want to eliminate 75% to 80% of the AM stations just to get AM stereo?
2) The other major reason, and probably the REAL reason that AM stereo never took off, is that Amplitude Modulation is far more sensitive to changes in its environment than Frequency Modulation. Lightning storms, tornados, and other kinds of severe weather raise holy hell with AM stations.
My personal experience bears this out. I grew up in northern Minnesota back when FM was still pretty rare. The old cars that teenagers like myself were driving still didn't have AM/FM radios as standard equipment. On clear nights in the winter we could pull in WLS out of Chicago about 500 miles away like it was right next door. When the ionosphere was higher during the summer (also known as tornado season here in the Midwest), we could sometimes get this faint, crackly, lightning bursted version of it.
Obviously, we had closer stations. Even my little town of 8,000 had an AM station that served everyone within a 40 or 50 mile radius with a pretty boring selection of oldies. Still does, btw. Now it competes with 5 local FM stations serving the same area running everything from Minnesota Public Radio to country to acid rock to Top 40. Even that little AM station would be subject to massive interference from a thunderstorm, though. Listening to any AM station during a thunderstorm while your favorite makeout song was on was an exercise in frustration. You had to hope your date was partial to bangs, skips, and cracks!
Nope, I think the FCC made the right choice back in the 1950s. AM Stereo was and remains a bad, Bad, BAD idea for anyone who actually wants to listen to music.