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."

Comments

Re:Wait a second

[squiggleslash]

Once the TV monopolies realize what this could mean to them (especially with DVD releases of shows) it will shift to them as well.

You know, from my point of view, that might not be a bad thing. I don't subscribe to cable/satellite, and generally just watch DVDs and videos. Right now, getting TV shows is awkward - some shows get on, usually many, many years after they've been shown, aimed at a rather small market of diehard fans who are willing to pay up to $40 for a "season" rather than everyday viewers; but the majority are usually not available in any way.

If TV channels start seeing DVDs as a potential revenue source by default, this will increase the number of programs available on DVD, creating an opportunity for those of us who'd rather not spend $80-100 a month on dross to pick up the occasional boxed DVD set of something we actually want to watch instead. We're looking at cafeteria TV by the back door, essentially.

And yeah, it sucks if you're paying the subscription and wondering what the hell you're getting for your money if all you can do is timeshift a few hours worth of TV, while suffering hundreds of ads. But there's a solution to that: If you're given a better choice, and to me ad-free programmes I want to see when I want to see them is a better choice, then grab it with both hands.

Overuse of the broadcast flag may be the death knell for television channelling as we know it; TV could easily end up being as different and as of little importance in the future as radio is today in comparison to its position fifty years ago. This may be a good thing for everyone.