HBO/Cinemax Cut Off Recording of On-Demand Programs

Control Group writes "Arstechnica has an article up explaining that HBO and Cinemax are poised to prevent recording of on-demand programming, even via analog outputs, on 'compliant digital recording devices' (specifically, digital recorders meeting the Content Generation Management System for Analog, or CGMS-A, specification). HBO claims that since you can get the programming on demand, you don't need to time shift, so don't need to make even one personal copy. And, since the FCC has so far decided not to regulate subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), this is legal: while normal, linear cable comes with the right to time-shift, SVOD does not. Of course, there's nothing preventing a sufficiently determined person from using a non-CGMS-A-compliant device, so odds seem good that this will only inconvenience otherwise-legitimate customers."

Comments

Re:Copyright Lessons

[orangesquid]

If I am able to do the following:
1: Tape a program and watch it later
2: Watch it multiple times with no additional charge
3: Pull out and process frames and streams to use
4: View program at any time
5: Compare two parts of the same program to see how they differ, by viewing them side-by-side
6: Compare parts of different programs in the same manner

Then I might consider that the change is OK. But, I want my simultaneously-aired programs, re-runs, screen captures, late-night viewing, and side-by-side comparison... and, in some professions (yes, I know this deviates from the consumer world, which is the focus here), these types of tasks are a necessity.

Not too concerned personally

[dnight]

I dropped all my movie channels, get the movies sooner through Netflix and wait a year for the HBO specific shows I like to watch to come out on DVD.

The fact it reduces their profits is just a side benefit. ;)