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Bill Would Outlaw Digital Receiver Recorders

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the but-i-like-mine-so-much dept.

mjdroner writes "ZD-Net has the latest on a sweeping telecom bill in the Senate. The bill provides no support for net neutrality. The bill does, however, include a provision to authorize the FCC to outlaw digital receivers that record broadcasts. The article states that those receivers would be replaced with devices that treat anything with an audio broadcast flag as copy-protected."

4 of 487 comments (clear)

  1. New equipment for free? by slashname3 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    So the FCC is going to replace my mythtv box with a new system? Are they planning to do this just after they confiscate all the firearms from the public?

  2. Kosher Entertainment: Thou shalt consume no Flags by deathcloset · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You know, I'm starting to think that broadcast television, motion pictures and recorded music might not be worth all this trouble.

    Perhaps it's time to start enjoying live plays and musical performances again. Seriously, my digital entertainment is video games and documentaries. I am starting to think the unthinkable: maybe I can live without TV and Movies.

    People will continue to create entertainment and education for download right? Oh, right...Unless network neutrality is abolished and my provider decides that I can't access this freely created content.

    I wonder, is it time that I start figuring out how to set up a HAM-based Internet connection?

  3. Challenge: Define "Digital Receiver" by popo · · Score: 4, Interesting


    Would that be like, "a computer"?

    Newsflash: There's no hardware unique to a TiVo.

    They'd have to outlaw PC's for this bill to work.

    Let them try. It will be a death sentence for every commercially manufactured, dedicated PVR. And the birth of some truly wonderful opensource software.

    Sounds good to me.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  4. we were warned, but nobody listened by MushMouth · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Bruce Perens warned us all this would happen 6 years ago in his "Napster Hurts Free Software" essay.