Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MLB Says Slingbox Illegal, CEA Thinks Otherwise

Posted by Zonk on from the media-ing-on-the-fly dept.

The Tie Guy writes "Sling Media's Slingbox allows consumers to watch and control their home television programs from a remote PC or smartphone — a process called 'placeshifting'. Content owners are typically edgy when it comes to the placeshifting topic. However, most don't view Slingbox as an imminent threat that will destroy the commercial broadcast model. Major League Baseball is going against the grain by saying that Slingbox owners who stream home games while traveling are breaking the law because it allows consumers to circumvent geographical boundaries written in to broadcast deals. This has sparked a huge debate that has the MLB, baseball fans, and the CEA up in arms. CEA President Gary Shapiro doesn't agree, and is coming to the defense of Sling Media and place-shifting in general."

5 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. Consumer Electronics Association by Speare · · Score: 5, Informative

    Would it have been so hard to actually type (or cut-n-paste) what CEA stands for into the blurb? I couldn't guess WTF it was, an NGO like the BBB, CCC, NAA, or ANA, or more like the FBI, FTC, or GAO.

    --
    [ .sig file not found ]
  2. Its funny by Altus · · Score: 4, Informative


    But somehow I don't remember signing a broadcast agreement with Major League Baseball. Either place shifting is legal or not. MLB's agreements with its broadcasters should have absolutely no bearing on this at all.

    --

    "In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women..." -H. Simpson

  3. More Obvious Question by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 3, Informative

    What the heck is the "CEA" and why should I care what they think?

    This summary is missing a critical piece of information.

    --
    Comment of the year
  4. Re:the solution by armchair99 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Baseball is a grand game full of subtleties that requires great skill to play well. Now soccer...there's a boring game.

  5. Re:Obvious question by AKAImBatman · · Score: 3, Informative

    Nor does the consumer sign any contract with regard to use of GPL software.

    First off, "wrap" agreements have been legally accepted by courts for a long time. So including a license with your software is technically binding if the software is used.

    That being said, you are not bound by the GPL. Read it sometime. It explicitly says you're not bound by it. The only time you're bound by it is if you want the redistrubtion rights that copyright law does not offer. Without the GPL, you cannot redistribute the software. So redistribution is either an implicit agreement to the terms or a violation of copyright law. Take your pick.

    Maybe MLB is just informing its viewers of the law (so they can't claim ignorance), or perhaps they are stretching the law through a questionable interpretation.

    Courts have already thrown out arguments against time shifting and space shifting. This is just another form of space shifting. Plus the FCC provides that anything sent over the airwaves cannot be restricted. If it's on the airwaves, it's public property. That doesn't mean that you can redistribute the material (that's where copyright law kicks in), but the airwaves are a single instance of a free distribution to all.

    Long story short: MLB doesn't have a legal leg to stand on.
    --
    Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade