Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

BBC's Plan To Kick Open Source Out of UK TV

Posted by samzenpus on from the how-can-you-have-any-TV-if-you-don't-eat-your-meat? dept.

bluec writes "Generally speaking, the BBC isn't allowed to encrypt or restrict its broadcasts: the license fee payer pays for these broadcasts. But the BBC has tried to get around this, asking Ofcom for permission to encrypt the 'metadata' on its broadcasts – including the assistive information used by deaf and blind people and the 'tables' used by receivers to play back the video. As Ofcom gears up to a second consultation on the issue, there's one important question that the BBC must answer if the implications of this move are to be fully explored, namely: How can free/open source software co-exist with a plan to put DRM on broadcasts?"

2 of 302 comments (clear)

  1. Dirac by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    However, the BBC would like to collaborate with the Open Source community, academics and others to produce an Open Codec

  2. Re:Strange question by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    you're not going to see any open source DRM systems any time soon.

    While I can't be clear on their efficacy, it would be incorrect to say there are no DRM systems available.

    http://lmgtfy.com/?q=open+source+drm+solutions