UK's Freeview HD To Go DRM

gbjbaanb writes "The BBC has been granted provisional approval to introduce copy protection for Freeview HD after they resubmitted an amended plan. Quoting from Ofcom's statement: 'In view of the fuller submission provided by the BBC, Ofcom is currently minded to approve its request for a multiplex license amendment subject to consultation responses, on the basis that in principle, content management is a justified objective which ensures that the broadest range of HD content is made available to citizens and consumers.' However, it's not too late yet — you can submit your comment and tell them you'd like to be able to record broadcast HD TV. I'm sure the 'content providers' will continue to sell content to the BBC, ITV, etc., if this is not implemented. They'll still take our license fee money (or advertising) and sell us the content, but refuse to let us record or copy it, hoping we'll go out and buy the DVD/Blu-ray as well."

Comments

Re:I don't think so

[Spad]

Yes, because the quality of television (And radio, and internet services) provided by ITV is soooooo much better than the BBC.

I can't wait until The Natural World becomes The Real Natural World, in which a series of barely cognizant social rejects are dumped into the middle of the African plains to see how they cope with being hunted by an incredible array of nature's creations. Actually, that would probably be quite entertaining for a while, but not as a *replacement* for decent, intelligent, educational television.

Re:What a wonderful opportunity

[grimJester]

And such a wonderful world we live in. A device that provides the same functionality as an old VHS recorder is illegal because it needs to bypass DRM to work. Never mind that we've had VHS for 30+ years and TV shows have been broadcast unencrypted for half a century.

Obviously anyone who wants to release a torrent can easily bypass the DRM and anyone who wants the non-DRM version can download it for free. The only ones who suffer are the ones who pay for their content and won't buy illegal hardware.

Maybe a long time ago

[Mathinker]

How often do 99% of consumers realise they're watching encrypted DVD? Consumers won't care if it's not intrusive. ....

Yeah, they didn't care when the only devices they had which played video were televisions which were connected with DVD players. Nowadays, every other cell phone/music player can play video. You can safely bet that the unstoppable progression of technology will soon make it quite obvious to the consumer that they are being asked to pay over and over again for playing the same content on ever increasing numbers of portable devices. And they won't like it.

That is what lead us to non-DRM music; it will also eventually happen to video.

Re:Where do we complain?

[simondm]

So true, try complaining and you will see what he means. I'd like to say that the documentaries the BBC produces, especially the new wildlife ones, are groundbreaking worldwide and worth the funding alone in my opinion. Then you have hours of original and period drama, the 24hr news service online and on the television, some sports coverage, lots of comedy, CBBC, Radio 1(current),2(old),3(classical),4(current issues),5 (sport) and local, all WITHOUT ADVERTS. Add to this that BBC pretty much kick started the whole internet TV thing, at least in this country - without adverts.

The BBC is about the only example of a 'compulsory tax' (it isn't compulsory) which has worked and continues to work in the public good to the satisfaction of pretty much everyone. The recent disputes about funding cause me to worry: it is money well spent.

If we complain to the BBC, they will listen: it is precisely because of this 'compulsory tax' that they may listen to us over the huge pockets and interests of the comercial fat cats