Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

CableTechTalk — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:56:47 GMT

We've got <a href="www.ncta.com/Filings.aspx page of Broadcast Flag filings</a> on the NCTA website. You'll note we don't seem to have filed since 2004.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Danny O'Brien — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:17:35 GMT

Chris - I'm sorry you feel that way about EFF. If you can point to any factual errors on our site, I'd be happy to fix them.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Kirk Klemme — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:51:16 GMT

I appreciate all the concern about broadcast flags, DRM etc.

However, I believe that none of this has anything to do with the widespread problem that cablecard users are having. I think it is coincidence with the flag issue.

If Chris can shed any light on what is going on with the cablecard tuners, it would be most appreciated. I'm going to try to call ATI today, but I'm not optimistic that they will be helpful.

Here's the link to the thread that all the cablecard users are posting to:

thegreenbutton.com/.../ShowThread.aspx

thanks...like I said, the message people are receiving is that recording is prohibited by the content provider (NBC, ABC, TNTHD, HDNet); I think it's a problem with the tuner, but no one seems to know.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

chrisl — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:37:56 GMT

Right Alex, because everything I post here is positive from Microsoft perspective. If that's what you think, I can tell you haven't been reading long. :)

The real reason I've yet to say much is because a) I think I said in this post I'm not educated enough on BF b) I just got back from driving 1200+ miles across Texas, c) Finished a semester at school, and d) I have a job outside of this blog now.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Alex — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:33:58 GMT

Apparently, Chris knows where his bread is buttered, and can not portray Microsoft in a negative aspect on his site. Without Microsoft and their Media Center product, the relevance of this site would be minimal.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Kirk Klemme — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:42:45 GMT

I am very disappointed that Chris has not addressed what is going on with the cablecard tuners and people being unable to record TV. It is not clear to me if this is a broadcast flag issue or not. (I'm sure you are aware of the threads on The Green Button struggling with this.)

Chris, you're our lifeline. Please help.

Is it a coincidence that on May 18, Microsoft came out with a statement supporting broadcast flags? The problem is more widespread than a couple shows on NBC.

Thanks, Kirk Klemme

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Adam — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:30:00 GMT

Chris,

Microsoft voluntarily decided to include copy prevention methods in Media Center. They were not legally required to, yet they still included them.

Put that in your article as well.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Ryan Beesley — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:23:38 GMT

Disregard my post. It had been waiting for submit for the past several days and apparently has been covered. Still, I believe the handlng to be the same as CGMS-A. Meaning that you can set bits to not record, as much as you can to limited recording.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Ryan Beesley — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:15:36 GMT

It's a bug that's been a "feature" since 2005 then. HBO has periodically caused similar problems.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Kirk Klemme — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:43:26 GMT

I've been having significant problems recording programs. Today "Meet the Press" did not record (NBC) and I am also unable to record Gray's Anatomy on ABC. I have a "play by the rules" VMC Cable card system which was expensive, and I'm angry that I am not able to perform many of the time-shifting, fair use functions. I'm not looking to pirate anything.

I would appreciate a not-overly-technical discussion of what is going on here.

Thanks, Kirk Klemme

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

chrisl — Sat, 17 May 2008 23:09:14 GMT

That's true, but the problem is this was an issue with ATSC. While hardware doesn't have to support it (and thus likely doesn't), doesn't mean software can't. After all, software just grabs the bitstream from the card, so it could analysis the flag.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Ben Drawbaugh — Sat, 17 May 2008 21:37:47 GMT

The broadcast flag is dead, hardware manfacturers are not required to enforce it, the problems most VMC (and TiVo) owners are having are on cable channels, and alrough it's fun to blame it on a broadcast flag, it isn't affecting broadcast TV(over-the-air).

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

chrisl — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:02:43 GMT

Yeah, EFF and most other non-profit advocacy groups do nothing but hurt the causes they think they are fighting for. Sure, they do some good things but their main reason for existing is basically to spread FUD, and the EFF is great at that.

I can't even count how many times people like Cory Doctorow have put their foot in their mouths trying to stand-up for what they believe in and protect us by not understanding the root issues or technology behind the issues.

Sorry, I'm just not a fan of organizations like that. Some might think they are great, and that's fine. I, personally, would never consider the EFF a great source of information (for rights related issues especially).

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Bob — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:53:09 GMT

Chris,

I find it kinda amusing that you bash the EFF which actively protects bloggers like you and the rights of many online folks.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

chrisl — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:24:09 GMT

No, HBO uses CGMS-A. The Broadcast Flag only applies to ATSC (OTA) content.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Mark Sowul — Sat, 17 May 2008 05:25:07 GMT

I think the broadcast flag can restrict any number of rights (record, share, etc). I know HBO uses it to lock recordings to a single machine. I've heard it can prevent recordings outright as well (obviously NBC has proven this).

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

kingwr — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:18:45 GMT

The FCC link in my original post is wrong. Here is the correct one from the ALA page:

hraunfoss.fcc.gov/.../FCC-03-273A1.pdf

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

kingwr — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:19:17 GMT

A little light reading:

hraunfoss.fcc.gov/.../FCC-04-193A1.pdf

www.ala.org/.../broadcastflag.cfm

Note: This order and the rules promulgated thereunder were struck down by the U.S. Court of Appeals of the DC Circuit because the FCC overstep there authority in enforcing the rules. The Supreme Court denied cert.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

chrisl — Fri, 16 May 2008 23:07:14 GMT

EFF is not a good source of any information. There job is to provide false or highly overstated information. Doing so does almost nothing to help the cause and much more to hurt it.

re: Short Bits: Broadcast Flag

Mark — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:50:14 GMT

Check the EFF web site;

w2.eff.org/.../broadcastflag