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See the original image at arstechnica.com

NBC-Vista copy-protection snafu reminds us why DRM stinks

arstechnica.com — A number of Windows Vista Media Center users noticed this week that a copy-protection flag from NBC was preventing them from recording a couple of shows shows. Although the incident appears to be an isolated accident, it serves as a reminder that content owners want to use DRM to control every aspect of our media consumption.

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  • sliksta, on 05/15/2008, -7/+223Here's what I believe:

    This was no 'accident'. It was a test run. Because it is not legally required to implement broadcast-flag technology into products(yet), people buy the infected products without knowing better. The media-content-industry wants everyone to own products with the tech in them before turning it on. This means waiting years for everyone to have infected products before the big broadcast-flag turn-on so that most if not all consumers are affected(infected).

    They wanted to do a test run this early to make sure it is going to work as they expected as if there's a problem(in their eyes) they want to make sure it's remedied early to make sure everyone is going to be restricted as they want.

    There's nothing you can do about Vista(without hacking it) or boxes like DirecTV. Actually any paid subscription service is going to have this and you can do nothing about it, unless you want to get into the hacking end of things which will be considered illegal.

    Free TV is your only chance. Being over-the-air(terrestrial) or free-to-air(satellite) or free cable channels. PC based tuners are the ticket here, but you have to do your research if you want to be sure your tuner isn't infected. The industry could possibly head toward making tuners that only work with DRM-infected software like Vista to help lock you in. Hopefully some hardware manufacturers will continue to produce non-broadcast-flag-receiving tuners. If not we may be SOL and can't even record free TV(without draconian restrictions) except using an older card.
    • TheKorn2, on 05/15/2008, -2/+57I recorded stuff on NBC on monday (OK, I admit it, I watch American Gladiators), and had *no* idea they had turned on the broadcast flag. MythTV for the win! No DRM whatsoever!
      • PCGCentipede, on 05/15/2008, -0/+13I agree MythTV is amazing. Mythdora makes it incredibly easy for just about anyone to set up too.
      • DamnMan, on 05/15/2008, -2/+21your missing the point that its possible for the broadcast flags to be acted on by the hardware itself. The mythTV software is DRM free. Your TV tuning hardware on the other hand may not be DRM free. It probably is right now. But in 5 years? when every major manufacturer is putting DRM directly on the circuit boards it won't matter if your using Linux with hacked up drivers. The card itself will throw the data out long before the OS and any "unapproved" (and possibly DMCA violating) drivers can act on it.
        • rrusilowicz, on 05/15/2008, -4/+7This is especially true at the hardware level if you have an nvidia card with HDCP... like the nvidia 8800GT family of cards. All of them come with HDCP at the hardware level. So even with MythTV, your still SOL.
        • TheKorn2, on 05/15/2008, -1/+8rrusilowicz: what are you talking about? the 8800 family runs just fine under linux, and knows ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about HDCP using nvidia's *own* drivers! (And that doesn't even mention the completely open source nv drivers, which again know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about HDCP.)

          As for DamnMan... I can see what you're saying, to a point. But the content simply isn't encrypted to begin with. No encryption means that anyone can build a card to receive the signal because they don't have to get certified by any monstrosity like cablelabs. The upshot is that since nobody can force tuner cards to implement mandatory DRM, it's simply not going to happen.

          Now if you were talking encrypted-QAM, this conversation would be *entirely* different.
        • thund3rstruck, on 05/16/2008, -2/+2This should not come as a surprise to anyone. Hardware based HDCP is an inevitability so get used to it. Just as the RIAA kept blank CD media and writers out of the US for a decade and the MPAA forced VCR manufacturers to comply with Macrovision (preventing copies of copies of VHS tapes) intellectual property owners will force HDCP onto all media devices for sale domestically.
    • nickert0n, on 05/15/2008, -2/+35I like your insight, I wish more people actually thought about these behind the scenes aspects like you do but most of them yell consirpacy and joke, Its no joke.
      However it is important to remember for every person paid to restrict there are more hackers/crackers that will build us what we need to get around it i.e. CD Burning, DVD Burning, Torrents, Napster etc you name it, we will always be free thanks to these un sung heros. God Bless Freedom
    • ePuck, on 05/15/2008, -3/+11I'm building/ordering a computer for my parents this week, I was almost thinking that vista would be good for them since they are not power users. I might have to think again. I don't want them calling me about vista issues that I don't know how to fix because I don't use this crap.
      • thund3rstruck, on 05/16/2008, -1/+2Unless you plan on replacing your free DVR from your cable or satellite provider with a $2000 Vista computer then you're logic is idiotic.

        How exactly does one judge a product as 'crap' having never used it before? It's illogical thinking like this that condemns critical thinking in this country and praises blind ignorant loyalties.


        • Tenoq, on 05/16/2008, -1/+2He didn't say he'd never used it before - he just said he doesn't use it. Like many, no doubt he tried Vista and was left feeling like someone just sprayed in his face.

          And if you're spending $2000 on a Vista computer for your folks then your dollar has clearly fallen a lot further than I thought. :p
    • Drizzit, on 05/15/2008, -1/+31Or just quit watching TV. It's the great coliseum of our generation.
      • McBradd, on 05/15/2008, -1/+9And what does that make Digg? ;)
        • voyvf, on 05/15/2008, -3/+2Interactive.
        • Matteos, on 05/15/2008, -1/+2A Roman bath?
        • ryllharu, on 05/15/2008, -1/+9The Forum.

          Filled with a lot of people, a few have some valuable things to say, but it's mostly filled with hecklers that think they know better.
      • MikeFromAmerica, on 05/15/2008, -2/+9You say that like the coliseum was a bad thing.
      • itsfullofstars, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1Agreed but.... if you JUST have to watch that LIVE sporting event you bet the farm on....
      • Anonymous3, on 05/15/2008, -0/+5Heck, we even have the thumbs up/down part.
    • mellophone, on 05/15/2008, -0/+6It's my understanding that the broadcast-flag is embedded in the digital signal. So even if you used over-the-air (terrestrial), like you suggest, you'd still get shafted. That's a major drawback to digital TV, as I see it (MPEG compression artifacts are a close second). Someone let me know if I'm mistaken.
      • TheKorn2, on 05/15/2008, -0/+10The broadcast flag is in the signal. But it's up to your software whether you choose to honor that signal or not. Tivo was bitten by this kind of a stunt a few years back (even going so far as not allowing FF/REW!), which is why I'm imagining they're ignoring the broadcast flag now.
    • itsfullofstars, on 05/15/2008, -3/+6I think that Vista users should take notes that their computers OWN them with Microsoft running it. Who will stand up and fight, if not you?
    • canUdi9it, on 05/15/2008, -1/+13If they think people with DVRs are going to go back to watching programs live, they're smoking something. It's time-shift, or not watch at all for me.
      • TomFrost, on 05/15/2008, -1/+9Or drive more people to torrents, which is exactly what this does. Bittorrent is now such a well-known, publicly acceptable platform that the non-tech-savvy are now stepping into it. The only thing their DRM is achieving is encouraging piracy.
    • winmywii, on 05/15/2008, -1/+7I can still record to VHS!!
    • Scott2, on 05/15/2008, -0/+4This isn't the first time that that this has happened - last time it was with Fox, specifically King of the Hill.
    • diggingaround, on 05/15/2008, -0/+5How 'bout no frakking TV at all? Who is watching TV today?... most smart people look for news and entertainment online anyway... it saves you hours and hours of wasted time + you don't have to watch that 30 sec of tampon commercial anyway.
    • SPECOPS, on 05/15/2008, -1/+1"infected products" - awesome way of categorizing it
    • ldkronos, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1I've heard that "testing it out" theory several times, but it just doesn't make sense. You can test a bomb without dropping it on a populated city, and you can test your DRM mechanisms without unleashing it on the public. If they really want to sneak this into the market, it doesn't make a lot of sense to do it in a way that draws attention to it. If it absolutely must be a live test, then test it on some 3AM infomercial which nobody will be recording anyway.

      If anything, it almost might seem to be the opposite...that someone within the company doesn't like the whole idea of a broadcast flag and "accidentally" switched it on to try and draw public attention to the matter.
  • jer2eydevil88, on 05/15/2008, -5/+162DRM manages rights like jail manages freedom.
  • skitle007, on 05/15/2008, -8/+16The End is Near
  • Phocion55, on 05/15/2008, -8/+6Did we ever need a reminder in the first place?
  • lordtyros, on 05/15/2008, -3/+78They deserved it for trying to record American Gladiators and Medium.
  • drg1138, on 05/15/2008, -9/+51Buy a VCR....
  • justjoehere, on 05/15/2008, -8/+42NBC still has viewers?
    • MioTheGreat, on 05/15/2008, -1/+6I think the last show I watched on NBC was 3rd Rock From The Sun (Awesome show), like 7 years ago.
    • RudeTurnip, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2I don't think they're still in business, as I can't get their programming on any of my set top boxes (Xbox 360 and Apple TV). No big loss; there is plenty of free, legal programming (Revision3, Winelibrary TV, etc) or really affordable programming at $2 a pop.
      • zwaldowski, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1NBC likes to concentrate on creating affiliates in big cities. This leaves many cable companies having to import that affiliate via satellite to have a "local" NBC station. Due to some obscure broadcasting laws, this leave some cable providers and most satellite cable providers with no affiliate to give.
    • hrhs556x, on 05/15/2008, -1/+2THE OFFICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • goonerzilla, on 05/15/2008, -14/+80No one so far?
    ***** the RIAA
    ***** the MPAA
  • buffyangel108, on 05/15/2008, -3/+59DRM - don't record me
  • BoneheadFarker, on 05/15/2008, -0/+40Isn't this violating the "Time Shifting" rulings of the 80's?
    • FKnight, on 05/15/2008, -17/+2No, it was an accident/mistake. Geez.
    • canUdi9it, on 05/15/2008, -0/+13You're thinking of the "Back to the Future" trilogy. As long as no one goes over 88 MPH, we're OK.
    • WiseWeasel, on 05/16/2008, -0/+2That ruling (I believe it was Sony vs. Universal) says that you can't be prosecuted for time shifting, not that the broadcasters would actually have to allow you to do it.
      • maccam94, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1However, that seems to be a fair-use thing, so it can be reverse engineered so people can time-shift ;-)
  • Coniferous, on 05/15/2008, -0/+16If you live in Canada and use MCE you get this message quite a bit. I've been trying to find away around it, but no luck yet.

    Ugh.
    • CryRightardCry, on 05/15/2008, -3/+14Microsoft software is your problem, they partner with the studios.
    • doshindude, on 05/15/2008, -3/+4get Windows XP?
    • barc0001, on 05/15/2008, -1/+11There's an easy fix. MythTV. I've been using it since 2003, works like a hot damn.
    • brucebeh, on 05/15/2008, -0/+3interesting.. i'm in canada and use vista MC to record lots of my tv shows and have never had a single problem
    • EntropyFan, on 05/16/2008, -1/+2I use GB-PVR, running on both Vista and XP
      The problem is not Vista, but Media Center. It seems to honor several flags that no one else does.
  • nickert0n, on 05/15/2008, -14/+33DRM Will fail, and my Linux will prevail muhahahahaha
    • ohplease, on 05/15/2008, -16/+4Yes, Linux will work really well with no HDCP keys.


      Learn things.
      • DarkFoxDK, on 05/15/2008, -2/+20They will get hacked... just like any other DRM...
        • theholyraptor, on 05/15/2008, -1/+9correction they were already hacked. If I remember correctly someone made a box that authorized properly with HDCP and then retransmitted the signal without HDCP. I think the company was threatened and there was the major flaw of being able to update codes to exclude certain keys.... but to quote Jurassic Park, "life will find a way"
        • valkyries, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1my 24" lcd had no HDCP so i just bought anydvd and it removes that requirement.
        • ohplease, on 05/19/2008, -0/+0Hacked keys dont work when they're revoked on new media. Learn DHCP then come back
    • hmcook87, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1Playground rules, if it rhymes its true.
  • Dylson, on 05/15/2008, -6/+37***** THING SUCKS!
  • robthom, on 05/15/2008, -25/+24But vista has directx10. And on a 3ghz quad core pentium5 with 4 gigs of ram and a 250gig hdd, its runs just as smooth as xp!
    • potterboy, on 05/15/2008, -9/+3Pentium 5? Lolz. Running on a P4 2.6 with 2 gig and a 80gb hdd with 6600gt AGP and runs great! Even better on my X2 3800+ 2gb ram 3x150 HDD and a 9600gt.
    • dsgamer, on 05/15/2008, -7/+6or on a year old 1.6 core duo laptop with 1 gig of ram!!!
      • gcnaddict, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1and the fanboys are burying you because you're revealing what they don't want people to hear!!!
    • heir0fisildur, on 05/15/2008, -5/+3I set it up on my brother's computer which has something like a 1ghz processor and less than a gig of ram and it runs smoothly. It all depends on what you're doing with it really.
    • wmt9, on 05/15/2008, -0/+6There are differences between running smoothly and running smoothly with programs. I'm sorry I'm not content with windows sidebar and aero glass effects.

      And the rss feed reader on windows sidebar uses your IE feeds. Who in the ***** still uses IE anyways?
      • potterboy, on 05/20/2008, -0/+1My P4 2.6 runs Bioshock, CoD4, Halo 2, 1080p MKV's, HD TS's, etc with almost no issue.
    • hmcook87, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1hell yea, those "Pentium 5's" really scream.
  • lazyfisherman, on 05/15/2008, -2/+39DRM = inferior product
    won't buy it

    this was definitely a "test run"
  • clak, on 05/15/2008, -6/+30More proof that Microsoft will block NBC content on the Zune eventually, despite their comments to the contrary. Hell, Microsoft is already giving money to Universal for every Zune sold.
    • WaruiKoohii, on 05/16/2008, -1/+1CableCard honoring a broadcast flag is proof that the Zune will automatically detect and block pirated NBC shows?

      That's like saying the war on Iraq is proof that Cocoa Puffs are being discontinued.
  • moocow1452, on 05/15/2008, -1/+15Geez, NBC gets a decent lineup a couple years back, and suddenly, their all in the high and mighty.
    • stretch611, on 05/15/2008, -1/+4How can you say they have a decent lineup if they resurrected American Gladiators?
    • MattB123, on 05/15/2008, -0/+4I think this is a reference to the Seinfeld-Friends era, right? :)
      • MioTheGreat, on 05/15/2008, -1/+33rd Rock kicked both of their asses.
  • RegalBegal, on 05/15/2008, -2/+29Garbage. I'd rather steal my TV, thanks.
  • drdepoy, on 05/15/2008, -7/+12$50 analog usb video capture device from cable box to old PC (running knoppix) = DRM proof DVR.
    • FKnight, on 05/15/2008, -13/+4Yeah, you just can't beat those ghetto-ass setups where you have to scotch tape the remote control of your cable box to the ceiling with a wire running down the wall into your "DVR" so that it can tune the channel it's scheduled to record.
    • MikeFromAmerica, on 05/15/2008, -1/+14Until they get rid of all analog and non-HDCP digital outputs.
    • darkciti2, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2Which is happening in 2009.
  • nedzalife, on 05/15/2008, -1/+44to quote the infamous shirt.... NBC - your failed business model is not my problem
  • ePuck, on 05/15/2008, -6/+23Even though I have a legit XP pro key I choose to use the warez version. It just works better.
    • unrealmp3, on 05/15/2008, -1/+7Same thing, got my XP pro key but I prefer the VLK version, less trouble to have it preactivated.
    • Theli, on 05/15/2008, -0/+12It just goes to show that pirated/unauthorized consumption of media is always better than the methods sanctioned by the content creators. It has less to do with the fact that it's free and more to do with the fact that it doesn't give you a lot of grief.

      Legally purchased CD's may have copy protection - burned CD-R's won't.
      Legally purchased DVD's all have copy protection - burned DVD-R's don't.
      Legally purchased TV-shows from iTunes only play on Apple software/hardware - torrented TV-shows play on pretty much anything.
      Windows Media Center refuses to record a TV-show - Mythbuntu doesn't.
      Legally purchased games require you to insert the CD before playing - cracked torrented games don't.

      Simply put - avoid adhering to any media/software companies rules if you wish to actually play your media.
      • zwaldowski, on 05/15/2008, -0/+3Mythbuntu isn't really the hacked/cracked, now is it?
  • aarku, on 05/15/2008, -0/+3Does anyone know what products follow the broadcast flag? Does the EyeTV?
    • slider121, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2in most cases its in the driver, not the hardware. For example Digtal tuners in Windows will see the flag, but the same card in Linux won't.
  • hulloha, on 05/15/2008, -8/+1http://tvnzb.com/
    ....
    problem solved
    • WiseWeasel, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1The first rule of usenet is that we do NOT talk about usenet.
  • YodaJones, on 05/15/2008, -2/+19Hear that? It's the sound of NBC sucking my balls.
    • ThinkBox, on 05/16/2008, -1/+1No, no... that sounds like your mom sucking my balls
  • zenurb, on 05/15/2008, -0/+13"shows shows"?

    Jesus.

    Try "show's episodes."

    You slack jawed yokels.
    • nbcaffeine, on 05/15/2008, -1/+4Jules: Well, you know the shows on TV?
      Vincent: I don't watch TV.
      Jules: Yes, but you're aware that there's an invention called television, and on that invention they show shows?
      Vincent: Yeah
  • dalittle, on 05/15/2008, -1/+37MythTV.com

    Not affected by the broadcast flag, has all kinds of other featuresm and also skips commercials automatically. I could never go back to watching normal tv.
  • drmsucks, on 05/15/2008, -1/+61FTA: Remember: DRM isn't about fighting piracy. It's about the ability to strictly control how we consume content.

    Time to wake up, everyone.
    • FatherVic, on 05/15/2008, -1/+5I wonder if NBC and others will realize that if we cannot record our shows > we may not watch them > If we do not watch them > we do not see the advertisements > if we do not see the advertisements > advertisers go elsewhere > If advertisers go elsewhere, NBC Loses money.

      Sounds like a bad business model.
  • vvaduva, on 05/15/2008, -5/+5Why isn't anyone asking the obvious question: WHO THE HECK WATCHES THIS POS CHANNEL AND SHOW???
    • Aensland, on 05/15/2008, -1/+14What happened on that "POS" channel could easily soon happen on channels that you actually watch.
    • PawnsOfJoshua, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1I saw several people ask that well before your post =p
  • MCA2142, on 05/15/2008, -2/+18Who's recording "American Gladiators?"

    Seriously?
  • ElSnuggles, on 05/15/2008, -2/+5I'm disappointed that the article didn't state why the heck people were recording those crappy shows.

  • anubis2night, on 05/15/2008, -1/+5The first time this happens to me I will drop the only show on NBC I watch now, Heroes. At this point I can rent it on dvd and get by F#@! DRM and NBC.
  • Pete1the1gamer, on 05/15/2008, -13/+14Vista SUCKS
    • mrbutter, on 05/15/2008, -0/+1one problem champ:

      this would happen with XP MCE as well.

      l@l
  • MioTheGreat, on 05/15/2008, -4/+11As much as Media Center rules, this sucks.

    Shame on you, Microsoft and NBC.
    • Nanite, on 05/15/2008, -2/+6I don't think media center has ever "ruled." There are and have always been much better options out there. BeyondTV, SageTV, and MythTV are all a damn sight better than MCE has ever been.
  • Hewbie, on 05/15/2008, -0/+16boycott all DRM. they soon get the message
  • przemeklach, on 05/15/2008, -0/+9Whatever protection they put in hackers will find a way around it and people who have always pirated videos/music etc will continue to do so. The only ones getting screwed here will be, as usual, the people who pay for the content by having to deal with DRM issues.
    The solution to piracy is a balance between cost and copyright protection: a good price will make people pay for content instead of pirating it and some sort of seamless copyright protection will keep things from turning into a free for all (ie: people who pay a reasonable price for content should not be hindered by copyright protection)
    • Hermmunster, on 05/15/2008, -0/+3The easiest thing to do to avoid this is to not use Vista nor use the Media Center software from Microsoft. It may also behoove you to not watch NBC programming as well. This is an element in the heart of the OS that triggered that. This is a philosophy of a company that believes it has the right to interfere with what you want to do with your computer.

      It wouldn't be so bad if the laws were clear and the rulings were that you are a violator if you record programs that you paid for already (you paid for your cable TV, etc, then you paid for this program). Very little of what the consumer does by recording content for their own use has been tested in the courts, so companies such as Microsoft and NBC and MSNBC are denying you rights you have that haven't been revoked by court rulings. You weren't given the right to display this content on your TV, you were given the right to view that content whether it be on the TV or in a format that allows you to view it at your leisure.
  • bittdude, on 05/15/2008, -0/+21Where there's DRM, there's a torrent waiting around the corner.
  • trollick, on 05/15/2008, -7/+6So NBC don't want you to record their stuff. What does that have to do with Vista and Microsoft???
    • Hermmunster, on 05/15/2008, -1/+7LOL, you bought Vista didn't you? DRM is in the OS at the heart of the OS. Don't pay for an OS where the developers believe they have the right to make legal judgements about what you can and cannot do with your computer.
    • NoValidTitle, on 05/15/2008, -1/+2doesn't
  • evilbob333, on 05/15/2008, -1/+5I'm sure if I watched any of their shows, I might care.
  • Hermmunster, on 05/15/2008, -10/+19This is precisely why NO ONE should be buying Vista. It isn't that broadcasters aren't entitled to protect their content, it is that this was put in there and no one was told that this was there. Consumers are buying a product with hidden restrictions which in many ways violate their privacy, violate laws, as well as just are total *****.

    You bought Vista. You weren't told they'd be monitoring what you are doing. They monitored your recording without telling you, then they denied you the right to do it. If you were to go with another operating system such as Linux you would never have to worry about whether you can record content, etc. And certainly you should never be using a media center product from Microsoft. You shouldn't be using Microsoft products to begin with.

    You want your privacy violated? You want to come to some realization that Microsoft has been in cahoots with these vendors to integrate this crap into your OS? How about trying a solid alternative to Microsoft's products. Linux can and will do 90% of what 90% of us want to do, and does it very well.

    This is now out in the open and one must understand that there are other unknown elements buried into Vista which also violate your right to privacy and your consumer rights. There's no reason to be purchasing a product that has these features hidden that you are not made privy to. THIS IS WHY MICROSOFT WANTS YOU TO SWITCH TO VISTA-- to ensure their contracts with these other entities are fulfilled.

    NEVER BUY VISTA NOR ANY OTHER PRODUCT UNLESS THERE'S FULL DISCLOSURE AND YOU ARE MADE AWARE OF IT WHEN IT IS HAPPENING (BEFORE THE PURCHASE).
    • kretik, on 05/15/2008, -11/+8Go back to Slashdot.
    • GraniteBalloon, on 05/15/2008, -0/+6"Consumers are buying a product with hidden restrictions."
      If you think Vista has "hidden restrictions," you should read the specs on Blu-Ray and built in AACS protection. They can turn off your hardware player so it won't play anything. They can turn off your Blu-Ray drive in your computer so it won't play protected discs, they can turn off the software you use to play those discs and they can even revoke the ability to play Blu-Ray movies you already own. The relevant parts of the specification are the Host Revocation List, the Drive Revocation List, the Content Revocation List and the more general player/device revocation through the MKB.

    • WaruiKoohii, on 05/16/2008, -1/+3Good lord, you need to get out more often and stop believing all the conspiracy theories you read.
  • PawnsOfJoshua, on 05/15/2008, -0/+13Ahh....books have no commercials. W00t for being literate!
  • shadowblade989, on 05/15/2008, -1/+11Gee, I wonder why TV is going digital by LAW.
    Maybe its because you cant put a broadcast flag on an analog broadcast. Maybe.
    • TheKorn2, on 05/15/2008, -1/+7has nothing to do with that. they wanted to sell the 700 MHz spectrum to rake in the cash.

      besides, the fcc had its ass handed to them by the courts, striking down the *requirement* that all equipment honor the broadcast flag. This is just MS voluntarily ***** people up the ass.
  • PawnsOfJoshua, on 05/15/2008, -0/+8Its too bad that more people cannot honestly say "I'll simply stop watching." That simple phrase is all the power we ever need to force the broadcasting industry to comply to our wishes, but sadly, it is not an option for most people. I urge everyone - put down your remotes and pick up a book. The whole world will be better off for it. (before any wise remarks, yes I *have* lived without TV for the past 5 years.) If you start reading more, you will realize how much television content really sucks anyway.
  • neko, on 05/15/2008, -2/+8Ah, beautiful. You purchased your own handcuffs.
  • Hulka, on 05/15/2008, -0/+5This actually surfaced before Vista with XP Media Center Edition. About 3 years I could no longer watch or record any shows on HBO on my XP Media Center PC due to a message that told me the content owner prohibited me from recording said content. Since Media Center records as you watch for DVR features I could not longer watch HBO, let alone record any programs.
  • rrusilowicz, on 05/15/2008, -7/+6I wish people would read up on some of the stuff concerning recording TV , DRM and HDCP. To all the people saying that Vista is horrible because of this and that, I need you folks to google HDCP. Then you'll understand that if you have a Video card with HDCP, it won't matter if your using MythTV or Vista or XP or Knoppix or whatever. This is DRM at the Hardware level. Also if you have a digital monitor (IE DVI or HDMI) those also comply with HDCP so your monitor and video card are what's locking you out, NOT VISTA!
    • barc0001, on 05/15/2008, -0/+4There are ALWAYS ways around it. You think all equipment is going to support HDCP within 5 or even 10 years? The US has a government program for people to buy converter boxes for their old TVs when they all go digital in Feb 2009. Get a converter box, hook it to something that doesn't look for HDCP, and off you go. If the quality's the same as standard cable who cares? You're not watching a TV show for the pretty graphics anyway.
    • Nanite, on 05/15/2008, -2/+3Vista has HDCP requirements, not XP, MacOSX or Linux.
    • WaruiKoohii, on 05/16/2008, -0/+1THANK YOU.

      There's also the CableCard issue, which is beyond MCE's control.
  • Ratteler, on 05/15/2008, -3/+7Uses should sue M$ for Fair Use violation. Then use the settlement money to buy a Myth box.
    • MioTheGreat, on 05/15/2008, -3/+1Actually, what's significantly more likely to happen is more hardware DRM issues, with the potential for locking out Myth (See: CableCard).

      What you're forgetting is that they're allowed to do this. In fact, they're SUPPOSED to do this, by whatever the FCC mandates.
  • TweekyD, on 05/15/2008, -1/+4Several years ago I made a decision that this story makes me glad about .. I gave up watching any mainstream t.v. here in he U.K. .. I now watch a few pods a day on Miro .. what am I missing? nothing at all!
  • mdnttoker, on 05/15/2008, -1/+9SageTV and MythTV for the WIN!
  • Spoomeister, on 05/15/2008, -1/+6Or, you can stop watching TV, and do something else with your time.
    When I was a little kid, playing with toys with my friends, if one of the kids suddenly got all picky about the exact way they wanted their friends to play with their toys... my friends and I would find another toy to play with. If it happened often enough, we'd find another friend to play with.
    How is this any different?
    • lasermission, on 05/16/2008, -0/+2You have a pragmatic and insightful mind, sir.
  • heystoopid, on 05/15/2008, -0/+2Easy fix , it is called Open Source complete with source code , end of that problem !
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