[mythtv-users] OT: FCC adopts 'plug and play' cable for TVs

[linux at keithandjill.com]

Look for DMCA lawsuits against the first person who reverse-engineers the encryption cards to 
allow Linux boxes access to content.  Just like DeCSS and DVDs.

I originally thought (and this was reinforced by the slant of most articles I read), that the cable 
companies were pushing for this legislation.  The reverse is true: the FCC is forcing the cable 
companies to produce and adhere to a standard that would encourage people to buy digital 
televisions.  Look for cable companies to not do this quite right, and still cause those of us who 
aren't lap dogs to the cable companies a considerable amount of grief.

Here's an example of my point :
I currently get analog cable with 70ish channels.  I get 6 HD stations over the air (NBC, ABC, CBS, 
PBS, UPN, Fox) with my TV's built in HD decoder.  I'm paying <$40/month for cable.

To get HD channels on my cable, I would pay $60/month, and would get a single network (CBS, I 
think), discovery and one other (might be HDNet).  And I would need a digital HD cable box ($500) 
from Motorola.  2 premium movie channels have HD versions, but I don't subscibe to those.

Sorry for the rant, but someone mentioned cable and I've been itching to jump on the soapbox 
lately.  It's just so painful to get what you want from cable.  Once someone figures out how to 
combine the pcHDTV and PVR-250 in a single MythTV box, I'll have my 6 HD channels and my 
analog cable all in one place.  Ah, mythical convergence, indeed!

Keith C

Quoting Joseph Caputo <caputo at qedinfo.com>:

> Sorry if this is slightly off-topic, but I'd imagine a lot of people on
> this
> list would be interested.  Looks like the FCC has approved new rules
> for
> standardization of digital cable.  Under the new rules, you wouldn't
> need a
> set-top box to decode your digital cable signal; just a decrypt card
> from
> your provider that would plug in to some kind of reader/socket (I'd
> guess CF
> or PCMCIA or the like) in your TV.  Presumably the same would hold true
> for
> PC tv-tuner cards.  The current rules only cover the broadcast
> content;
> interactive services (EPG, etc) from your provider would still require
> a
> STB, though the FCC is looking at ways to standardize that, too.
> 
> http://msnbc-cnet.com.com/2100-1041_3-5074425.html?part=msnbc-cnet&tag=alert
> &form=feed&subj=cnetnews
> 
> -JAC
> 
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