[mythtv-users] cablecard

[Joseph A. Caputo]

On Thursday 07 April 2005 11:54, Robert Johnston wrote:
> Well, as I showed earlier, Shuttle are making a box with CableCard
> functionality, and while it will be shipped with Windows Media Center
> 200(5/6/7, whichever one has CableCard functionality built in) It
> doesn't appear to have listed in the specs a "Trusted Computing"
> system. So one could install an alternative OS and sit there sniffing
> data. Perhaps (If one is clever enough) even using a logging HAL
> between Media Center and the hardware to find the CableCard info. That
> or a PCI Data Capture card (Or something similar).
> 
> I'm not so sure about how legal that may be (As it could be considered
> "Reverse Engineering", but it could also be considered fair use to
> develop device drivers for hardware, as I think most other drivers are
> made), but it would certainly be a method.

I'd be willing to be that such a reverse engineering attempt would fall 
afoul of the DMCA.  Reverse-engineering a driver for the purpose of 
simply using hardware for which no driver exists on the platform is 
legal.  However, when the *reason* no driver exists is because it would 
compromise the security of the data handled by the card, then the goal 
(or at least a side-effect of the goal) becomes one of circumventing 
encryption, which is explicitly against the DMCA, even if the purpose 
is to exercise you fair use rights.  The DMCA is not compatible with 
fair use.

-JAC