[mythtv-users] Calling HD MythTV users who are EFF members -- help in the broadcast flag challenge

Tim Sylvester tim at smartcow.com
Wed Mar 16 23:29:27 UTC 2005


Hi Wendy,

I am an EFF member and I am also in the process of starting a company to
sell media servers using MythTV. I am a perfect example of how the broadcast
flag negatively impacts a startup company. The broadcast flag casts a cloud
of uncertainty over a business building MythTV boxes. If the broadcast flag
ruling stands, the only alternative to building a "legal" PVR that records
HD content in digital form is to use firewire on a STB and license DTCP for
$14,000 or license the technology behind CableCard which costs $25-$50K.
Today I can build MythTV boxes with off the shelf components and open source
software but all of that ends on July 1.

I would be happy to help out with the lawsuit. You can reach me at:

Tim Sylvester
(408) 334-1700
timothysylvester at gmail.com

Tim



-----Original Message-----
From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
[mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Wendy Seltzer
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 3:16 PM
To: Discussion about mythtv
Subject: [mythtv-users] Calling HD MythTV users who are EFF members -- help
in the broadcast flag challenge

Hi Folks,

As you may have seen, the D.C. Circuit asked us to clarify our 
standing to challenge the FCC's broadcast flag rule (the rule 
mandating DRM in HDTV tuners made after July 1, our suit is ALA v. 
FCC, 
<http://www.eff.org/IP/Video/HDTV/ALA_v_FCC/?f=ala_v_fcc_summary.html>). 
The Court wants to see concrete instances of injury. That's good 
news, because if they get over the standing hurdle, they seemed 
sympathetic to our arguments on the merits, that the FCC didn't have 
jurisdiction to make the rule.

We've got plenty of good evidence, but more can only help.  An 
organization such as EFF has standing to sue over injuries to its 
members, so if any of you are EFF members and have built or plan to 
build HDTV systems in the U.S. and would be affected by the broadcast 
flag rule, please contact me offlist, wendy at eff.org, if you might be 
willing to help us tell the court about your situation.

More on the broadcast flag <http://www.eff.org/broadcastflag/>

Thanks!
--Wendy
-- 
--
Wendy Seltzer -- wendy at seltzer.com || wendy at eff.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School
http://wendy.seltzer.org/mythtv/



More information about the mythtv-users mailing list