[mythtv-users] Seattle Comcast firewire not working as of today -- 5C?

[Andy Alsup]

Correct, none of the digital channels work, including the locals.  The
locals is an obvious problem, but I think even some or most of the
digital chanels should be open too.  I think what we really need is
full disclosure of what will be protected, and what won't.  My best
leverage may be that I can say, well, it worked up until now.  If it
had never worked, I would have a hard time getting past the first
layer I think.

As I read the FCC rules, it doesn't seem to say anything about 5C
being required, only that content protection is supposed to be limited
to certain content types:

The "LEGAL document" containing these rules is Code of Federal
Regulations Title 47, Chapter I, Subchapter C, Part 76, specifically
§76.1904, paragraph (b)(1):

(1) Commercial audiovisual content shall not be encoded so as to
prevent or limit copying thereof except as follows:

(i) To prevent or limit copying of video-on-demand or pay-per-view
transmissions, subject to the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this
section; and

(ii) To prevent or limit copying, other than first generation of
copies, of pay television transmissions, non-premium subscription
television, and free conditional access delivery transmissions; and

(2) With respect to any commercial audiovisual content delivered or
transmitted in form of a video-on-demand or pay-per-view transmission,
a covered entity shall not encode such content so as to prevent a
covered product, without further authorization, from pausing such
content up to 90 minutes from initial transmission by the covered
entity (e.g., frame-by-frame, minute-by-minute, megabyte by megabyte).

So, I'm no lawyer, but I think this means that requiring 5C compliant
devices in order to record content that isn't protected is not
allowed.