[mythtv-users] Myth HD - requirements?

[Michael T. Dean]

On 07/18/2006 03:57 PM, Jeff_Mitchell at accessbusinessgroup.com wrote:

>I hope this threads correctly -- I get the digest.
>
>First off, thanks for the responses.  I appreciate all the help.
>
>One of the things that came up in your responses was a bit troubling, 
>however -- the encryption of the HD broadcasts.  Based on what I've read, 
>it doesn't matter if I go the pcHDTV route or the firewire from a cable 
>box route, neither one is a "free pass" to having Myth record the HD 
>content that is available from my cable provider.  However, if I could get 
>HD via an antenna, I wouldn't need to worry about encryption, correct?
>  
>

Not yet.

http://action.eff.org/site/Advocacy?id=221
https://secure.eff.org/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr004=itz3vw48i1.app13b&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=207

are just two of the ways that DRM could become a problem for OTA users 
in the US.

>So let's say I'm interested in something like Discovery's HD content, or 
>the Superbowl.  If I wanted to use Myth to record it, I'm at the mercy of 
>the cable provider, and hoping that the stream is availale and 
>unencrypted, right?
>

Right.  However, you could become a cable company--like the guy who set 
up a MythTV system for his entire subdivision--by buying direct from the 
providers...  Maybe if enough of us did this, we could put the cable 
companies out of business.  (Not that I'm volunteering the time or money 
to do this even for my subdivision since the only TV I want is my local 
TV, which is currently available unencrypted OTA for free.)

>How does this situation differ with a PVR provided by 
>the cable company?  (For purposes of illustration, only -- I like my Myth 
>too much.)
>

They put the technology that decrypts the stream into their PVR.

Mike