[mythtv-users] I may have SOLVED the 5C cable encryption - DOH!

[Daniel Kristjansson]

On Thu, 2007-05-10 at 12:47 -0400, Michael T. Dean wrote:
> > The second is that they must send free OTA channels without
> > encryption.
> 
> It definitely makes sense that they should have to.  After all, what 
> good is requiring the firewire interface if the cable company can make 
> it useless by encrypting everything.  However, I would love to see the 
> specific part of the reg that says it's a requirement.  I would have 
> guessed (without doing the research it would take to know for sure) that 
> if the analog OTA signal were made available over this interface 
> (obviously digitally encoded), all other signals could be encrypted.

I found the relevant sections of the FCC regulations last year
when my RCN was having trouble providing me with a functioning
box. It says nothing about an exemption for HDTV broadcasts
allowing them to be 5C or otherwise encumbered. After reading
the regulation you will be amazed that Comcast is making this
argument at all. Their argument basically boils down to 
OTA is analog because the regulation was passed when OTA digital
was still being tested and the FCC can't possibly expect their
regulations on television to include digital television without
explicitly stating so. But of course the FCC has amended their
definition of television to include digital television so this
is pure poppycock. (RCN's excuse was that they were incompetent
to configure their hardware themselves and had begged and
pleaded with Motorola to get the boxes to work.)

I don't think Comcast actually thinks their argument holds any
water, they are just trying to delay the arthritic arm of the
law until they can get the law changed on the cheap. They know
that the worst the current FCC will do is plead with them
nicely, "please don't break the law so visibly in the future or
we might have to ask you again nicely the next time we get bad
PR; yes, make the first check out to Rudy Guilliani and the
second out to Hillary Clinton, the cash is for me."

-- Daniel