[mythtv-users] HDHomerun Prime update

[Justin Johnson]

On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 7:43 AM, Mike Perkins
<mikep at randomtraveller.org.uk> wrote:
> On 07/01/11 02:10, Jay Ashworth wrote:
>>
>> there was some contention as to whether a physical card was necessary;
>> the content providers would prefer something downloadable.
>>
> Yuk. I feel your pain over there. "Something downloadable" -> downloaded
> onto a cablecard-compatible box -> a Windows-only program to converse with
> the box.
>
> Not to mention: "What do you mean, you want to download it again? You
> already downloaded it once, you'll have to fork out the fee again. What do
> you mean, your box went strange and you had to cold-boot it? Not our
> problem, sucker. Call your box-maker about it. Next!"
>
> --
>
> Mike Perkins
>
Hmm, it doesn't sound so bad, think of your DOCSIS modem. It downloads
a configuration file on each boot that tells it all sorts of info,
including how fast it can go, and what IP addresses you can access.
I'd like to see my cable box be combined into my modem and present an
IP interface that I can tap into however I'd like (read: pipe dream).
Something downloadable isn't bad, so long as there's no restrictions
on the plaintext.
Currently, there's no restrictions on what you do with your bits once
they're on an ethernet cable, I don't see why television should really
be any different. I know in the past DOCSIS has been broken in several
ways and that allowed a large number of people to get access for free,
without being prosecuted. It seems though, that the latest security
measures are not able to be circumvented, at least for now. I suppose
the real issue is that content creators (**AA-type organizations) want
complete control over their content from end to end.