[mythtv-users] Unlocking Technologies Act

[Joseph Fry]

>  Which leads to my favorite line from the congresswoman's summary
>>>>  is "In addition, the bill would permit the use and sale of
>>>> tools – like software apps – that enable unlocking for uses that
>>>> do not infringe on copyright. "  I hope it's just a firmware
>>>> update for the HDHR Prime to ignore the copy protection flags on
>>>> cable channels!
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>  You could, but in all likelihood the firmware itself is
>>> copyrighted, and thus you would not be able to distribute your
>>> modified versions of it. You could (in theory) write your own
>>> clean room firmware from scratch, but then you would still have to
>>> crack the CC handshake to authorize your new firmware. If you have
>>> to deal with the handshake, you may as well do that from their
>>> open source library, rather than trying to write a whole firmware.
>>>
>>
>>
>> I'm not suggesting that some 3rd party create the firmware...  I am
>> saying that the good folks at Silicon Dust could legally change the
>> firmware to ignore those flags; after all "the bill would permit the
>> use AND SALE of tools..."
>>
>
> That would undoubtedly constitute a breach of contract, and their
> authentication keys would be revoked.


Again, I am not suggesting anyone do anything stupid.  I am talking about
above the board, or at least well informed change.  Essentially, this bill
says that consumers and commercial hardware/software, are allowed to
circumvent copy protection measures to allow fair use.  Now it doesn't say
that content creators have to make it easy... but it also clearly indicates
that they cannot go after the makers of the device/software.

New Paragraph:

7 ‘‘(3) It is not a violation of this section to use, manu-
8 facture, import, offer to the public, provide, or otherwise
9 traffic in any technology, product, service, device, compo-
10 nent, or part thereof that is primarily designed or pro-
11 duced for the purpose of facilitating noninfringing uses of
12 works protected under this title by circumventing a tech-
13 nological measure that effectively controls access to that
14 work, unless it is the intent of the person that uses, manu-
15 factures, imports, offers to the public, provides, or traffics
16 in the technology, product, service, device, component, or
17 part to infringe copyright or to facilitate the infringement
18 of a copyright.’’

So upon a review of any contracts or certifications, I wonder if they could
implement it without risking their ability to continue to market
products... or at very least, lobby to have those contracts/certifications
changed to allow use under this law.

Of course I am only hopeful, not confident that this could/would happen.
 Hell I'm not even confident that this bill will pass, but I am hopeful!
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