[mythtv-users] NTSC, ATSC, QAM & device clarifications

[Eric Sharkey]

On Sat, Feb 21, 2015 at 8:06 AM, James Miller <gajs-f0el at dea.spamcon.org> wrote:
>  And I do have
> a DTA--if the things the government was subsidizing when the
> analog-to-digital transition began can be considered DTA's.

Those were for OTA only.  For cable, you need to get one from your
cable provider.

> It seems to me
> the scenarios you're describing address live TV viewing, correct? Since the
> DRM protections being introduced and the associated encryption are for the
> purpose of preventing consumers without the right devices (meaning,
> apparently, WMC computers or cable-company-supplied DVR's) from recording
> programming, the devices you describe could only be used for live-TV
> viewing, it seems to me.

No, that's not correct.  There's no DRM on the analog output of either
an STB or DTA.  You can re-digitize it just fine.  This is sometimes
referred to as "the analog hole" since the trip from digital to analog
and back to digital removes the DRM.

Eric