[mythtv-users] Any cord-cutters using MythTV?

[Michael T. Dean]

On 06/13/2018 06:16 AM, Brian J. Murrell wrote:
> I'm not sure if this discussion is getting into the area of not being 
> allowed on this list as I don't think any of it ventures any further 
> into copyright infringement than MythTV (like VCRs, before them, and 
> Tivo, etc.) already goes which is to say that it doesn't according to 
> established fair use rules and timeshifting. I don't think the use of 
> libwidevide is offside for the list either as it's just using it for 
> what it was intended which is to legally decode DRM'd video.

Fair use for time shifting is allowed by copyright laws (and, FWIW, when 
using MythTV for time shifting as allowed under fair use, MythTV is not 
being used for infringing copyright--just clarifying as your comment 
almost makes it sound like MythTV and VCRs and TiVos are used to violate 
copyright laws).  However:

Section 103 (17 U.S.C Sec. 1201(a)(1)) of the DMCA states:

    No person shall circumvent a technological measure that effectively
    controls access to a work protected under this title.

and Section 1201(a)(3):

    (3) As used in this subsection—

        (A) to "circumvent a technological measure" means to descramble
        a scrambled work, to decrypt an encrypted work, or otherwise to
        avoid, bypass, remove, deactivate, or impair a technological
        measure, without the authority of the copyright owner; and
        (B) a technological measure "effectively controls access to a
        work" if the measure, in the ordinary course of its operation,
        requires the application of information, or a process or a
        treatment, with the authority of the copyright owner, to gain
        access to the work.


https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/1201

(where, before the jokers start posting, the word "effectively" means 
"for all practical purposes", and has nothing to do with efficiency or 
competency of protection).

Therefore, let's keep this discussion to how to cut the cord and options 
for receiving (and recording, using DVR services provided by providers, 
like Sling) and not discuss matters that would be in violation of 
DMCA--such as stripping protections from content acquired from various 
sources.

Mike