Studios, TV Manufacturers OK New Copy Protection System

ShowBIZData.com ^ | 4/17/02

[GeneD]

Vivendi Universal and News Corp's 20th Century Fox have joined TV manufacturers Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Philips, Sony, Thomson (RCA) and Toshiba and the two satellite services EchoStar and DirecTV, in endorsing a copy protection system for high-definition TV sets. The system, called High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) would be employed in new HDTV sets and settop boxes attached to existing sets. It is aimed at thwarting movie piracy. Transmissions employing the HDMI system, its supporters say, could not be recorded with current digital recorders or even those now being developed.

[dwollmann]

Is it just me, or are the media conglomerates grossly overestimating the amount of trouble the public are willing to go through to view their mind-numbing crap?

Personally, I couldn't be happier about this mess. Eventually they'll give me a good reason to throw the stupid TVs in the trash where they belong no matter what my wife and kids say about it.

[Huusker]

And thanks to the DMCA copyright law if you try to bypass the encryption on the new crippled HDTV sets you are committing a federal felony and can be fined up to $500,000 and spend 5 years in jail.

[sigSEGV]

Yes. And I happened to be one of those idiots that bought an HDTV (w/built in HD tuner).

[Huusker]

And I happened to be one of those idiots that bought an HDTV (w/built in HD tuner).

Class action lawsuit?

[shadowman99]

In order to really clamp down, they will need to do away with any interaction with analog VCRs, camcorders, and older peripherals.

Are you child's first steps on video? Your wedding? Grandma and Grampa's last Christmas? Don't expect to watch that stuff on new equipment! It won't have a copyright stamp.

[sigSEGV]

Would never do anything like that.

I tend more and more to believe that the only outside communication I need is a broadband internet connection. I can even get rid of my phone line by using this.

[Allen In Texas Hill Country]

I've had mine for 2 years. Not an inbuilt tho. I've got the RCA decoder. I'll sign the 1st class action suit I see if they take away the gorgeous picture I now get.

[Harrison Bergeron]

Have you tried it? How's the quality of service? It looks promising if they have a viable business plan and a solid marketing plan.

[sigSEGV]

Haven't tried it. The feedback I've seen on the Internet says its great. The biggest concern I'd have is the reliability of my Internet connection. The other problem seems to be that they only have POPs in a few major area codes, so if somebody local wanted to call you, it would be long distance for them -- I could be wrong about that though...

[facedown]

Transmissions employing the HDMI system, its supporters say, could not be recorded with current digital recorders or even those now being developed.

The p2p-type hackers'll crack this system in a matter of weeks...well, maybe months, but they'll crack it.

[Lazamataz]

And thanks to the DMCA copyright law if you try to bypass the encryption on the new crippled HDTV sets you are committing a federal felony and can be fined up to $500,000 and spend 5 years in jail.

Oh, THAT will stop the hackers.

[Houmatt]

"Aimed at thwarting movie piracy"?

Are they saying recording a movie off the air for personal use is piracy?

Doesn't the Betamax decision trump this?

And although I do not own an HDTV, where does the line begin for the class action suit?

[KEVLAR]

I have just signed up for this. I cannot wait to tell SBC Ameritech to get lost.