An update on DRM support

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#61

Precisely my view.

Excerpt from 50 Years of the Video Cassette Recorder

Now, with DRM, the studios are accomplishing via the “back door” what they could not going through the front: DRM’ing everything and making the entry barrier so high that only fellow big-media companies can overcome it.

Another reason to not pay for subscription TV, in my view. And if they eventually do that to OTA then I guess I’ll just stop recording it. Which means I’ll watch less TV. shrug I’ll probably go back to reading more books, at that point. Which will be better for my brain, anyway :slight_smile:

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#62

Does anyone know how it works with Google’s own Live Channels app since they’re using HD Home Run as the tuner? Is that something Channels could implement?

#63

Channels doesn’t have the requisite (extremely high) financial standing to be able to pass certification for DRM. AFAIK, this would be a totally unreachable goal for Channels now or in the foreseeable future.

I’m one of those users caught in the middle. Some (many) are abandoning cable co reliance…especially with the latest HDHR Premium TV offering. As my HOA provides cable TV programming (paid with quarterly dues…no opportunity to opt out), all of the channels offered on newly Premium TV channels are already included…adding Premium TV would only be a duplication at a doubled cost for us.

My DRM channels (~39) are offered as a $10 add-on (Starz, MGM, Encore, Flix, etc.). We do utilize these channels + the also included Smithsonian (non DRM) for approx 80% of our viewing. No way to add on demand for same as Comcast denies us this capability. Hence we have to use SDDVR for real time viewing…while patiently (not) :rage: waiting for SD DRM recording capability (3 years).

Suggest others, those not handicapped as we are, to explore other possibilities as SD is still not answering inquries re: DRM recording. Personally, I am beginning to believe that this effort by SD will finally fail, although I keep on checking and beating my head against the wall.

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#64

They sure have put a lot of work into it to have it fail :frowning:

Personally, as an ex-software developer, myself, and having been in the tech industry since the days of glow bottles, my feeling is DRM is a pox on consumers. It’s a moving target, appears rigged to keep the little guy out and is very bad for consumers.

If our Legislators weren’t in bed with Hollywood and the music industry it’d probably be outlawed for its degree of consumer-unfriendliness.

And I fear you may be right, Debbie: It may well be SD’s effort was doomed from the start.

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#65

Agreed. I was a Shareware author and one of our biggest credos was to trust the user and not play DRM games. That is what this is – I feel they expect to be able to suck the user dry with repeated fees for the same content.

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#66

6 posts were split to a new topic: Trying out Channels DVR (QAM)

#67

AFAIK Windows Media Center is the only client that could play and record QAM DRM content. It was encrypted as it was received so that it could only play on that particular WMC PC. It could not be edited, transcoded, or transferred to a different PC. Extenders couldn't receive a stream of it. Instead they used remote desktop, effective for screen sharing and remote control but very inefficient for gaming and video. Can Channels somehow overcome these limitations?

#68

The New TVE bypasses the DRM problem for the most part. Of course only for OTA and Cable Channels that support TVE.

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#69

On https://www.silicondust.com/dvr-service/?_ga=2.173193187.1177182614.1562599479-1613197336.1562599479#devices, Isaw the following:
DRM content viewing for MacOS and TVOS coming soon.

Can this help out with DRM support?

#70

That's only for SiliconDust's apps and DVR, nothing else.

#71

I wonder how they're going to handle tvOS DRM, since they don't even have a tvOS app yet. They require you to use AirPlay from iOS.

Also, their switch to their "New UI" is a cluster*. The UI is served from a web server, and while they've now made it the default it is still in a beta-state.

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#72

The Link still says tvOS is AirPlay.

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#73

I have cable with Spectrum with a tuning adapter and cable card for my Tivo Bolt. The cable card is always dropping channels forcing me to reboot the tuning adapter and TiVo Bolt. I'm paying for all of these channels but I still cannot use all of them via a service like Channels. That's what I'm sour about. I'm paying for cable service but I can only use those channels where they want me to use them. Channel in question is TV Japan.

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#74

Curious, does Spectrum protect the TV Japan channel with DRM?
Or could it be SDV and your tuning adapter is flaking out and not allowing it to tune?

In order to use Channels you need an HD Homerun tuner.

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#75

Yeah, Spectrum basically protects almost everything including TV Japan. Some DRM channels I can use and some I can't. I should clarify that I'm running the Channels DVR server on my QNAP but using TV Everywhere Beta. I definitely want the HD HomeRun Prime 6 if it ever comes out however.

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#76

I'm in the same boat. For some reason the tuning adapter is flakey as there are times where the Tivo Bolt seems to lose its connection to the tuning adapter and I need to restart the tuning adapter. Right now I have a Slingbox attached to one of my Tivo Minis, but when the tuning adapter connection is broken I'm SOL. That's why I like the Channels DVR coupled with TV Everywhere access better. I'm still planning on getting an HDHomerun Prime 6 when they come out so I can get the other channels that aren't on available via TV Everywhere (such as the Dodgers), but the dropping out of the tuning adapter has me concerned. I've picked up a homekit enabled power plug to attach to the tuning adapter so I can remotely recycle the power to the tuning adapter if it goes out.

#77

You have a couple options. If the tuning adapter is flakey, I'd ask for a new one. I've had quite a few of these on various systems, and when one was acting up, a new one would replace it and work properly.

The second option is to remove the tuning adapter entirely to see which channels it really affects, and if it bothers you. As of right now, Spectrum only has (2) channels in our region that require SDV, and as a result a tuning adapter.

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#78

Well then it’s up to the people us the customer to show them we are the customer and we pay them why do they keep us from buying the stupid cable box’s in the first place then charge us monthly ?

If we pay for cable why are we litimed to the channels restriction? Why can’t the channels go where I go the isp have apps yes but only give access to 100 channels and not ALL the channels The user pays for. Plus we pay for the #__ channels they don’t give us access to see them everywhere every channel and then the nerve even when the customer rent there stupid DVR have the nerve to still display ADS all over the tv Guide and add ads into every show wow we all need to come together and push back be the change we want to see

Channels Everywhere? A streaming tv cable service like YouTube tv or sling tv but will allow the users to use there own hardware to record tv show they pay for $50 for a 100 channels ? Let’s put this on kick start and see if we can lunch channels .io just think out loud anyone listening ?

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#79

I bought a used prime and got a cable card from Spectrum in the Lexington, KY market. After a bit of hassle getting it going, was finally able to complete a channel scan this morning:

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Ouch. 190 out of 261 channels are DRM (73%). Of the remaining 71, only 27 are HD. Just wanted to share this here to set expectations for anybody else that is thinking about going this route with Spectrum. Obviously this puts me in the camp of “would love to see DRM support” if it ever becomes feasible.

I’ll probably end up keeping it in place despite the disappointing results. Having it allows me to return the receiver we never use ($7/month). The cable card is only $2 per month so we save 5$. Also I can still watch the channels live using the HDHR apps at least.

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#80

I am with Spectrum in Tampa, FL and I have similar results. The TV Everywhere Apps option works really well on the Channels DVR though. We don't watch Live TV so DVR is very important to us.

On the rare occasion I watch a live feed, I can switch over to the HDHomerun App.

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