They are not the only ones that fell into the DRM trap many TV's Tablo HDMI tuners etc ... SD still makes the best network tuners ... bottom line.
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No, Tablo didn't ship product when they realized that they couldn't deliver. SD did.
How's that axe doing? Ground it down to the handle yet?
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Just do not use SD products you want to sell your ATSC 3.0/ATSC 1.0 Silicondust tuner I will take it off your hands at a reasonable price.
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The excuse making for SDs bad decisions is interesting. They make good tuners, but they've done unethical things more than once and get let off the hook because "they make good tuners."
This was all very predictable.
I'll put you down for it once they turn off the ATSC 1.0 broadcasts.
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Not just Flex 4k, apparently there will never be any of those platforms that support ATSC 3.0 DRM except maybe SD will get Android approved. So to utilize ATSC 3.0 DRM you will need to get STB(HDMI output) devices, one for every TV or hopefully SD will get Android approved so I can continue to use Flex 4k tuners over my local network.
I am fairly certain everyone knows when you purchase something that is on the leading edge of development, you take some risk. SD could have done like Tablo and continued to sell tuners without any ATSC3.0 support at all, but not sure if that would have been better. Maybe in 5 to 10 years these tuners will become completely useless, but I am OK with that.
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IMO, adding encryption and DRM over publicly owned airwaves is 100% moving the goalposts. If the media giants want to do that, they can, but on their streaming services.
Not on taxpayer owned public airwaves.
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I think they already did something Smart all the tuners can do ATSC 1 and can also act as a DVR just attach a HD... so what is wrong with including 2 ATSC 3.0/ATSC 1.0 tuners ? along with just 2 ATSC 1 tuners in a device ? ... Also can be used with 3rd Party software (Plex,Channels,NextPvr ...) can Tablo do that ? So who is the Smart one ?
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Submitted a comment to the FCC, and to my Senators and House Representative. Everyone else go do the same - let's flood them with comments on this!
Find your Congress Members here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
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Please do submit a letter to the FCC at the link mentioned by slampman.
DRM is in direct violation of the TEACH ACT, see here:
https://www.avsforum.com/threads/atsc-3 ... t-63105834
and here: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/atsc-3 ... t-63106017
That NEEDS TO BE pointed out in any user comments on petitions in the future, AND brought up with our representatives...
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I am, like many of the other Channels users here, and early adopter of SD 4K Flex ATSC 1.0/ATSC 3.0 'gateway' tuner/DVR. Although the ATSC 3.0 video was slightly better than ATSC 1.0 signal, but that is because none of the broadcasters transmitting ATSC 3.0 signals are actually broadcasting 4K content. Once the Channels team was able around the AC-4 audio issue, I did watch a few sporting events on the ATSC 3.0 channels here in the Phoenix area, but that stopped once most of the 'Big Four' started encrypting their signal in the name of 'DRM'. Everyone here and on the SD community went crazy.
I've been following the 'Encryption' thread out on the SD Community, and 'nickk' from SD has been trying to be upfront with the users. A couple of weeks ago, nickk and the SD team had a meeting with the A3SA (committee responsible for ATSC 3.0 security), and at first it didn't sound too promising, but in recent posts, it sounded like the SD team has come up with a plan.
Today, I saw that nickk was online so I asked a few questions and it sounds like some of the limitations are based in the decryption method that the A3SA is requiring, the SD solution will initially allow their app to view DRM encrypted channels on Android and FireTV devices (only). A3SA is aware that other platforms are also needed.
Below are a couple of screen shots from the thread. Sounds like Channels and Plex, if they ever jump on the ATSC 3.0 bandwagon, have some work and expense ahead of them to get their apps compliant.
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Sounds good to me. Better than nothing, I guess for those guys and it'll be easier to pipe in the channels with HDMI/ah4c/adbtuner. Of course, no direct playback but for those who have issues getting the 1.0 signals, this is fine
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Submitted per Lon's instructions and to all of my members of Congress.
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I may be mis-informed but I believe the Internet connection is used with ATSC 3.0 to allow things like Prime Video or Netflix "watch parties". Something we never do. I'm skeptical of it as I suspect it will just end up being another way to push ads to your browser based on what TV broadcasts you watch.
After watching the video posted by Edwin_Perez from lon.tv he says the full ATSC 3.0 rollout won't happen until 2027, presumably this means ATSC 1.0 simucasts might be required until then. He also makes it sound like ATSC 3.0 doesn't actually broadcast UHD but uses your internet connection to stream it! You are not likely to stream UHD over a 2.4 GHz WiFi system, 5 GHz WiFi propagates so poorly you may need a mesh netowrk to cover most homes.
As to UHD vs HD our 85" Samsung QLED TV has "AI upsampling" (based on "super-resolution" AI models Python OpenCV - Super resolution with deep learning - GeeksforGeeks ).
The best UHD source I have is Blu-Ray disks. It is hard to really compare because of how long it takes to change inputs on the TV but my best effort comparing a Blu-Ray disk to an HD recording of the same show (via U-Verse TV) tells me that with a TV like this, UHD is not worth paying extra for, On a smaller set the difference between UHD and HD is reduced.
So if ATSC 1.0 continues to be simucast with ATSC 3.0 I could gut the cord with Channels DVD and a HDHR ATSC 1.0 model. Otherwise I'm stuck with U-Verse or something like youTubeTV since we DVR a lot of shows.
Comparing the CBS (our local CBS simucasts ATSC 3.0 and 1.0 for the time being) Chiefs-Ravens NFL championship game OTA on our Samsung QLED (don't know if it is ATSC 3.0 or not) The OTA seemed a bit better than U-Verse CBS channel (like because of the transcoding. For the Lions-49ers our FOX OTA (they aren't yet doing ATSC 3.0) broadcast was not watchable because it kept breaking up. I had thought I'd found an antenna and position that let me get all the OTA channels we watch, but turns out that working one day doesn't me will always work 
.
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Drm Recording is beta.
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Video repeatedly crashes at 1:24 in. Hopefully they will get it fixed soon.
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