

An End To Unencrypted Digital Cable TV and the HTPC? - profquail
http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=637

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ajg1977
The article fails to mention that:

a) cable companies will not be allowed to encrypt the local stations (Fox,
ABC, etc)

b) Non-local expanded basic stations that are currently in unencrypted digital
(Bravo, MTV, DSC etc) are at best 480p and usually 480i, so having to use an
analog tuner from an STB doesn't result in any quality loss.

c) Many markets don't get the expanded basic stations in an unencrypted format
already.

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profquail
Even if the cable companies can't encrypt the local stations, the stations
themselves are free to set the 5C encryption flag on a program, which
prohibits you from recording it.

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devicenull
Does it really? Or does it require some software on the recorder to say "Oh
hey, this flag is set, I better not record it"... If it's the latter, then I
can't really picture that standing in the way of anyone who really wants to
record it

