FCC to allow U.S. basic cable to be encrypted

[mian]

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10...-fcc-rules

Cable companies led by Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) won U.S. permission to encrypt their basic service to fight theft and reduce service calls.

The Federal Communications Commission voted 5-0 to allow encryption, the agency said in an order released yesterday. Cable companies already encrypt offerings on more expensive channel packages that feature more programming.

The FCC had prohibited encryption on basic service so customers wouldn’t need to rent a set-top box to view local stations. The prohibition didn’t hold for satellite providers DirecTV (DTV) and Dish Network Corp. (DISH) or for cable competitors such as TV services offered by AT&T Inc. (T) and Verizon Communications Inc.

Yay

[ga_mueller]

Great. My system is now obsolete.

[sub]

I had heard a bit about this over the past month or so.

In addition to what is mentioned here, they'll end up being required to provide network gateway access to channels from the STB/DTA, so that future TVs or computers (with the right software), device like Boxee etc can watch the channels. Unfortunately the gateway content is going to be DTCP protected DLNA, and the licensing fees for this put it out of the reach of free software like NextPVR. The DTCP license restrictions make it impossible to implement in open source software like MediaPortal/MythTV/XBMC etc.

[ga_mueller]

I guess I'll get moving on OTA, again. With a big-a$$ed antenna... crap.

[sub]

I'm not sure how quickly they're going move on it. They probably cant encrypt these channels until the new STB/DTA functionality is available.

Devices like the Hauppauge DCR-2650 and HDHomeRun Prime will be unaffected, but you'll still be at the mercy of how they set the copy flags for the channels. After this ruling they may feel they can make everything as copy-once/copy-never.

[ga_mueller]

Wow. This is like real-time chat. Thank you for the info.

[donschjr]

This will probably push me over the edge to cutting the cable and getting all my tv shows over the internet from netflix and playon.

[pBS]

"added more encryption to....reduce service calls?" ya right...lol
and so since it was unfair to 'penalize' cable companies alone by making them not able to charge for a stb for basic cable, they make it unfair to the public by scrapping our rights altogether...
geez...who's side are they on anyways?
duh...surely not the public's...

[smajor]

It's this way for most of us in the US already - Time Warner has copy-once set on EVERYTHING in my lineup. HD-PVRs (or Colossus now) are my only option via the RGB analog outputs. Nothing OTA anywhere near me.

[pcostanza]

Once again the government catered to big business with little or no response from those of us who pay for it! I've been getting updates weekly and even sent online requests to my Senators but never got 1 reply back. They must be in the pockets of cable companies anyway.