[mythtvnz] Sky HDTV to be DRM'd?

[Nick Rout]

On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 15:26:11 +1200
David Zanetti wrote:

> On Mon, 2006-06-12 at 14:53 +1200, Toby Mills wrote:
> > >What they're talking about is that their HD-capable set top boxes will only
> > spit out HD using HDCP.
> > 
> > Just so I can get my head around this:
> > Sky will be bringing out new decoders to support their HD service?
> 
> Yes, nothing they currently have (mySky included) does HD. Will require
> new set-top boxes.
> 
> > The new decoders will output HD using the HDCP protocol, so only TV's that
> > support HDCP will be able to play the content in HD?
> 
> HDCP is purely used to protect the wire-level, pretty much. Only TVs
> that support HDCP on their digital inputs will be able to display HD
> content from the Sky box.
> 
> Downconverted from HD to SD will probably be allowed on non-HDCP
> connections, but it's anyone's guess if that just means
> Comp/SVideo/Component or HDMI/DVI lacking HDCP support.
> 
> > I'm guessing there are no HD cards that support mythtv that also support
> > HDCP (or a hack to get around it)?
> 
> There are no HD capture cards I know of that support HDCP - it kinda
> violates the whole point of HDCP so I wouldn't expect any.
> 
> > So in short what you are saying is the only way you are going to be getting
> > HD from sky on a pvr in NZ is if you use their PVR or we find a hack to make
> > the sky decoder think that the myth box is a HDCP compliant tv (looks like
> > this is possible judging from this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDCP_
> 
> I would expect Sky will come out with a new PVR capable of HD, the
> existing ones have no outputs capable of HD. That's one PVR option.
> 
> I would not expect anyone to ship a card any time soon that _captures_
> HDCP content. Getting a card that will originate HDCP stuff is another
> matter, newer video cards will support that.
> 
> I'm sure there is professional kit to do this, but I doubt that's a
> serious consideration for most people.

My difficulty with all of this is that Sky cannot even tell me what the
issue is:

Me: Hello there has been publicity lately about making sure that if you
buy a High Definition TV that you should make sure it will be compatible
with Sky's HDTV offerings in the future. Can you tell me what I need to
ensure is included in a HD TV if I buy one?

Sky Girl: I am sorry Sky does not offer any HD content as yet.

Me: Yes I know that, I am referring to recent newspaper publicity to the
effect that Sky is warning consumers to bne careful about what they buy
ecause some models of HDTV may not in fact be able to get Sky's HD
content. I am trying to make sure that if I buy an HD TV it will be
compatible

SG: Sky will probably be offering HD on some channels in 18 months to 24
months, it is too early to say

Me: So you are warning people about buying incompaitible systems, but
you cannot tell me what is compaitble

SG: Sky has contacted the Consumer Electronics Association to warn that
there might be incompatibilities and that is all I can tell you.

Me: Well I am in the market for a TV and you cannot even tell me what I
need to buy to be compatible with your offerings. Can I speak to the
manager please?

SG: Yes I will put you through

long pause

phone goes clickety click disconnected tone.

Bahhhhh, I might was well by a 480 line plasma!



-- 
Nick Rout <nick@rout.co.nz>