[mythtvnz] Sky->smart card reader->MythTV ???

[Steven Ellis]

On 1/03/2009, at 8:15 PM, Sam Hadley-Jones wrote:

> (Repost, wrong subject line, sorry)
>
>> Wrong.. Very very wrong.
>>
>> To watch a DVD under Linux you are circumventing TPM as you aren't
>> using a licensed program, likewise if you watch Sky. If sky provided
>> software to do this under Windows/Linux/Mac etc then we could do it
>> legally, methods like ndscam etc aren't just borderline illegal, they
>> are illegal under the new laws.
>
> The Italian government realised the monopoly that News Corp had in  
> their
> country by tying their subscription to their "licensed" set top box.  
> Sky
> was forced to release a CAM to allow competition from other set top  
> box
> vendors. This seems like just pure common sense but no one here in NZ
> has picked up on it. Think of it like buying Shell petrol and being  
> told
> you can only put it in a Honda vehicle.
>
> Furthermore, the method of decrypting a DVB signal (ie: what goes on
> inside a CAM module) is not secret, it is standards based. The problem
> has always been the obscurity or non-conformance of the NDS
> implementation. If Sky were ever to seek a prosecution for someone not
> using their set top box, they would be guilty of using this new
> copyright Act in order to protect a monopoly.
>
> David and Steve, the two of you act as if you're already getting  
> threats
> from Sky. I don't believe anyone has been "told off" yet for writing
> instructions on soft cams for Sky NZ. The least we can do is share
> information and help - as is the OSS way. The most that can happen, in
> the first instance, is a letter from Sky summarised as "stop that".

We made submissions against this bill as it effectively makes myPVR  
illegal for several features

1. TPM removal for DVD playback
2. Format shifting of Video because of mythtv's transcoding features.
3. Ability to retain TV material indefinately - the bill only allows  
time shifting, not archiving of TV.

We were informed that we were unlikely to be prosecuted for these  
Illegal acts, but they would not provide any guarantee's that  
prosecution might not happen at some point.

As to any threats from Sky, nothing formal, but I don't like playing  
against a company that can afford better lawyers than me,

Steve


Steven Ellis - Technical Director
OpenMedia Limited
email   - steven at openmedia.co.nz
website - http://www.openmedia.co.nz

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.ourshack.com/pipermail/mythtvnz/attachments/20090301/bcdb8898/attachment.htm