Don't these buttheads have somethign better to do?
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"Analog hole" legislation introduced

12/18/2005 7:28:09 PM, by Eric Bangeman

A frightening bit of legislation was introduced to the US House Judiciary Committee on Friday. The Digital Transition Content Security Act of 2005 (PDF) is sponsored by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) (PDF) and would close that pesky analog hole that poses such a dire threat to the survival of the music and movie industries. The bill was originally planned for introduction in early November, but was tabled after hearings held by the House Subcomittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

Calling the ability to convert analog video content to a digital format a "significant technical weakness in content protection," H.R. 4569 would require all consumer electronics video devices manufactured more than 12 months after the DTCSA is passed to be able to detect and obey a "rights signaling system" that would be used to limit how content is viewed and used. That rights signaling system would consist of two DRM technologies, Video Encoded Invisible Light (VEIL) and Content Generation Management System—Analog (CGMS-A), which would be embedded in broadcasts and other analog video content.

Under the legislation, all devices sold in the US would fall under the auspices of the DTCSA: it would be illegal to "manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic" in such products. It's a dream-come-true for Hollywood, and in combination with a new broadcast flag legislation (not yet introduced) would strike a near-fatal blow to the long-established right of Fair Use.

According to Reps. Sensenbrenner and Conyers, the legislation is absolutely necessary because of the dire threat PCs and the Internet pose to the content-creation industry's very livelihood. Apparently, it's not nimble enough to keep up with advances in technology. Says Rep. Conyers:

   "As one of our most successful industries, it is important that we protect the content community from unfettered piracy. One aspect of that fight is making sure that digital media do not lose their content protection simply because of lapses in technology. This bill will help ensure that technology keeps pace with content delivery."

Ah, yes. The piracy bogeyman. In the same press release, Rep. Sensenbrenner points out that a "software pirate" in Alexandria, Virginia pled guilty to "making $20 million in sales of counterfeit intellectual property." However, the honorable representative from Wisconsin fails to understand that the software market relies on a completely different distribution model than does broadcasting, instead choosing to throw big numbers around in an attempt to make this misguided bill sound like it makes some small shred of sense for consumers.

Reading through the proposed text of the DTSCA, it is easy to see the hand of the MPAA at work. The proposed legislation defines four "Technical Content Protection Responses" that consumer devices will have based on the type of signal transmitted in a broadcast.

   * Copy Prohibited Content, which would mark the transmission as off limits for copying or recording of any kind
   * Copy Unlimited No Redistribution Content, which means that the analog content could be passed through to a digital device for copying, but redistribution would be limited
   * Copy One Generation Content, which would allow viewers to make a single generation of copies
   * No Technical Protection Applied, programming that could still be recorded.

It doesn't take too much imagination to see where this is headed.

   Once the MPAA and pals have their way, you're going to pay through the nose for even the most basic of Fair Use rights. You're going to pay for the right to rewind and "re-experience" content. The Copy Prohibited Content class, complete with its asinine insta-delete feature is nothing but a back door into attacking what the content industry hates most: your ability to timeshift content.

And this bill is ridiculously hard on timeshifting. Section 201 (b) (1) of the DTCSA gives you all of 90 minutes from the initial reception of a "unit of content" to watch your recordings. Heaven forbid you get a long phone call or an unscheduled visit from a neighbor when you're engaged in some delayed viewing—once that 90-minute window closes you're out of luck until the next broadcast.

Our Fair Use rights have been on the endangered list for the past several years, and the passage of this legislation would mark a habitat loss so severe that it would threaten the very survival of the species. No matter what the MPAA and RIAA tell us, it's not about piracy. It's about squeezing every last dollar out of our pockets if we want to do anything other than watch a live broadcast.

This is bad legislation for everyone except Hollywood and its lackeys. If you are represented by a member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, contact him or her and make your feelings known. Given what's at stake here, expressing your views to your congressional representative and senators is an excellent idea as well.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20051218-5797.html

Ha...like we want to buy any of their shit anyhow

DVRs scare the hell out of Hollywood.  It wasn't so bad when a few of us early users bought into the technology, but now that every service provider rents recorders H-wood is seeing how thier 1950s business model isn't going to work any more.

Maybe the answer is to have every new DVD or CD come with a Ninja that has sworn a blood oath with the MPAA to slay any user that doesn't listen or watch the media they purchased within government guidelines?

Quoted: Don't these buttheads have somethign better to do?

It's real simple. Stop buying/renting DVDs and music.

Do not run an OS that includes DRM. Do not use hardware that facilitates DRM.

Fuck the MPAA and the RIAA.  

Quoted: Fuck the MPAA and the RIAA.

And just what do TV execs think you are allowed to do with your tv?  Let's hear what Jamie Kellner, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, has to say about the matter:

[Kellner:] 'I'm a big believer we have to make television more convenient or we will drive the penetration of PVRs and things like that, which I'm not sure is good for the cable industry or the broadcast industry or the networks....

Because of the ad skips.... It's theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming....

I guess there's a certain amount of tolerance for going to the bathroom. But if you formalize it and you create a device that skips certain second increments, you've got that only for one reason, unless you go to the bathroom for 30 seconds. They've done that just to make it easy for someone to skip a commercial....

When will our politicians finally get off their asses and stop dealing with petty things like kids pirating music?

I wish they'd finally start dealing with real problems, like baseball players who use steroids, and making the BCS more fair.

Quoted: And just what do TV execs think you are allowed to do with your tv?  Let's hear what Jamie Kellner, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, has to say about the matter: [Kellner:] 'I'm a big believer we have to make television more convenient or we will drive the penetration of PVRs and things like that, which I'm not sure is good for the cable industry or the broadcast industry or the networks.... Because of the ad skips.... It's theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming.... I guess there's a certain amount of tolerance for going to the bathroom. But if you formalize it and you create a device that skips certain second increments, you've got that only for one reason, unless you go to the bathroom for 30 seconds. They've done that just to make it easy for someone to skip a commercial....

Sorry, but I pay for cable and sat service.  I shouldn't have commercials in the first place.

Quoted: Quoted: And just what do TV execs think you are allowed to do with your tv?  Let's hear what Jamie Kellner, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, has to say about the matter: [Kellner:] 'I'm a big believer we have to make television more convenient or we will drive the penetration of PVRs and things like that, which I'm not sure is good for the cable industry or the broadcast industry or the networks.... Because of the ad skips.... It's theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming.... I guess there's a certain amount of tolerance for going to the bathroom. But if you formalize it and you create a device that skips certain second increments, you've got that only for one reason, unless you go to the bathroom for 30 seconds. They've done that just to make it easy for someone to skip a commercial.... Sorry, but I pay for cable and sat service.  I shouldn't have commercials in the first place.

You're talking to the guy who's ReplayTV came from the commercial skip generation.

Ipersonally  think it would be good to piss off more of the TV viewing public, so more people will be more motivated to get off their fat asses and do something more productive than watching who is fucking Paris Hilton this week.  But that's just me.

Quoted: And just what do TV execs think you are allowed to do with your tv?  Let's hear what Jamie Kellner, chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, has to say about the matter: [Kellner:] 'I'm a big believer we have to make television more convenient or we will drive the penetration of PVRs and things like that, which I'm not sure is good for the cable industry or the broadcast industry or the networks.... Because of the ad skips.... It's theft. Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming.... I guess there's a certain amount of tolerance for going to the bathroom. But if you formalize it and you create a device that skips certain second increments, you've got that only for one reason, unless you go to the bathroom for 30 seconds. They've done that just to make it easy for someone to skip a commercial....

Dano: Steve, I just observed Callgood muting the Pop N Fresh commercial.

McGarret: CUFF HIM, DANO!

I'm glad they're going to tolerate a bathroom trip. I hope they tolerate the fact I don't watch their crap anymore. If there isn't a good (commercial free) movie on Turner, I'm doing something else.

heh heh. You said "analog hole".

Quoted: Don't these buttheads have somethign better to do?

The only good thin is while they are screwing around with pointless legislation like this, they are not further eroding what remains of the Constitution.

Ahh, 33 1/3 RPM vinyl, as analog as it gets.

Notice how we're no longer viewers or customers?  We're consumers which is a nice business-speak way of saying cattle.  

"And remember folks, if you watch even one moment of PBS without making a donation then you're stealing..." [/betty_white]

Quoted: Notice how we're no longer viewers or customers?  We're consumers which is a nice business-speak way of saying cattle.

And they're trying to make it where we no longer own the media or a liscense to the content.

Quoted: Notice how we're no longer viewers or customers?  We're consumers which is a nice business-speak way of saying cattle.

I'm not. My TV's are dark (except for "24" which has a special dispensation) and I haven't bought a movie or tape/CD/DVD/whatever in a looong while. Nothing they make is any good these days anyway, it's 99% crap.

let em squabble, keeps em occupied.

Time to stock up on preban recording devises....

So, how many pre-ban DVRs do I need to supply all the copies of PORN I might need for TEOTWAWKI and how many DVD+Rs do I need for each DVR?

I am sure there will be a market for pre-ban DVRs...  

I'm glad they're going to tolerate a bathroom trip. I hope they tolerate the fact I don't watch their crap anymore. If there isn't a good (commercial free) movie on Turner, I'm doing something else.



+1

TV comercials are the fathers of the internet pop-up.  I don't want either!

I quit watching AMC when they went commercial.

Quoted: Time to stock up on preban recording devises.... So, how many pre-ban DVRs do I need to supply all the copies of PORN I might need for TEOTWAWKI and how many DVD+Rs do I need for each DVR? I am sure there will be a market for pre-ban DVRs...

You can use all that PORN to repopulate the world!!!  

I was discussing this with the wife... are they going to make this for VCRs and all recording machines?  If so that could be real interesting....

On an "add supported basis" - WTF??!!!

I remember back in the early days of cable, the selling point was I paid a fee to have television with NO commericals. Well, shit, that ended pretty damn fast, and for the past 20 or so years, I've been paying the cable provider for "add supported" programs.

If I want to cut-out the commericals, that is MY RIGHT as a consumer. I paid for the content to watch at my leisure, not at their mercy.

Time to buy a bunch of pre-ban DVRs!


ETA: Oh, shit!  I copied Quarterbore.

Additional Edit:  Crap!  Is copying Quarterbore legal?

"Pay-per-view" of your own movies and recordings.  It's comming.  This is why I will not be doing a damn thing with Digital TV.  They want to control every aspect of how and where I watch it and record it, they can shove it up thier asses.

I had a related incident with this last week.  I purchased some CD ROMS for my state/national licensing for Real Estate.  $85 bucks for both.  I have 2 desktops and 2 laptops (one each for the wife and I).  I tried to make copies of it for PERSONAL USE so each one can load on each computer.  When the copies are inserted, a pop up window reads "This Program Will Only Work With The Original Disc Inserted" WTF?!!!!  So that means either buy 3x$85 of the program or use BlindWirte......hehehhehehehehhee

Quoted: heh heh. You said "analog hole".

When I saw the title, visions of Richard Simmons came to mind.......

Quoted: Ipersonally  think it would be good to piss off more of the TV viewing public, so more people will be more motivated to get off their fat asses and do something more productive than watching who is fucking Paris Hilton this week.  But that's just me.

Shouldn't it be 'who Paris Hilton is fucking'?

I have an idea.  well.. actualy i'm stealing it from Europe.

Have all the TV progamming in letterbox, and run commercials along the top or bottom of the screen, like ticker tape, and don't have commercial breaks.  

Quoted: Have all the TV progamming in letterbox, and run commercials along the top or bottom of the screen, like ticker tape, and don't have commercial breaks.

Sweet, then you can buy an older TV that allows you to adjust the screen aspect vertically so you can "push" the ads off-screen.

I had a program that every third or 4th time I ran it, it asked for me to insert the original CD for "verification".  It was a program that I used 10-15x a day.  Soon the original CD, which had to remain out at all times, was scratched up to a point it would not work.

I contacted the software manufacturer.  He told me it was irritating to them also.  He sent me a patch.

But because of the hassle, I quit using that software, went to a different program.  I don't see many doing this anymore because of the problems.

Yes, let our legislators stay busy with all of this.  They need something to occupy themselves.

Your contract with the network when you get the show is you're going to watch the spots. Otherwise you couldn't get the show on an ad-supported basis. Any time you skip a commercial or watch the button you're actually stealing the programming....

what 'contract with the network' would that be?.