[LINK] US going digital TV in 2009

rchirgwin at ozemail.com.au rchirgwin at ozemail.com.au
Sun Mar 4 18:44:12 AEDT 2007


Craig,
>  
>   
>> 3) The digitisation of TV is being used to trojan more DRM into the 
>> household.
>>     
>
> what DRM?  there's none on free-to-air TV here in australia.
>   
...sorry, I should have been more specific, so to explain myself.

Already, the 'next' interface from DVD to TVs, HDMI - which is probably 
not supported on the plasmas/LCDs in most homes today - blocks 
high-definition replay if the TV isn't HDMI-compliant (even if the TV is 
high-definition). Most consumers aren't savvy to this because they're 
not told.

So the "digital equipment" (as distinct from digital free-to-air 
broadcast) is already putting DRM into the home.

Given the obsessions and characteristic behaviour of the industry, I see 
no prospect that the content industries won't try to piggyback new DRM 
onto the digital signals, once they're ubiquitous; and you don't have to 
break the transmission standards to do so, because the transmission 
standards don't stipulate what's inside the content.

RC
>   
>> The benefits to consumers don't justify the policy or the penalties, and 
>> never did...
>>     
>
> $60 for an el-cheapo SD set-top box is dirt-cheap and gets you greatly
> improved picture quality on free-to-air TV.  as good as DVD.
>
> that's less than what people will pay for a new antenna.
>
> craig
>
>   



More information about the Link mailing list