Thank you Joe for your comments.
Very simply: If the Broadcast flag becomes law, all ATSC recording devices with Linux drivers will no longer be sold. Your hardware selection will GO AWAY. That's why it is important, even to Canadians.
However (and I'm not trying to be argumentative, but rather stir the pot in order to make the readers think about what is truly happening),
The point I'm trying to say here is that, irregardless if our ATSC/DVB PCI card vendors honor the BF (Broadcast Flag) or not, does it really matter? What would be the tangible difference it bit streams coming out of the cards? Are they not simply passing the stream down to the OS and isn't it the OS (or perhaps the player) that needs to honor/control the BF legislation requirements instead?
Is there a whole other aspect of the BF concept that isn't being talked about? Is the problem really going to be the application (storage and playback as in "MythTV") that needs to be BF compliant and not the hardware?
# Endaf
Joe Barnhart wrote:
--- Endaf Jones <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Why does the flag matter to us myth users ? (in terms of hardware
selection)
Yes, technically, some savvy Canadian company could start creating and
shipping Linux ATSC cards, but they could not be sold in the U.S. Without a major market, it would be prohibitive to develop the ICs and
card (remember, the current IC makers are U.S. based and would have to
honor the ruling.)
Of course, any ATSC recording hardware acquired NOW will never be limited by the Broadcast flag -- they are "grandfathered" under the Broadcast flag ruling. Which is why there's been such a run on cards in the U.S.
The Broadcast flag provision that was just struck down was a "ruling" by our FCC, which is just an executive department and lacked the authority to create new law. The issue will now be brought to Congress where the MPAA will have to spread large amounts of money to buy enough "access" (i.e. votes) to pass their law. (I admit to being just a tiny bit cynical when it comes to copyright issues and our legislative bodies.)
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