I've been looking around for hours now, and I see no clear-cut answer to this at all. Don't nail me to the wall here if you think there's an answer to it, but feel free to explain why you think there's an answer and how you consider it an answer. :-D

I have an 8300HD DVR, and I'm on an Apple (so I've been transferring transport streams to my computer and converting them to DVDs and iPod for years with no problems...I know the Windows way to do this is a nightmare, as are many of Windows' procedures, from what I've gathered after 2 decades of Windows/DOS use, lol...but, the point is, this isn't a computer issue or some bizarre halfa$$ driver Windows problem). The standard def channels have been effortless since I got my first 1394a box. Those of you on macs know, you just plug it in and copy it to the harddrive...no effort at all. I've noticed that a lot of the new HD stations that have standard-def alternatives are 5C/EMI locked when their 480i versions are not...History, Science, NatGeo, A&E.

Does anyone know of a way to defeat the 5C protection on these HD channels that SHOULD BE OPEN? I'm not asking about how to rip HBO...Universal HD is open and just fine. I don't care what kind of protection pay channels use, or any of that. I'm just curious why those are locked, and how to get past that. There's a lot of documentaries that have HD versions, and I'd really like to get the HD one instead...to which I think I'm entitled, based on the $100/mo bill I get from Brighthouse. :)

Is there anything that will kill whatever EMI the basic stations are MISTAKENLY using. NOT the illegal defeating of the pay channels!!!
Anyone on here work for Brighthouse (not "working for Brighthouse" as in some meaningless tech, but someone that can tell me why they're accidently locked, when they'll be re-unlocked, or even flip the switch for me so I can save them without defeating the protection to get to them) that can help me out here?

Again...NOT looking to illegally save channels I shouldn't be able to! I'm looking to save a show off of A&E HD that I can easily save from A&E. They seem to just be mistakenly "Copy Once" tagged here in Central Florida.

Thanks much everyone, I appreciate any help here. :)