[fender4645]

There's interesting article on TelevisionWeek that talks about the growing debate of recording digital content, specifically the difference in optinions between HBO/Showtime and Starz!.


Full article: http://www.tvweek.com/topstorys/053104pay.html


Excerpt:

An attempt by the cable, pay TV, consumer electronics and movie industries to reach a plug-and-play agreement with the Federal Communications Commission on consumer recording of rapidly growing on-demand programming is in tatters.


A major split has developed that pits unlikely allies-the two largest pay TV services, HBO and Showtime-against the No. 3 pay TV operator, Starz! Encore, most cable operators and the consumer electronics industry.


The term plug-and-play de-scribes the FCC's goal of allowing consumers to plug their cables directly into their digital TV sets without using a cable set-top box. To receive two-way services such as video-on-demand, pay-per-view or interactive program guides, consumers would still need a box, however, and that's where the trouble begins. In a statement last year, the FCC said it "encouraged the cable and consumer electronics industries to consult with interested parties and affected industries as the two-way negotiations progress."

 

[bfdtv]

I can certainly understand the concern for original programming.


A customer can subscribe to HBO for a three day weekend ($1.50), and in that period, record every episode of the Sopranos and Deadwood via HD-VOD on to DVD or HD-DVD.

 

[fender4645]

Quote:

Originally posted by bfdtv A customer can subscribe to HBO for a three day weekend ($1.50), and in that period, record every episode of the Sopranos and Deadwood via HD-VOD on to DVD or HD-DVD.

I wonder if this will lead to long-term contracts -- a la cell phone providers.

 

[HDHTPC]

From the web site:

Quote:

"Cable operators want a competitive advantage against the satellite guys," one major pay TV executive said, and blocking cable customers' ability to make recordings might not be a good way to accomplish that goal.

Does it seem co-incidental that E* shut off the 5000+modulator just

as the cable systems started giving cable customer's IEEE1394 recordable

STBs?


The last couple of months have yielded a flurry of developments (some of which seem odd) in the HD-recording arena.

From the HD-Tivo intro, to the PVR-921 Fiasco, the 5000/mod going dead, and all the new IEEE1394 enabled cable STBs...


The 5000+6000-> 921/811 transition at E* seems to have lead to a bunch of defections from E* to cable, which made that web site quote rather apropos.

 

[alv]

Dish shut off the modulator to enable a more efficient delivery method. Doesn't sound like a conspiracy to me.

 

[jsb_hburg]

Quote:

Originally posted by bfdtv I can certainly understand the concern for original programming. A customer can subscribe to HBO for a three day weekend ($1.50), and in that period, record every episode of the Sopranos and Deadwood via HD-VOD on to DVD or HD-DVD.

You're lucky then if you have HD-SVOD. The picture quality of any SVOD selection is not nearly as good as that of its linear channel counterpart, at least in my area.

 

[amillians]

This article is really just about politics, with Startz trying to figure out how best to stay afloat in the HBO ocean...the rest of the article is off kilter, with some bizarre interpretations of FCC rulings. In the set-in-stone unidirectional PNP agreement, HD PPV, VOD, SVOD and the like are allowed to be flagged Copy Never, mimicing the DTLA encoding rules...this position will most definitely hold firm when (if?!? ) the bidirectional agreement makes its debut.

 

[trbarry]

Quote:

A customer can subscribe to HBO for a three day weekend ($1.50), and in that period, record every episode of the Sopranos and Deadwood via HD-VOD on to DVD or HD-DVD.

That is certainly a useful feature I'd be willing to pay for.


There is no doubt in my mind that recordable services are more valuable to me personally. So it's good to see some providers at least threaten to break ranks on this.


- Tom


PS - Anyone that implies I'm some sort of "pirate" because of the above statement will be branded a very silly person.

 

[michaeltscott]

Quote:

Originally posted by amillians In the set-in-stone unidirectional PNP agreement, HD PPV, VOD, SVOD and the like are allowed to be flagged Copy Never, mimicing the DTLA encoding rules...this position will most definitely hold firm when (if?!? ) the bidirectional agreement makes its debut.

That's right--allowed. Starz! is acting as though it's mandated. Seems to me that they could request of the providers that they set their VOD channel to Copy Once and be done with it.


As I pointed out in another thread, "Copy Once" VOD is a misnomer--with VOD, "Copy Once" becomes "Copy As Many Times As You Please Until The Selection Is No Longer Offered". You can call up the feature, record it, and as soon as you're done, start it up and record it again. Of course, the recordings must be encrypted on media and none of them can be copied, so it's still distinct from "Copy Freely".


Yeck! I just scanned the article. It's a mass of FUD. I'm surprised that the studios who provide Starz! with programming are allowing it to take this stance publically. I can believe the allegation that it's all just a political manuever by which Starz! hopes to gain concessions from the studios.


Tom, I don't think you're a pirate. Does that make you feel better?

 

[trbarry]

Quote:

Tom, I don't think you're a pirate. Does that make you feel better?

Somewhat.


Recently any time I suggest that the ability to record (archive and time shift) is important to me there will be someone that immediately suggests I'm trying to do something immoral. But, regardless of current laws or Hollywood economics, recording is still obviously a feature that many of us want.


For instance the lack of an HD-PVR is probably the reason I don't currently subscribe to Voom or Comcast HDTV at the current prices.


So while Starz may just be using this as a bargaining ploy I can indeed say I would choose Starz-HD over HBO or Showtime if it was the only one that allowed recording. And that is in spite of the various silly HD comments Starz execs have made during the HD transition.


- Tom

 

[dkan24]

I don't understand - here on TWC NYC, you cannot copy any VOD stuff onto their DVR. And HBO & SHO HD are flagged with 5C over firewire already. Did I miss something?