[lingenfr]

I have not seen this problem on my MythTV box (Ubuntu Feisty). Is this a windows only (primarily) forum?

[lingenfr]

I have not seen this problem on my MythTV box (Ubuntu Feisty). Is this a windows only (primarily) forum?

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by lingenfr

I have not seen this problem on my MythTV box (Ubuntu Feisty). Is this a windows only (primarily) forum?

I suspect MythTV doesn't respect the broadcast flag...which is a good thing for end-users. We're mostly Windows here, but some Mac and some Linux.

[mrsheep]

Hi Jason,

There is a huge thread in the AskJessica forum on this growing problem over on TheGreenButton:

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/176207.aspx

It seems that the use of the CGMS-A flag is regulated in the US but not in Canada, and the Canadian cable companies appear to be abusing its use up here on this side of the boarder. There is a CRTC web site where some of us have gone and registered a complaint against our offending cable providers in hopes that the CRTC will consider regulating the cable companies here on this issue like the FTC does in the US.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/Register.asp?lang=E

As I understand it, Microsoft changed the way they handle the "Copy Never" flag in Rollup 2 and in Vista from a less restrictive approach in the original release of MCE 2005 to more closely reflect the US FTC description of when the flag is to be used (basically on things like premium PPV content). Over the last six plus months however, Canadian cable providers (or perhaps their content providers) have been broadcasting this flag with greater and greater frequency making the MCE experience less and less compelling for the growing number of users who are being impacted by this. Unfortunately it sounds like Microsoft sees it as a case where they believe they are doing the right thing and probably won't do anything to fix the problem which they don't see as a bug, but instead as a feature. People are complaining to Jessica and regularly asking if Microsoft has any news or a resolution, but as helpful as Jessica is trying to be, it doesn't sound like there is any news or a resolution around the corner.

[mrsheep]

Oh yes, I should also mention...

Jessica (a Microsoftee who I believe is on the mediacenter team) asked that anyone who had experienced this problem private message her with a number of specific details describing where, when etc.. you are having the problem:

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/per...ad.aspx#181043

So anyone here that hasn't done so yet might also want to send her their info so that she has a better picture of how widespread the issue is and when it is occuring.

While they are at it, fellow Canadians may also want to share their thoughts on the issue with the CRTC by submitting a complaint about which ever cable company is making it harder for them to watch the content that they are paying for. (link in previous post)

[Jason Dunn]

Very interesting information mrsheep, thanks for posting! I've gone and made this a front page issue:

http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/...topic_id=12149