In all of my years of using a Media Center computer as a PVR (I think I'm in year four now), I've been fortunate enough to have never seen this message before:
That's what you see when the broadcaster decides that they don't want you to be able to record the TV show - and for me, that means I don't watch it (live TV sucks). Seeing this once on a TV-broadcast movie isn't very consequential to me, but if I were to start to see it regularly, I'd suddenly start to wonder why I was paying for cable. Have you been bitten by the broadcast flag? If so, how much of an issue is it for you?
I've seen this message many times on my Windows Media Center 2005. It's very odd, because it does not show up regularly. It seems to show up more often with Adventures of Pooh which are recorded from Family Channel, and some other cartoons for my kids. I never seen this on any other shows. To make it even more interesting I've done an experiment with my Tivo and Media Center, recording the same Adventures of Pooh. There were a couple that did not record on the Media Center, because of that message, but Tivo recorded everything with out a problem. Go figure.
BTW I live in Edmonton, and I'm using regular (not digital) Shaw Cable.
The way I understand it - the broadcast flag is supposed to allow for one recording - i.e. to a PVR. The set-top box manufacturers have built in the capability to record shows flagged in this manner, but they do not output these shows via the firewire outputs.
My guess is that since MS knows that once something is recorded to the hard drive someone is going to be able to get it off means that they built a hard restriction into the OS.
Worth remembering: the broadcast flag is merely an optional tool.
Nobody forces content providers to use it.
If you can't record something it is because the content provider *chose* to deny you that feature. Direct your wrath appropriately.
Let them know you do not be appreciate being denied timeshifting's benefits.
In the case of ABCFamily content, that is our pals at Disney who are already on record with plenty other user-hostile practices.
Interesting thing is that this problem is not regular. It will record fine for a few weeks, then suddenly it will stop recording once or twice, and then continue. It looks like either Shaw Cable is playing with the broadcast flag, setting it randomly on different shows. Come to think of it, my wife was a little ticked when Gilmore Girls did not record because of that error message. Then again it happened only on one show and never happened again.
It seems to me that this is some kind of OS problem, than a broadcast flag.
I'm experiencing the exact same thing with two shows I record for my kids: Little Einsteins and The Wiggles. In both cases, I'm recording Treehouse TV and with both shows, it's a random occurrence. I'll be OK for several episodes, and then one will get blocked. It's maddening, especially when it always seems to fail on the days we promise our son a "new show" when we get home.
I'm experiencing the exact same thing with two shows I record for my kids: Little Einsteins and The Wiggles. In both cases, I'm recording Treehouse TV and with both shows, it's a random occurrence.
Have you drilled down into the recording history and checked to see if there's a note about why it failed? Maybe it will tell you if it's the broadcast flag or not.
The way I understand it - the broadcast flag is supposed to allow for one recording - i.e. to a PVR. The set-top box manufacturers have built in the capability to record shows flagged in this manner, but they do not output these shows via the firewire outputs.
I agree with that. HBO is famous for this. I can record Sopranos and watch it fine...but I can't seem to find a way to get it on to my Zune to watch it later. I seem to only encounter this with HBO, as you said they let it be copied once (on to the computer) then block any attempt to move it to another location...which I guess is the point. I can understand this protection, I guess, but I wish it would realize, "hey, he is not trying to burn a DVD then distribute it...he just wants to watch it on a tiny screen."
I seem to only encounter this with HBO, as you said they let it be copied once (on to the computer) then block any attempt to move it to another location...which I guess is the point. I can understand this protection, I guess, but I wish it would realize, "hey, he is not trying to burn a DVD then distribute it...he just wants to watch it on a tiny screen."
Which is why it should be called Digital Restriction Management, instead of Digital Rights Management. That HBO executive must have been high on crack cocaine when he said DRM enables more consumers to do more with content, not less. This is a perfect example of just the opposite. :x
The Broadcast Flag Says "No Recording For You"
Linear Mode
