DirecTV Can Disable the HD Output From Your STB (1 Viewer)

[GlennH]

http://www.etown.com/news/article.jhtml;?articleID=3944
MPAA is serious about restricting what HD content you will be allowed to see.

 

[TerryBlauser]

I have decided that each time the MPAA decides to pull the plug on my ability to view one of their products with my current technology I'll just pay a visit to "half priced books" and turn off the TV and certainly the movie theater for a month or so.
You know, the reason I bought my first VCR was that I saw Jack Velenti(sp?) telling a government hearing how he was going to have a "never copy" chip put in the next generation of VCRs. Looks like he may have finally accomplished it.
This reminds me of gun laws. It's not the a**hole copying the movie who's evil, it's the machine that makes it a possibility that causes copyright violations. Let's ban the machine.

 

[Bill Adlhoch]

sounds like another reason to go with dish network.........
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[GlennH]

I don't know what to think. I just bought a Pioneer Elite HDTV-ready RPTV, but do not have a set-top box for HD yet. I'd like to get one pretty soon but am not sure which way to go.
This issue would make one lean towards DISH. But then again, I can't imagine DirecTV blacking out HD broadcasts or requiring downconversion to 480i while DISH is allowed to show them in full HD. Seems that if the MPAA calls the shots they won't allow DISH to do that. And DirecTV wouldn't stand for being put at such a disadvantage relative to their competitor.
Then I read over at AVS forum about lip-synch problems many seem to be experiencing on DISH. That problem is very distracting to me when I've seen it on regular TV occasionally, to the point that I can't stand to watch.
I hope the dust settles on this stuff soon.

 

[Mike I]

While it is a potential problem I would not worry too much about it because by time the dust settles you probably would need a new tv..This will be argued for years and years if there is a ruling in favor of the MPAA
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[RobertR]

Just to make this clear, this does not apply to older DirectTV units (DTC100, etc.), i.e. those manufactured say, a year ago, correct?
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[TerryBlauser]

Sorry to bust your bubble but I just saw the fine print in my Mar2000 unit the other night ....it may not be possible to view all HD programming due to copyright restrictions..... more or less. FCould it be that features are not always to the buyers benefit?

 

[Alan Wood]

This was the deciding factor in my decision to switch. I have been with Direct TV for seven years now. I recently got a Tosh 65H80 and was looking at my options for a high def feed. Living in central VA where over the air broadcast are still a long ways off, my choices were very limited. Dish or Direct TV. I also feel that I am making a statement to Direct TV, that being that you will not sell me a service that you can just cut off at will. To me this borders on fraud. How many people have purchased these receivers that knew this was possible? This is an issue that should have been resolved before the first HD set was sold. I will be installing the Dish system this weekend.
Alan (Chip) Wood
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