HDTV Anti-Piracy Device Gains Support (1 Viewer)

[Brennan Hill]

LA Times article discussing news that "Six major consumer electronics companies announced their support Tuesday for a new piracy- resistant digital connector for high-definition TV sets, DVD players and other devices."

But it also spells bad news for about 2.6million people who've already bought HDTV sets, all but a handful of which have no digital inputs. "I think we've got a grandfathering issue that we've got to manage very carefully," said David H. Arland, director of U.S. government and public relations for Thomson Multimedia, maker of RCA sets."

I'm glad I haven't bought one yet, and am hopeful there is an agreeable resolution for those who have.
Brennan

 

[SteveA]

studios have proposed such a restriction for "high-value movies," such as pay-per-view films

This is important. There are no plans to restrict over-the-air HDTV broadcasts or media such as D-VHS and DVD. Hollywood wants people to think all current HD-ready sets will be obsolete soon so no one will buy them. Their REAL goal is to kill HDTV before it ever really goes mainstream.

 

[JohnnyG]

The 'grandfathering' issue is simple. Don't sell devices or software that require digital inputs on a set until say, 7 years after the last set with analog-only inputs rolls off the assembly line.