Encryption

[DrSmith]

Enphase iQ8 inverters can do what they call 'solar backup', which can form a microgrid and provide power without batteries.

Wow, that's really cool. Hopefully more installers will recognize this and offer the option. 99% of them say "oh, you need a battery if you want your own panels to power your stuff during an outage."

But, back to the larger point. Won't caring broadcasters simply turn off DRM during an emergency? No need for internet then.

[SpiceWare]

To be pedantic, this is not 100% true. Enphase iQ8 inverters can do what they call 'solar backup', which can form a microgrid and provide power without batteries.

Thanks for the info, hadn't heard of those. Looks like they came out in late 2021, my system was installed March 2019.

This only further highlights the absurdness of the cloud reliance of the app further however.

Yeah, I use VLC to access the tuners if the HDHomeRun app isn't happy about being offline. It's installed on my Apple TV, Mac mini (also plugged into the TV), iPad, etc. iPad's particularly handy for live TV if I need to conserve the home's battery at night as I'll have charged the iPad up to 100% during the day.

The mini is used as a home theater PC, though a couple weeks ago I installed Plex on a Synology NAS and have been migrating my media over to it.

[goofnroxx]

But, back to the larger point. Won't caring broadcasters simply turn off DRM during an emergency? No need for internet then.

The app doesn't work at all without internet, DRM or not. Some of the core components are apparently cloud reliant.

[NatHillIV]

But, back to the larger point. Won't caring broadcasters simply turn off DRM during an emergency? No need for internet then.

The app doesn't work at all without internet, DRM or not. Some of the core components are apparently cloud reliant.

I am lost, as usual. What "app" are you talking about?

[goofnroxx]

But, back to the larger point. Won't caring broadcasters simply turn off DRM during an emergency? No need for internet then.

The app doesn't work at all without internet, DRM or not. Some of the core components are apparently cloud reliant.

I am lost, as usual. What "app" are you talking about?

The HDHR player/frontend app. It requires internet to work.

[petelombardo]

The app doesn't work at all without internet, DRM or not. Some of the core components are apparently cloud reliant.

I am lost, as usual. What "app" are you talking about?

The HDHR player/frontend app. It requires internet to work.

Wow, I just tried it and you're right. Still, I can browse the IP of the HDHR and play the channels in VLC with no Internet. I, too, have solar, with a battery backup, and so even if Internet and power go out, I would be able to watch TV. Well, unless I'm watching those ATSC 3.0 encrypted channels down the road. That would be problematic.

I would love it if the SiliconDust team could relieve the Internet dependency on the HDHR app. I would be happy with a warning that the transcoding service would be unavailable and the guide would be blank. At least the TV would work still.

[davidmb]

The issue is that it isn’t up to HDHR whether the Internet access is required or not. It’s up to the A3SC (a body who do not answer to the people!). This is the biggest issue I have is having a body who do not answer to the people getting involved. They aren’t required to disclose what the heck they are doing.. they are a black box so to speak. And they sneakily started adding all this BS without actually talking to any users. Without thinking this through.

Hopefully FCC wises up and makes any entity like this illegal. The ATSC 3 protocol without the DRM is fine. We shouldn’t also force the TV stations to upgrade. If they wish to get the feedback from the new protocol then it needs to be done without the DRM.

[goofnroxx]

The issue is that it isn’t up to HDHR whether the Internet access is required or not.

It *is* up to SD to make an app that doesn't work without internet, irrespective of DRM. Their app currently *does not* function without internet for live TV, recorded programs, ATSC1 or 3 or cable. At all. Does not function.

[Cabal]

The issue is that it isn’t up to HDHR whether the Internet access is required or not.

It *is* up to SD to make an app that doesn't work without internet, irrespective of DRM. Their app currently *does not* function without internet for live TV, recorded programs, ATSC1 or 3 or cable. At all. Does not function.

I believe the app does cache what it needs on some platforms, but not all of them.

[tjp]

The issue is that it isn’t up to HDHR whether the Internet access is required or not.

It *is* up to SD to make an app that doesn't work without internet, irrespective of DRM. Their app currently *does not* function without internet for live TV, recorded programs, ATSC1 or 3 or cable. At all. Does not function.

About 2 years ago I posted this same issue with the HDHR app and how I wished it could work without internet access. Nick replied that that was a feature they were looking into. Again - that was about 2 years ago.

Meanwhile, I forked out $20 for the Channels app that doesn't require internet access for ATSC1.0 channels. To me it's worth the money as the VLC method is a little tedious to use.

[nickk]

BTW - we added no-internet support to the HDHomeRun app for Roku to prove out the concept.

[SoNic67]

So encrypted channels don't work on HDHomeRun FLEX 4K + Windows 11 + HDHomeRun app... I found that surprising, but that's the situation.

However, my Fire TV Cube Gen 3 cannot play them either!

110.1 NBC /Wavy-TV Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA

[nickk]

So encrypted channels don't work on Windows 11... I found that surprising, but that's the situation.

Correct. A3SA mandates the use of Widevine DRM which Microsoft does not support in apps. Widevine for browsers on Windows doesn't work with HEVC video or AC4 audio.

[SoNic67]

How about the Fire TV Cube?
110.1 NBC /Wavy-TV Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News, VA

[signcarver]

Encrypted channels don't work at all (yet) on a gateway product which a HDHomeRun always is... this limitation will also apply to zb when used as a gateway until the a3sa further defines and approves things which will be several more months (if not years, at the pace they seem to be working, but zb has the potential to use another method since they control both gateway and client device and not relying purely on an app... third party app in respect to the client device).

What nickk was saying is currently windows (and also apple devices) have no path forward... android (which currently includes fire devices though an update to the cube to vega may take that away, but assuming widevine is present it may just require a native "vegaOS" app be developed) does have an easier path forward but parts for a gateway are still missing/unapproved and not fully defined to get such approved (yet). In other words android and roku should eventually work with an app on 3rd party client devices (though i think there was also a recent snag on the roku front when not delivering via route or hls so it may not come to roku unless the more atsc3 native "route" is used rather than a ts).

Sometimes I feel SD would be far better off releasing a client device (and/or STB) and do away with the waiting but if they went that route, it kind of defeats the purpose of the hdhomerun in getting content to "any" device but note that with drm/encryption that "any" will always only work with a subset of those devices.