Encryption

[NatHillIV]

In my eyes, Nick offered some very encouraging news regarding DRM I obtained while watching a Lon Seidman's youtube post.

quote:
https://postimg.cc/vx4YYjGh

Seidman video:
https://youtu.be/IzLjhBF30XQ

Mods: If I've posted something you don't like, feel free to delete it. I don't want to rock the apple cart.

[DrSmith]

In my eyes, Nick offered some very encouraging news regarding DRM I obtained while watching a Lon Seidman's youtube post.

I must be missing something. I don't see any news here. Just unbounded optimism, which SiliconDust has had since DRM was first turned on. I do hope 2026 is the year we get gateways going on ATSC 3.0. But I don't have any more optimism than I did in 2023 at this point.

[Cabal]

It would be a nice step, but iOS devices, Macs, and Windows would still be left out in the cold, though.

[jasonl]

We don't consider any solution that won't support iOS and Windows to be a complete solution and that will be part of our communications with the FCC and others. Macs, we'll see, depends on other factors at the OS level.

[danieljlevine]

I believe this is the quote in the article being referred to here:

And while SiliconDust’s HDHomeRun networked tuner remains unable to access encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels, there are signs of progress on that front, too. SiliconDust announced in November 2025 that it had become an ATSC 3.0 Certificate Authority for NextGen TV, and the company had a demo stall at the modest ATSC booth at CES for the first time.

Pearl TV has previously said that HDHomeRun was ineligible for DRM certification because it uses a chip from a subsidiary of Huawei, which the FCC has deemed a security threat. In an interview at CES, SiliconDust CTO and founder Nick Kelsey said the chip isn’t relevant to handling encrypted channels, and that HDHomeRun doesn’t even do the decryption itself. (Instead, it passes the video along to streaming devices, such as a Fire TV or Android TV, to handle the decryption.)

Kelsey said the allegations were “weird,” as the company had a great working relationship with Pearl previously, but added that those relations have since gone back to normal. He’s now hoping that HDHomeRun devices will support encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels this year without any additional hardware.

It’s not something that’s going to drag on further, and that’s not just us. Everyone in the industry is of a similar opinion,” he said.

These developments won’t allay every concern about ATSC 3.0. Gateway devices still require an internet connection for DRM, and out-of-home viewing won’t be possible. It also remains unclear if tuners will be able to work with third-party DVR software, such as Plex and Channels. For those reasons, ATSC 3.0 might remain toxic among tech enthusiasts even as the DVR options improve.

[tzr916]

...It also remains unclear if tuners will be able to work with third-party DVR software, such as Plex and Channels. For those reasons, ATSC 3.0 might remain toxic among tech enthusiasts even as the DVR options improve.

Unclear? The ONLY "third party" dvr software that handled DRM was Windows Media Center. If DRM survives, ATSC 3.0 on the PC is a dead duck (aside from possibly the Windows native HDHR App).

[danieljlevine]

Does the Google streaming device fall in the Android category fir the first post where it has the least impediments to DRM being implemented in the HDHR app and approved?

[Cabal]

Does the Google streaming device fall in the Android category fir the first post where it has the least impediments to DRM being implemented in the HDHR app and approved?

Yes, any recent enough (past few years, maybe longer) Android TV or Google TV device.

[lonseidman]

Hi everyone,

The FCC docket has now entered the reply period. I posted my reply to the pro-encryption claims filed by the broadcasters, **** and ********* today.

You can find it here: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search- ... 3019127432

[howardc1243]

...It also remains unclear if tuners will be able to work with third-party DVR software, such as Plex and Channels. For those reasons, ATSC 3.0 might remain toxic among tech enthusiasts even as the DVR options improve.

Unclear? The ONLY "third party" dvr software that handled DRM was Windows Media Center. If DRM survives, ATSC 3.0 on the PC is a dead duck (aside from possibly the Windows native HDHR App).

if DRM survives, you would be out of your tree if you gave-in to what the broadcasters want; which is to resubscribe to cable or satellite, thus giving-in to DRM-blackmailing.

if wtae would turn-off their atsc 1.0 signal, then they can kiss it I wouldn't miss them.

[cubdukat]

I am currently holding out on picking up the HDHomerun 4K tuner until this all shakes out, one way or the other.

I just have this feeling that the industry’s taking this massively unpopular step because there’s no downside to it for them. They’re going to get paid no matter what, and they could care less if people push back on them. Enough will simply sigh and pry open their wallets that it will be worth it. We’re just in that place now in the US. They’re getting over on the public because they feel they can, and quite frankly, I see them getting away with it because they’ve probably already cut some kind deal to insulate them from the people and the pitchforks and torches. It’s all about getting paid these days…