Encryption

[wvdearbeck]

I standby what I originally posted. Useless TO ME. Maybe for someone in the right market., but I bought it to receive Nexgen 3.0. All my local Nexgen channels are DRM.

[TPeterson]

Open to feedback - what features/areas do you think there is room to improve on?

I hope that you have this already on the to-do list?

[nickk]

Open to feedback - what features/areas do you think there is room to improve on?

I hope that you have this already on the to-do list?

The record engine already supports playout only operation (ie disabling recording) by setting the RecordStreamsMax to 0 in the conf file.

We can't disable internet API handling completely because our guide servers need to know what images to keep around.

[TPeterson]

Open to feedback - what features/areas do you think there is room to improve on?

I hope that you have this already on the to-do list?

The record engine already supports playout only operation (ie disabling recording) by setting the RecordStreamsMax to 0 in the conf file.

We can't disable internet API handling completely because our guide servers need to know what images to keep around.

Thanks for the tip on RecordStreamsMax. For PC-based DVR engines, is that a DWORD key under Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Silicondust\HDHomeRun\DVR? EDIT: Nevermind, I found confirmation of this here

Also, what about setting ES_SYSTEM_REQUIRED during playout?

[hancox]

I standby what I originally posted. Useless TO ME. Maybe for someone in the right market., but I bought it to receive Nexgen 3.0. All my local Nexgen channels are DRM.

I'm close to in the same boat. Main use case was to be able to supplement my TV service with out-of-market (but working on the lighthouse) locals, so i could drop cable. It's more of a concern during NFL season, so there is time, but I'm losing hope.

[LarrySB]

I do not really understand what there is to hope for? It seems to me that the FCC enabled this and the broadcasters interests are represented by the industry group setting the standards. Consumers like us are left sucking air unless or until there is a group/lobbyist/grass roots effort to convince the FCC to free up the airwaves. I suppose more local effort could be successful in a viewing area to convince a broadcaster to not encrypt. [final comment removed by moderator - see forum rules]
Larry

[gore]

[removed by moderator - see forum rules]

[LarrySB]

Are there really any boxes today that provide ATSC 3.0 decoding AND recording/playback of 3.0 programs? If so, a box that uses the home network for multiple TV's? I see there is one that provides decoding and a pending update to use multiple TV's but promises a future capability of record/playback of 3.0. I am really loving HDHR, it's capabilities and it's performance. I could not be using it if I had to connect the box to the TV and the antenna to the box. I am hopeful that SiliconDust will eventually be able to provide all of the capability we are looking for.
Larry

[DennisFL]

My issue with the gods of DRM is the hidden agenda. I didn't see this coming.

Years back I was paying the cable company almost $30/month to rent a cable box with DVR. The market we are in (Tampa) was too far for an attic antenna and the closer market (Ft Myers) didn't cover our local news and weather. But with the advent of Tampa ATSC 3 stations I was able to get all four major networks with an attic antenna and perfectly at that, while saving $360/yr by losing the cable VCR box.

But, one by one they scrambled and now I'm down to one non-DRM station. So my initial solution (when only NBC went DRM) was to buy a Duo and a second antenna and point it South at Ft Myers to fill the gap. But now that only one station remains - I am overwhelming my two tuner HDHomerun while the Flex 4 is idle with only Fox.

If DRM is going to remain an issue for the foreseeable future, I am going to switch the Flex to only ATSC 1.0 duty and point the antenna south.

I have also been using the network streaming apps for the DRM'ed networks (Peacock, Paramount, and ABC).

[LarrySB]

In my market area, Greenville, SC, very few OTA viewers can pick up ABC 1.0, however, the 3.0 tower is right here and all of the networks are on it, except that NBC and Fox are encrypted now. They are readily receivable in 1.0. Unfortunately there is nothing worth watching and recording on ABC, although I was able to record the Miami Formula One on my Flex 4k. It is aggravating not knowing if or when there will be a breakthrough in the current impasse. It is logical to assume that SD and others want the ability to decrypt for consumers so I am still hopeful. I am just not a wait-and-see kind of guy....
Larry

[tjp]

There's a lot of room to improve, sure. A paperweight, though? I think that's disingenuous.

Open to feedback - what features/areas do you think there is room to improve on?

AppleTV - we are adding 1080i 60fps support and the ability to disable slice guide for people who are watching by themselves and want to go straight into the grid guide.

Roku - we are adding episode sorting support in the next release.

(Sorry that this is a bit off-topic for this thread)
My biggest gripe with the SD app is difficulty in seeing the signal strength/quality info. Please look at the way the "Channels" app does it. I press the "info" button on my Shield remote and it displays EVERYTHING about the current channel. I love this feature!

Example:
https://ibb.co/YZ0YNBB

[howardc1243]

There's a lot of room to improve, sure. A paperweight, though? I think that's disingenuous.

Open to feedback - what features/areas do you think there is room to improve on?

AppleTV - we are adding 1080i 60fps support and the ability to disable slice guide for people who are watching by themselves and want to go straight into the grid guide.

Roku - we are adding episode sorting support in the next release.

(Sorry that this is a bit off-topic for this thread)
My biggest gripe with the SD app is difficulty in seeing the signal strength/quality info. Please look at the way the "Channels" app does it. I press the "info" button on my Shield remote and it displays EVERYTHING about the current channel. I love this feature!

Example:
https://ibb.co/YZ0YNBB

the signal strength meter is a soft thing as you move through the channels the meter will show the signal in one of three colors, red for poor yellow for good and green for excellent and the same is applied for signal quality and symbol quality.

depending on where you live you might end-up receiving channels that showing as poor in the signal meter due to the signal quality being higher as well as the symbol quality being higher.

[howardc1243]

On the subject of DRM - A3SA can revoke or deny DRM content viewing on/via a product at any time. This essentially means that every new idea for a consumer product and every new feature an innovator wants to add to a consumer product needs to be approved by the broadcasters that are on the A3SA voting committee.

also the broadcasters are pushing the envelope and when they push that envelope too far the fcc might get involved, hopefully.

[beefjerky]

Well, I've officially given up on ATSC3. As of now, only one of our stations is DRM encrypted (111), but I have no doubt the rest will follow. Combine that with the proprietary audio codec that prevents Kodi from working with them, and it's simply dead to me. This is just more proof that DRM only hurts legitimate users.

I'll stick with ATSC1 until they pull the plug. Then, maybe I'll just ditch my TV altogether, as I'm just done with the anti-consumer attitude from broadcasters and studios. I'm just done...