Encryption

[DrSmith]

The one I was referring to is not listed there. Not trying to be cryptic but...

Ha ha, too funny all the weird dancing we have to do to communicate in this quaint forum. I think I found the product you are referring to. They don't mention DRM either? Entirely possible that the A3SA part of their approval only applies to the HDMI interface and that wifi/gateway clients are restricted to non-DRM channels. Can't really tell from the product info screens.

[Freekick123]

Found the manual. To watch on your "personal electronic device (PED)" the stb functions as a hot spot. You need to change your wifi connection off your home internet. That would make it pretty locked down which would satisfy A3SA. I'll pass since it would take my phone or tablet off the internet and be a PITA.

[TPeterson]

It still says nothing on the webpage about DRM (and the diagram shows the TV connected via HDMI).

[Freekick123]

It still says nothing on the webpage about DRM (and the diagram shows the TV connected via HDMI).

And it appears to be vapor ware. I can't find it anywhere. If it doesn't have DRM it might only be available overseas.

[jwhazel]

It still says nothing on the webpage about DRM (and the diagram shows the TV connected via HDMI).

It has the A3SA logo on the page.

One thing though is that I don’t actually see it for sale anywhere or even any mention of a release date?

Edit: The certification from the FCC came from fall 2023. The only thing I could find regarding availability was a blog article from earlier this year mentioning they "will begin accepting pre-orders for the box later this month [January 2024]". 11 months later and I still don't see it for sale anywhere.

[nickk]

This is a step forward. We are following up with A3SA.

[Flyoffacliff]

The one I was referring to is not listed there. Not trying to be cryptic but...

Ha ha, too funny all the weird dancing we have to do to communicate in this quaint forum. I think I found the product you are referring to. They don't mention DRM either? Entirely possible that the A3SA part of their approval only applies to the HDMI interface and that wifi/gateway clients are restricted to non-DRM channels. Can't really tell from the product info screens.

On Reddit, there is an HDHomeRun subreddit there, as well as a generic OTA one without such quaint rules.

What's even more ridiculous about is that this ATSC rollout is taking 10 times longer than it should.

ATSC 1 uses DVD-era encoding from 20 years ago. Wish they would have released something like ATSC 2.0 first, which would have switched to modern encoding to be more spectrum efficient, while still not supporting 4k, so the broadcasters can't throw a fit about DRM.

[Flyoffacliff]

This is a step forward. We are following up with A3SA.

Thanks, keep us posted!

[gtb]

This is a step forward. We are following up with A3SA.

Thanks, keep us posted!

Should A3SA intend to announce any substantial updates, expect them in (around) three weeks.

I, for one, will not be surprised if no substantial updates are announced.

[nickk]

ATSC 1 uses DVD-era encoding from 20 years ago. Wish they would have released something like ATSC 2.0 first, which would have switched to modern encoding to be more spectrum efficient, while still not supporting 4k, so the broadcasters can't throw a fit about DRM.

Broadcasters are allowed to use AVC - h.264 was added to the ATSC 1.0 standard in ~2008.

[gtb]

ATSC 1 uses DVD-era encoding from 20 years ago. Wish they would have released something like ATSC 2.0 first, which would have switched to modern encoding to be more spectrum efficient, while still not supporting 4k, so the broadcasters can't throw a fit about DRM.

Broadcasters are allowed to use AVC - h.264 was added to the ATSC 1.0 standard in ~2008.

Do you have any reference to any cases where the FCC has issued an exception to any full power station which has been authorized to use AVC for a transmitters primary sub-channel? While your statement is accurate for secondary sub-channels, for the primary (usually "network") sub-channels, they are required to use MPEG2, so that existing TV's can receive and display them.

[jasonl]

Broadcasters are required to carry at least one MPEG2 channel in at least 480i resolution with synchronized audio. AFAIK there is no requirement as to which service that be. I'm not aware of any direct prohibition on carrying a major network affiliation in AVC, but it might not go over so well if there was severe weather or some sort of emergency and some viewers weren't able to access the news on a channel where they would normally expect to find it.

[kyl416]

Even though AVC/H264 was added as an optional part of the specs in 2008, manufacturers were still pumping out tuners and TVs that are coded to only recognize streamType 0x02 (MPEG-2) for ATSC 1.0. Most notably the pre-Scripps models of a certain popular DVR. Over at the AVS forum there are a bunch of reports of people getting "Audio only" screens on their mid-2010s TVs after CHSN launched as a MPEG-4 channel on Chicago's WJYS, including some major brands like Samsung.

No Big 5 network is going to let any of their affiliates switch to MPEG-4 when their biggest local competitors are still available in MPEG-2. Most major diginets also require MPEG-2 as part of their affiliation agreements. Like this is the contract for MeTV Toons on Boston's WMFP.

[howardc1243]

*Note to forum moderators - I had to space out the spelling for **** in order to get it to display, this is a perfectly legitimate media center which does not condone piracy but 3rd parties make pirate add-ons available for it. This has nothing to do with the media center software itself, in fact they took legal action against some of the 3rd parties illegally using their name to sell pirate boxes. You should update and correct your content-filtering.

Dunno if the mods will get back to you. But I think they block all references to any product that is even remotely competitive to SiliconDust products. I'd guess that they just don't want SD forum content appearing when someone does a google search about another product. Nothing to do with piracy, just competitive marketing defense.

i have to agree with what nickk is doing in regards to filtering.

this forum is about silicondust and its line of products in relation to the receiving of atsc3 over the air signals.

[howardc1243]

Here is a rather direct question for SD.

I have used your hardware and software for years and contine to do so.

However owners of your 4K tuners are unable to record any programming in 4K or even view programing.
No progress appears to being made to change this, so why bother selling 4K capable SD hardware?

that is called "getting" ahead of "the curve" and what a strategy it is. even before the a3sa was ever born. the day is coming when television set will receive the 2190 pixels of video, but until then the gateway box will have to do.