[Outlaw]

Is it possible for a TV station to broadcast something on Television without it being able to be recorded from your home. For Example... If I'm watching TV while I'm recording the show , can they put something on that show that can't be recorded on my vcr but the rest of that cut will.??? Just like when you watch a video on youtube, you see the video but sometimes there are pop-ups at the bottom of the video that aren't recorded in the video. Can that same thing be done on TV? Please I need all your help thanks so much

 

[Walter Dnes]

I hate to say this, but "it depends"...

• If you're a BDU (cable/satellite/IPTV) subscriber, you can only record with the provider's own PVR. They will usually have it programmed so it doesn't record premium stuff. And there is no way you can copy the recorded material off to your computer.
• If you're recording OTA, you are usually in charge. But beware the DTVPal OTA DVR (EchoStar TR-50 & Channel Master 7000PAL). It's basically a satellite TV receiver with an OTA tuner. I emailed them and got answers as per http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=878681&postcount=144

 

[Outlaw]

i didn't understand what you meant bro

what i'm saying is... can the tv station put something on television and they don't want you to be able to record it

 

[57]

Yes, there are such signals which can be included in programming, although it usually doesn't stop you from recording on provider-supplied equipment because the settings usually allow for such recordings. Here's the FAQ on the topic for digital devices:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=14099

There's also the CGMS-a signal, to preclude recording on analogue devices - like VCRs, DVD recorders, but again doesn't affect recordings on the provider-supplied equipment (PVRs).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CGMS

I suppose the signal could be applied only to segments of a programme, but I haven't typically seen that happen - it's usually the entire programme.

Your thread title was not very clear.

 

[majortom]

technically feasible, but not likely anytime soon. I think the Broadcast Flag was struck down by the courts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadcast_flag

 

[57]

majortom, 5C and CGMS-a are both active though, even though the broadcast flag (something different) is not active - depending on the provider and the device in question. See my links.

 

[Outlaw]

majortom you hit it right on the dot! broadcast flag, haha that explains it perfectly i searched in wikipedia

i love u man ! LOL

"A broadcast flag is a set of status bits (or a "flag") sent in the data stream of a digital television program that indicates whether or not the data stream can be recorded, or if there are any restrictions on recorded content."

so the above is basically telling me, if i seen a braodcast flag on tv and tried recording it on my vcr, i wont be able to record it correct?

 

[57]

Outlaw, I suggest you read my posts/links, not majortom's, since the broadcast flag is not being used, while 5C is used for firewire (digital) connections and CGMS-a is used for analogue connections. How these apply will depend on the service provider, the programme, the devices in question, etc.

I don't believe that VCRs "listen" to the CGMS-a signal since they're such old technology, however, most newer DVD Recorders do. VCRs do listen to "Macrovision" from other tapes for example.

 

[majortom]

I thought Outlaw's question was related to Over The Air Broadcasts. Not Cable, Satellite, TIVO, DVD Players, etc.
I agree, Topic Title was confusing. Outlaw, what do "Overlap + Recording" have to do with a Broadcast Flag, or any other type of recording flag?

 

[Outlaw]

sorry man, i'm not good with TV's i'm a newbie...

whats the difference between Over the Air Broadcast and regular Satellite or Cable???

in a nut shell, i'm asking... can someone broadcast something on TV when they don't want you to be able to record it?

 

[57]

Short answer is yes. They can and they do. 5C signals affect firewire connections (HTPCs) and CGMS-a affects analogue connections like composite/S video (DVD recorders).

OTA is received via an antenna. Cable/Sat is via a service provider.

 

[Outlaw]

As we continue 2 talk about this topic, I thank everyone for their replies.

Can they make a part of the TV brodcast flag...
Like say, they just wantt the bottom left part of the screen not to be recorded... Or does it have to be the whole screen that can't be recorded?

 

[Outlaw]

So, does Broadcast Flag work with satellite TV? What's the difference between Over the air tv, and cable and satellite?

And someone please tell me , if broadcast flag works with Satellite TV? Thanks

 

[57]

1. The broadcast flag is not applicable, as discussed earlier in this thread. Please stop referring to a broadcast flag.

2. A service provider will "pass" CGMS-a or 5C as appropriate and they already do as discussed many times on this forum. So, if a CGMS-a signal precluding recording is present, and is passed to a DVD recorder, the DVD recorder will not record. If a 5C signal is present precluding recording on say an HTPC via Firewire, the HTPC cannot record. This is already happening on certain programmes.

 

[Outlaw]

57 i live in Toronto as well xD, did u mean the Broadcast flag is not applicable to satellite tv? i read in some places it could be

i was watching satellite tv, a news station, and i seen something appear on the bottom left side of their program that im not sure if they let u record it or if it was a broadcast flag and they didnt allow us to record it, i couldnt tell cuz i wasnt recording at that time...

so, my main concern is if its applicable with satellite tv

 

[Outlaw]

Restrictions on Recording?

Is it possible for a Satellite Television Channel to show a program without letting you be able to record it?

 

[Walter Dnes]

Yes. Since you have to use their STB (Set Top Box), you're at their mercy. To quote The Outer Limits "We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity". And if we don't feel like letting you record it, too bad.

 

[hugh]

Why do you keep asking the same question?