[57]

It's CGMA-a that's causing the problem. Here's the thread on the issue and workarounds are outlined in the links in post 1.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=44045

Here's the FAQ on connections - if you record using the DVD Recorder's internal tuner for any analogue channels that you receive, there should be no issues, however, whenever a STB is involved, there can be issues depending on the CGMS-a flag and the recorder:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=76077

 

[57]

What's the make/model of the STB and who is your service provider? I suppose you could use the RF-coax, however, that's going to be mono sound and poor PQ and I'm not sure if the stabilizers use RF-coax... You should likely get a better STB if all it has is RF-coax.

 

[57]

Having an HDMI connection is discussed in one of the links in the CGMS-a thread. Try recording without it as suggested there.

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=512343#post512343

The links I provided in post 2 give you all the information you need to do DVD recording they talk about the appropriate connections to use in and out of the various devices.


Here's the FAQ on Recording HD.

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

 

[57]

Who is putting this CGMA-a on the programs or cable company?

The studio that produced the material. It's done on a programme by programme basis. The service provider simply passes the signal to the consumer.

What about this.. main cable comes in from the street to the set top box in jack , use no HDMI cable going from a set top box to the TV but Connect video out (composite) from set-top box to Line in in DVD recorder and Connect Component out from DVD recorder to TV Input.

Even if you don't use HDMI, I cannot guarantee that it will record. It's totally dependent on the equipment. The only "sure" way is with the most recent video stabilizer if you get the "not allowed to record" message on your DVD recorder.

The FAQ on how to connect things, only illustrates the connections you need. If the CGMS-a signal is present, and the DVD recorder "honours" the signal, then the only workaround is the appropriate stabilizer between the STB and the recorder, which "strips" the CGMS-a signal so that the DVD recorder will record.

Remember that this is an escallating arms race and that the stabilizer you purchase today may not work on a new signal they develop in a couple of years, as discussed in the CGMS-a thread, where people have had to purchase newer stabilizers. I believe nothing much will happen on this front though since very few people are using DVD recorders and the studios now have bigger fish to fry.

 

[57]

And the law allows them to do that ?

Sure does.

Why is it I can record TV shows if I do not use any set top box ?

As discussed in the links in the CGMS-a thread, the signal is for "record once" and if you feed the signal directly to the recorder, it is able to "record once". If you go through a STB, then the DVD recorder often will not record, as outlined in the following post. I do suggest you read the links I've provided since your answers are there, even if it's hard slogging:

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=512343&postcount=140

Is that why there is no blu ray recorder?

Yes, at least in North America.

And where would one get a stabilizers.

Search the web for "video stabilizer". Make sure you get the most recent model.

 

[57]

I looked at the link and the only thing I can dig up is this but still does not explain why.

Try reading the following from the same post:

2. The programmes are tagged "copy once".

However.

3. Some DVD recorders are refusing to even copy once.

4. The manufacturers of these recorders could not explain why (to my professional contacts).

5. It is postulated that the DVD recorder manufacturers can not guarantee the disk they create is not copyable, so they don't make even one copy...

Why is it the laws in the past allow you to get a VCR and record and the laws do not allow it now?

1. VCRs did respect macrovision so that you could not record copy protected material like purchased tapes or DVDs onto VCRs from DVD players or other VCRs.
2. VCR have such poor quality that no-one cares any more.
3. There have been almost no VCRs sold lately - again no one cares about VCRs any more
4. When people started purchasing and using DVD recorders to record broadcast TV, they decided to preclude making more than one copy - so that you could time-shift, but not make copies of your recording for others - hence the "copy once" flag - these recorders were used without STBs. They did not implement the more harsh "copy never" flag, however, when STBs came into play, it became difficult to copy to DVD recorders that respected the flag. This is mostly a non-issue now since so few people use DVD recorders and STBs since the hookups and programming these to work is so convoluted.. The "geeks" use HTPCs and most people use PVRs for time-shifting.

How long has CGMS been around ? I read in a thread you post about from 2005 to now is very hard to record but before 2005 was better why was that

5. As indicated in the link in the CGMS-a thread to the Wikipedia site, CGMS-a has been around since about 1995, not 2005 - 1995 is roughly when DVD recorders came to market and in anticipation of DVRs like TiVo. Earlier DVD recorders didn't have the technology to "respect" CGMS-a, that's why it became an issue later - like say 2005. Also the studios didn't bother with CGMS-a much before then for their programming. Also, sometimes the service provider's STBs "stripped" the CGMS-a signal, but the studios asked them not to strip the signal.

6. HDMI and HD has nothing to do with CGMS-a since HDMI and HD are digital while CGMS-a (the a stands for) Analogue. Please do not confuse the various other flags around which affect other aspects that we are not discussing here. (5C, Broadcast, HDCP, etc)