Another Hit on Blu-ray: Toshiba Backs Movies on Memory Cards

[rago88]

but what they don't know can't hurt them

ditto!!

[BR7]

Isn't it technically illegal to record stuff like HBO?

That being said, do the DVRs even care? I find it funny that the cable companies give people these DVRs, which can blatantly be used to record copyrighted stuff. Of course, they think it's impossible to transfer the contents of your DVR to your computer, but what they don't know can't hurt them

I have the Dish Network Vip612 and they charge $5 a month for DVR fees (even on the old Mpeg2 recievers) I asked what the charge was for and they said it was for copyright fees.They put a time limit on VOD and PPV movies.When that time runs out the movie wont play and you have to delete it.Recording HBO and other channels is legal because of the fee

[drfsupercenter]

Oh, looks like they gave in to the MPAA's demand for a "piracy fee".

As for those movies... that's why I have a DVD recorder No DRM, nothing, it puts it on a DVD and I can keep/use it forever. Of course, it's 480i, not "High definition"...

I should check with WideOpenWest and see if they have a DVR fee... though I don't believe they do, I think you just have to pay for the hardware.

[dr_ml422]

It's all about the $$$ drf. Always was and always will be. Someone's paying someone off. Then again you could record TV shows for personal viewing later on, and that's been around since VCR days. So I'm out of answers on this one except for corruption as always. There's a loop hole in everything just have to look hard enough.

[drfsupercenter]

That's why I don't have a DVR, and instead use DVD+Rs, as well as TSReader with an antenna for local HD.

[dr_ml422]

W/e they come up w/concerning DRM or w/e is just more fuel for piracy. It's reminding me of Prohibition. It failed. Now there's liquor stores all over the planet. So what do you think is more damaging? A drunk running you down or a dear loved one, or someone watching or listening to a video or cd in their home, car or w/e? At some point there's going to have to be a avenue where both parties, the manufacturers and consumers would come off as mutually benefiting from a desired controlled format involving price and availability, which in this case is the digital component. Until then it's a losing proposition.

@ BR7 Good to hear from you. Did the Steelers win? I almost put my foot through the set after the G-Men went down like the characters in "Lost."

[doctorhardware]

Just think how many videos that the digital kiosks will have compared to the kiosks like redbox will have using DVDs. It would be ten fold.

[BR7]

Oh, looks like they gave in to the MPAA's demand for a "piracy fee".

As for those movies... that's why I have a DVD recorder No DRM, nothing, it puts it on a DVD and I can keep/use it forever. Of course, it's 480i, not "High definition"...

I should check with WideOpenWest and see if they have a DVR fee... though I don't believe they do, I think you just have to pay for the hardware.

You can also hook up a 750GB external drive with 2.0 USB and transfer your movies to it to make room on the DVR.The catch is that you have to pay a one time fee of $50 to activate this feature on your reciever

@ BR7 Good to hear from you. Did the Steelers win? I almost put my foot through the set after the G-Men went down like the characters in "Lost."

They did win They are going to have a very tough game with the Ravens

[drfsupercenter]

What happened to my post about DRM? Did it get removed or something?

Surely discussing anti-piracy and DRM isn't against the rules?

The other problem I have with DVRs is that they re-compress everything. For HD channels, they're all digital to begin. And why not copy-pasting those 1s and 0s into your hard drive? I can do that with my TV tuner, writing a "title stream" that is basically bit-for-bit from the air version. DVRs recompress all your channels so they don't look as good. I've seen some, where my friends recorded so many videos it had to compress them all more just to fit on the thing... the quality was so terrible I didn't want to watch it siting close to the TV.

So yes, they're good for people who are just lazy and want to watch their shows again. But I prefer the "power user" way to truly do what I want with the cable I pay for. (By "I" I mean my parents, but you get the idea)

[BR7]

DVRs recompress all your channels so they don't look as good. I've seen some, where my friends recorded so many videos it had to compress them all more just to fit on the thing... the quality was so terrible I didn't want to watch it siting close to the TV.

So yes, they're good for people who are just lazy and want to watch their shows again. But I prefer the "power user" way to truly do what I want with the cable I pay for. (By "I" I mean my parents, but you get the idea)

That is VERY odd.I have not noticed or experienced anything like that at all.All my recordings look as good as when I watched them live

[drfsupercenter]

How often do you use it though?

My friends have done those "season passes" for huge amounts of shows, like to the point they have 100+ hours on their DVR.

And it does what certain transcoders do: Lower the bitrate. Plus, last time I checked... the DVR is used instead of a cable box or cable card, and the DVRs I have seen suck at upscaling! I'm happy with cable plugged right into my TV. (And if/when we do get "HD Cable" I'll probably have it rigged so the analog and local HD channels use the TV's tuner and then the HDMI input is for other HD channels) (We get local HD in QAM for free because of a great new law the FCC passed saying all cable companies (not sure about satellite) have to provide local HD channels unencrypted via QAM even for their lowest level customers (which would be us... we have analog cable!).)

[doctorhardware]

Hold on not so fast, I heard a news report that Obama is going to extend the time before the switch over to all digital TV transmissions. What Obama doesn't realize that the bandwidth which was sold. The companies that bought the frequencies can and will sue the FCC for breach of contract.

[dr_ml422]

@drf You have to take into consideration that not all companies are actually pumping true hd or digital for that matter. So if you say you've seen how bad the shows came out on some of your friends recordings etc... and BR7 hasn't seen any it could be they're compressing the digital signal way too much already where you're at just to get it through. Time Warner does the same thing. They preach they've been having fiber optics since the beginning, but how could they if they never opened up the streetys to install the new cables from the get go. Verizon on the other hand rips the streets open, and any old installations in any buildings are also replaced by new cables providing fiber optics, hence a way better hd signal and faster of course. Common sense really when you look at it. They don't have hd cable yet down your way so how could anything be pure digital from the get go? The signal's already compromised. If raggo and BR7 aren't having any problems and many others, and you are or seem to think there is, then further investigation must take place. They're in it to win it up to a certain point. Same as Blu-ray really. Great picture no doubt, but you better have the best goodies to really maximize the experience, and Sony obviously has them, but a steep price. Don't you wonder why you're getting those free local hd channels and the FCC approved it? Compensation for lack of quality. It'll change hopefully when you get real digital pumped through your cable.

You have to see the commercials Time Warner have been putting out ever since Verizon got the green light for Fios cable here in New York. Just can't compete w/Fios. They just finished yesterday deleting even more channels from my complementary cable box from TW, and I don't care. I think I'll just hold off until Fios gets to my block which is not too far away. Unless I get ancy and just add another box to supplement my mom's TW account until they do come. Football's over and I could live w/watching these Bronx Bums on the 9 network until I get the YES channel again.

[BR7]

You have to see the commercials Time Warner have been putting out ever since Verizon got the green light for Fios cable here in New York. Just can't compete w/Fios. They just finished yesterday deleting even more channels from my complementary cable box from TW, and I don't care. I think I'll just hold off until Fios gets to my block which is not too far away. Unless I get ancy and just add another box to supplement my mom's TW account until they do come. Football's over and I could live w/watching these Bronx Bums on the 9 network until I get the YES channel again.

I have been hearing a lot of good things about fios.It's nice to see some initiative out there when it comes to this stuff.

How often do you use it though?
My friends have done those "season passes" for huge amounts of shows, like to the point they have 100+ hours on their DVR.

And it does what certain transcoders do: Lower the bitrate. Plus, last time I checked... the DVR is used instead of a cable box or cable card, and the DVRs I have seen suck at upscaling! I'm happy with cable plugged right into my TV.

I use it often .I have the full season of True Blood,Big Love Season 2 and soon Big Love Season 3(they are all in HD).Like I said before there isn't any evidence of quality drop.Maybe they should have their provider look in to that.I know I wouldn't put up with it

[rago88]

I pretty much dvr all the shows on network I watch so as to skip thru commercials..
that said I also dvr most of the Shotime shows like weeds, dexter, brotherhood etc and 1 hbo show which is true blood.

the HD playback is exactly the same as if I watched the live broadcast..
Excellent HD picture via Panny plasma and clear 5.1 audio..
Comcast........