Losing Control of Your TV

[Pale_Rider]

Getting closer to 1984's telescreens ...

Losing Control of Your TV
The latest anti-piracy move will prevent you from making high-quality copies of broadcast TV programs. And the new "broadcast flag" technology enables all manner of other restrictions.

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/wo_garfinkel030304.asp?trk=nl

In the future, the Motion Picture Association of America will control your television set. Every TV sold in the United States will come equipped with an electronic circuit that will search incoming TV programs for a tiny electronic “flag.” The MPAA’s members will control this flag, putting it into broadcast movies and television shows as they see fit. If the flag is present, your TV will go into a special high-security mode and lock down its high-quality digital outputs. If you want to record a flagged program, you’ll have to do so on analog tape or on a special low-resolution DVD. Any recording will be limited to analog-quality sound. This security measure is not designed to protect the television from viruses or computer hackers—it’s designed to protect TV programs from you.

snip

As citizens of a democracy living in a technological society, we must take away Hollywood’s seat from the table where our future is being designed.

[Codeblue]

1. No one buy any new T.V.s

Just stick with the one you have, even its sort of old not of the quality you'd like. They claim this tech will just prevent privacy and such, but you just KNOW the government is going to use it.

[el_gato]

2. and your car

http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,62503,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_4

MELBOURNE, Australia -- At the Melbourne Motor Show last week, Toyota unveiled a controversial concept car that would very closely monitor, and in some cases restrict, the actions of its driver -- including refusing to turn on.

To drive the sleek Toyota Sportivo, a driver would have to enter a memory card into its console to turn on the engine. Based on the driver's experience and driving record, the car adjusts its engine performance, cutting back for motorists with less experience or spotty driving records.

"Drivers of the future who have grown up in an electronic age of heavy remote speed camera enforcement measures and electronic tollway charging systems are accepting of new technology that assists their lifestyle as well as monitoring it," a Toyota press release about the car says. "It is essential for drivers to be fully and accurately informed in this era of increasing electronic surveillance."

[whistle]

3. that goes for all technology...

...including bio-tech, med-tech, psycho-tech, poli-tech (as in political), fryo-tech (as in don't mess with McDonald's fries). I agree that maybe there could be a case built for the HDTV chip. But, we consumers are paying for this technology (big time, see those price tags). Okay, protection of intellectual property I guess might apply here, but boy Hollywood is big big business, and whose intellect is really being protected, eh? Pocketbooks are being protected. So, put the chip in the HDTV and as far as that goes, satellite digital FM, etc, but also provide the option for consumers already shelling out the big bucks for these 21st electronics, to vote with our wallets and be given the option to pay for the right through a computer card of some sort the override the chip and enjoy the full benefits of this new digital world we are entering into. For example, the latest HDTV flat screen 55" liquid monitor hi end brand sells for $12,000.00+. Okay, allow the buyer to insert a card like in the satellite dishes of the '90s used to and pay for the privilege of having ALL the benefits of HDTV broadcasts including recording in HD. Tell the consumer right up front what they get and how much that will cost. If it's going to cost $100.00 per month I may just let it slid, but it's my choice. Hey, who owns the broadcast bands anyway? We, the people of the U.S. of A, eh! Hollywood be damned. There are independent producers out there who just might figure out a way to make a reasonable rate of return on this new technology without a bunch of oligopolistic cretins getting their hands in the money till. Same argument goes for genetically altered bio-stuff. Stop messing with the food chain. Which brings me back to McDonald's fries, I'm going to lunch now. See ya.

[AmericanErrorist]

4. I already make

non-broadcast quality recordings. Why would this change anything?

[renegade000]

5. telescreens will be coming soon

1984 here we come!