# Comcast Cable - copyright Changes?



## bhyman (Jun 16, 2004)

Does anyone know if something has changed with either the Tivo software or Comcast cable? I used to be able to transfer most programs between my series 2 DVR's and to Tivo Desktop, but something has changed now and it seems like all of my digital channels are copyright protected. 

Very disappointed and considering dropping my Comcast service again.


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## Rdian06 (Apr 12, 2008)

bhyman said:


> Does anyone know if something has changed with either the Tivo software or Comcast cable? I used to be able to transfer most programs between my series 2 DVR's and to Tivo Desktop, but something has changed now and it seems like all of my digital channels are copyright protected.
> 
> Very disappointed and considering dropping my Comcast service again.


That would be Comcast in your area's fault.


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## kneedles (Dec 16, 2010)

Straight from Comcast's lips. Comcast, and not the channels, are copyright protecting through the MCards, prohibiting the functions of Tivo in transferring between tivos and to desktop. The only solution at this point in time is to maintain one of your Series 2 tivos, and record from that machine anything you want to transfer to your desktop or burn to dvd. 

Tivo users need to start writing their congressmen and to the stations complaining about Comcast's actions. I don't think they apply the same copyright restrictions on the DVRs they want you to spend $16 a month renting from them.


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

bhyman said:


> Does anyone know if something has changed with either the Tivo software or Comcast cable? I used to be able to transfer most programs between my series 2 DVR's and to Tivo Desktop, but something has changed now and it seems like all of my digital channels are copyright protected.
> 
> Very disappointed and considering dropping my Comcast service again.


I complained about this very vocally months ago and it fell on deaf ears. Mostly it was comcast customers telling me they didn't have any problems. I hate it for you, really, but there isn't much you can do other than complain and cancel service if they don't do anything. Where are you exactly? I'm maintaining a list of areas doing the copy protection..see my sig.


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## kneedles (Dec 16, 2010)

I live in College Park, Md.


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

kneedles said:


> I live in College Park, Md.


Digital Channels? Premiums? Everything but Locals?


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## MikeD340 (Dec 3, 2006)

Time Warner Cable in Milwaukee, WI here:

Just got my Tivo Premiere hooked up and nothing can transfer from tivo to laptop. EVERYTHING is copyprotected.

Is there anyway that I can transfer these shows from my tivo to my laptop so that I can watch my favorite shows while on break at work?


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## dlfl (Jul 6, 2006)

MikeD340 said:


> Time Warner Cable in Milwaukee, WI here:
> 
> Just got my Tivo Premiere hooked up and nothing can transfer from tivo to laptop. EVERYTHING is copyprotected.
> 
> Is there anyway that I can transfer these shows from my tivo to my laptop so that I can watch my favorite shows while on break at work?


You should find that local channels are not copy protected but all others probably are. This is (almost?) universal for Time Warner, bless their hearts, and there are other systems that do it too.

The same limitation applies to MRV, BTW.

The only way around it is hacking your TiVo, which involves surface mount soldering and software mods that are pretty daunting for most folks, and of course void your warranty. Details of this, or the address of the forum where it is discussed, cannot be posted on this forum.

We really need a sticky thread on this, as it keeps coming up almost every day on the forum, and keeps getting answered over and over.


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

MikeD340 said:


> Time Warner Cable in Milwaukee, WI here:
> 
> Just got my Tivo Premiere hooked up and nothing can transfer from tivo to laptop. EVERYTHING is copyprotected.
> 
> Is there anyway that I can transfer these shows from my tivo to my laptop so that I can watch my favorite shows while on break at work?


Just added yours to the Copy Protection thread in my sig.


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

kneedles said:


> I live in College Park, Md.


Have you confirmed that it's actually Started? Which Channels?


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## javabird (Oct 13, 2006)

Comcast in Seattle area - the only shows I have come across so far that are copy protected are web downloads or Amazon VOD downloads. I don't subscribe to any premium channels.


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## GKevinK (Mar 10, 2003)

In my area (Anne Arundel Co, MD), starting sometime right around the first of this year, Comcast began applying CCI 0x03 protection to some channels that they decided to classify as Pay Per View (even if bought via a monthly subscription). This essentially disables EVERYTHING except live buffer. Programs are automatically erased after 90 minutes, no matter what settings you have applied.

I've communicated directly with some of the actual copyright holders, and have been told that their legal teams are going to address this with Comcast (since it will affect their subscriber base... I cancelled mine for those channels.)


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

GKevinK said:


> In my area (Anne Arundel Co, MD), starting sometime right around the first of this year, Comcast began applying CCI 0x03 protection to some channels that they decided to classify as Pay Per View (even if bought via a monthly subscription). This essentially disables EVERYTHING except live buffer. Programs are automatically erased after 90 minutes, no matter what settings you have applied.
> 
> I've communicated directly with some of the actual copyright holders, and have been told that their legal teams are going to address this with Comcast (since it will affect their subscriber base... I cancelled mine for those channels.)


The FCC has given permission to the cable cables to apply the CCI byte however they see fit, despite what the copyright holder's intentions are. The exceptions are broadcast networks which the cable companies must set the CCI byte to 0x00. Mentioning the loss of subscriber base is a good idea, though I suspect the number of subscribers lost would be low enough to be considered insignificant in revenue dollars to the cable companies. The cable companies have more to gain from users ditching third-party Settop boxes like TiVo and switching to one of their DVRs. :down:


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## GKevinK (Mar 10, 2003)

orangeboy said:


> The FCC has given permission to the cable cables to apply the CCI byte however they see fit, despite what the copyright holder's intentions are. The exceptions are broadcast networks which the cable companies must set the CCI byte to 0x00. Mentioning the loss of subscriber base is a good idea, though I suspect the number of subscribers lost would be low enough to be considered insignificant in revenue dollars to the cable companies. The cable companies have more to gain from users ditching third-party Settop boxes like TiVo and switching to one of their DVRs. :down:


If they think that this behavior is likely to entice me to one of their DVR boxes instead of ditching their service entirely, they are sorely mistaken.


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## Phantom Gremlin (Jun 20, 2002)

There is an active thread that attempts to keep track of copy protection by area. Unfortunately it's in the S3 forum, so maybe Premiere users aren't aware of it.


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## rahnbo (Sep 12, 2010)

orangeboy said:


> The cable companies have more to gain from users ditching third-party Settop boxes like TiVo and switching to one of their DVRs. :down:


I got a brochure from Brighthouse a few days ago that stated on page 1 they're going to have MRV soon on their own DVR. I wonder if the same rules will apply or if they'll allow everything to be transferred via their own device and continue to restrict the competition?


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

rahnbo said:


> I got a brochure from Brighthouse a few days ago that stated on page 1 they're going to have MRV soon on their own DVR. I wonder if the same rules will apply or if they'll allow everything to be transferred via their own device and continue to restrict the competition?


I doubt it. Since cable companies already knew how MRV was going to shake out most will have likely been planning a streaming solution for years.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

MRV on rented cable equipment doesn't get a recording to someone's computer, or allow burning to DVD.


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

gastrof said:


> MRV on rented cable equipment doesn't get a recording to someone's computer, or allow burning to DVD.


Too true.


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## rahnbo (Sep 12, 2010)

gastrof said:


> MRV on rented cable equipment doesn't get a recording to someone's computer, or allow burning to DVD.


Understood. But the same rules should apply from one cable card device to another cable card device. If I could get a cable company DVR that were at least tolerable and could transfer shows from one DVR to the other unrestricted that would difficult not to want next time around. Of course the chances of Brighthouse doing anything spectacular are about zero but you never know.


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