Anything we can do about CCI flags?

[EZEd]

I am a TWC North Texas subscriber (Dallas/FW area). I hear all the time about how folks on Comcast and Verizon do not have CCI flags set to copy-once on many of their digital cable channels but for TWC customers all channels except locals are flagged copy-once CCI. Is there anything that can be done to bring consistency to this issue? I would love to switch to Fios but it is not offererd in my particular area only TWC (and AT&T Uverse which we all know is not Media Center compatible). Would this be an FCC issue to tackle or what other entity could help us to get consistency over use of the CCI flag amoung cable operators?

The issue with it is of course the sharing. I do have two Linksys extenders so sharing inside the home is not a problem. But I also have Remote Potato on my phone and Android devices that I'd like to be able to view Recorded TV on remotely. CCI flag on the TWC channels renders them unwatchable in a remote situation and the TWC Android app only works when you are connected to your home network.

Relieving the CCI flag on the digital channels would easily solve this and would bring consistency across all different operators. Believe me, if I could get the other operators that don't do this I would. I am just frustrated that location determines what you get. Any thoughts?

[foxwood]

I think the only way to get around TWCs over-zealous use of Copy Control Information is to use Analog capture devices. Because TWC has an effective monopoly on this service in your area, there is no market pressure for them to "fix" this - as far as they're concerned, it's not broken. They are complying with the FCC rules, because the rules say that they can, but don't have to, apply CCI 0x01 to anything except local channels.

Have you tried setting up a VPN to your Home network? Maybe you could use the TWC Android client that way, though I imagine bandwidth issues would probably make that impractical.

[richard1980]

Would this be an FCC issue to tackle or what other entity could help us to get consistency over use of the CCI flag amoung cable operators?

I don't think you realize exactly what legal changes would be required to have this consistency, or what consequences those changes would have.

[slowbiscuit]

OP you really have no choice except to do analog capture of any TWC-sourced content you want to move around, that means getting one of their STBs and a Hauppauge HD-PVR or Colossus. TWC has repeatedly told Cablecard users that they will not change their CCI policy, and the FCC will not get involved here because they are not CP'ing the locals.

[blueiedgod]

Another option is to set up a VPN, so that your smart phone "thinks" it is on the home network. I actually don't know if VPN can be implemented on a phone, but don't see why not.

I did that for my wife's Canadian relatioves, so that they can use HULU and US based Netflix, which has more content that Canadian Netflix.

[foxwood]

I actually don't know if VPN can be implemented on a phone, but don't see why not.

Android and iPhone both support PPTP and L2TP VPNs "out if the box", but as I pointed out above, bandwidth issues might make using your Cable-Co's mobile app over a VPN a bit of a problem.

[EZEd]

The situation is funny because this area used to be a Comcast area a few years ago before Comcast and TWC decided to swap areas for some reason. Back then (before Cablecard in the PC) I was able to capture Comcast STB content on all channels except premium through firewire (ieee1394). I got rid of the cable box for a while and either had OTA or Directv for a while. Decided to come back to cable because of the bundle package but now it is under TWC and have to deal with this CCI flag thing. It would just seem that some federal watchdog ought to be doing just that and monitoring consistency between providers so that we don't get these unbalanced situations.

Yes I have analogue capture capability but to recap everything that is already on a 1TB RecordedTV folder is suicide. No I haven't tried VPN for mobile devices but that too is another maintenance activity that just adds complexity to a device whose purpose was to reduce complexity to begin with...HTPC versus individual components in a living room/home theatre environment.

I guess the shortfall could be that executives at Cable/satellite MOSs, FCC admins and the overlords of DRM don't understand exactly what we technically are doing with HTPCs and whole house/mobile media distribution. If they could see what was going on they might be able to find a new revenue stream. They are so myopic in wanting to hold on to their current draconian revenue stream that it prevents them from looking forward to what could come next. I'm a firm believer in the adage "...if you love something...let it go...if it's meant to be...it will come back..."

Rant off

[erkotz]

Beyond changing to another operator (not practical for most people), the only real options are to either complain to the cable operator or the FCC. There's something you can do (the name of it escapes me) where it's not actually a complaint, but you basically petition the FCC to make rules in a certain area. That would probably be the best option as far as involving the FCC.