ServerWMC issues with DRM, where there is no DRM?

[cbanakis]

I recently started having drm? issues I cannot explain.

I have a tv server running win7 pro x64
InfiniTV6 and latest serverwmc.

The tv server forwards cable tv to various devices, mainly Kodi.

All my channels work in windows on the server.

But many do not work anywhere else.

As far as I know, the channels in question do not use drm.

And Ceton device webpage says "Copy Protection - None"

But if I try to play these channels in Kodi, or anything other than WMC (on the server) I get a lot of pixilation, buffering, gray screen, squeeling distortion noise, etc.
(All the things you'd expect from drm.

And we are talking basic basic channels.

USA
Comedy Central
SyFy
MTV
VH1
CMT
And many others.

I doubt they all started DRMing.
Right?

Are we entering a new stage in rediculous copy protection?

Or is there an explanation I can't find?

[Crash2009]

It has been know to happen, that your TV provider changes channel permissions from copy protection "none" to "copy once" or even "copy never".

What channel # do you receive USA on?

1- Whatever that channel is, type the number in the Channel: box

2- then click Set Channel

3- then click the Status Tab

What is the protection status of the USA channel?

[sbaeder]

live tv or recorded? If it is live, then maybe it is related to signal quality or something else. If it is recorded, then look toward something in the playback "path". Eliminate network, by making a small recording, then copy it manually to player. If it still AFU, then it isn't the networking layer...

But to me, this sounds more like a bad copy than any sort of WMC DRM...

[cbanakis]

Viewing, recording, and playback all work in windows.

The infinitv webpage shows that the channels in question have no copy protection.

[cbanakis]

Recorded files will not play on other devices, either locally, or over network.

Are there any tools that allow you to view drm properties of a file?

Like I said, it is behaving exactly as if the channels were drm protected.

I sincerely hope it is not drm, cause that would be bs.

[Crash2009]

Are there any tools that allow you to view drm properties of a file?

Open up file explorer and navigate to your Recorded TV folder. Set the properties to Details. Right click the top line that reads Name Date Tags Size then select More. Scroll down and put a checkmark in the protected box. Now your file explorer will show you what is and is not "Protected"

[cbanakis]

Should have thought of that.
(Just didn't expect Windows to have that built in)

Thanks

I will check files in question later tonight.

I wouldn't be surprised if they say they are not protected.
None of this is making sense to me.
Unless they really are adding DRM to the most basic of cable channels.

[Crash2009]

Protected or not will at least eliminate your tv provider, and windows from the equation. Then we can move on to WMC server and Kodi.

[cbanakis]

Ok, so Windows properties show that recordings from said channels ARE protected.

Also, it seems that the copy protection listed on the ceton web interface is showing "Copy Once" for copy protection.
(However, last time I checked it said "NONE")

Another strange thing, is that I still have recordings which I made and watched using Kodi through serverwmc.
However, windows shows them all as protected, and I cannot watch them through Kodi anymore.

This is good news to me though.

Because I seriously doubt that the cable providers infected me with a virus that went and added copy protection to files that were once accessible through Kodi.

So I'm thinking Windows is creating the problem.

[Crash2009]

Also, it seems that the copy protection listed on the ceton web interface is showing "Copy Once" for copy protection. (However, last time I checked it said "NONE")

"Copy once" and NONE is going to change depending on the last channel tuned (tuned can be the last channel you watched or the last number you typed in the channel box), Have another look at Post #2. I don't know what channel numbers you have. As an example,

1 Type in the number 300 in the Channel box, illustrated with a red 1 in the screencap.

2 Click on Set Channel, illustrated with a red 2.

3 Then click on the Status Tab illustrated with a red 3. Copy Protection Status of Channel 300 will be displayed

4 Now try typing 50 in the Channel box.

On my TV, 300 is HBO a known "protected channel"
50 is a known "Non protected channel"

[mdavej]

It can also change depending on the program at the time. There are a few programs on HBO, for example, that are copy freely on my system, while most others are copy once.

You can tell at a glance by picking Info for the program you're watching within WMC or with this handy web page that shows the status of all tuners at once (thank you Crash for the original).
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/26-home-t ... -page.html

[Crash2009]

I don't doubt it, but I didn't know HBO could switch gears like that.

[mdavej]

I don't doubt it, but I didn't know HBO could switch gears like that.

I can't explain it, but a few of my HBO and Showtime recordings aren't protected.

[Crash2009]

I don't doubt it, but I didn't know HBO could switch gears like that.

I can't explain it, but a few of my HBO and Showtime recordings aren't protected.

I ran into one with Cinemax that should have been protected but wasn't. I just wrote it off as "Someone at Cinemax forgot to throw the protected switch"

[Crash2009]

What you running now? I thought you sold out awhile back.

[mdavej]

What you running now? I thought you sold out awhile back.

I did, but I still have several terabytes of old WMC recordings that I watch on Tivo via pyTivo, the unprotected ones at least. I estimate it will take me another few years to watch them all. Luckily, most of my HBO recordings that I can't play are still available on HBO GO or have run again, so I didn't lose that much.

I'm no longer running WMC on any of my PCs. I sold all my tuners, extenders and most of my licenses. I don't know why, but I'm still compelled to follow what's going on with WMC as far as the Windows 10 port and guide issues go. I guess I want to know the ending. The Tivo forums are relatively quiet except for threads about the Bolt, which I don't have anyway. So it's pretty boring over there

[Crash2009]

What you running now? I thought you sold out awhile back.

I did, but I still have several terabytes of old WMC recordings that I watch on Tivo via pyTivo, the unprotected ones at least. I estimate it will take me another few years to watch them all. Luckily, most of my HBO recordings that I can't play are still available on HBO GO or have run again, so I didn't lose that much.

I'm no longer running WMC on any of my PCs. I sold all my tuners, extenders and most of my licenses. I don't know why, but I'm still compelled to follow what's going on with WMC as far as the Windows 10 port and guide issues go. I guess I want to know the ending. The Tivo forums are relatively quiet except for threads about the Bolt, which I don't have anyway. So it's pretty boring over there

Yeah, I suppose the daily Bubblegum and Duct Tape Show is more entertaining than the Tivo Show.

[Ed]

Yeah, I suppose the daily Bubblegum and Duct Tape Show is more entertaining than the Tivo Show.

Ha! Yeah, but in terms of Tivo - no news is good news for me (and I'm sure for mdavej, aside from boredom)

[mdavej]

Yeah, I suppose the daily Bubblegum and Duct Tape Show is more entertaining than the Tivo Show.

Ha! Yeah, but in terms of Tivo - no news is good news for me (and I'm sure for mdavej, aside from boredom)

Same here. But I now realize how much time I used to spend tinkering instead of watching TV. Tivo just works. If I get bored watching TV (which is often), I have to fire up the old HTPC find something to do. I should just turn it off and go do something useful.

[Ed]

Yeah, I suppose the daily Bubblegum and Duct Tape Show is more entertaining than the Tivo Show.

Ha! Yeah, but in terms of Tivo - no news is good news for me (and I'm sure for mdavej, aside from boredom)

Same here. But I now realize how much time I used to spend tinkering instead of watching TV. Tivo just works. If I get bored watching TV (which is often), I have to fire up the old HTPC find something to do. I should just turn it off and go do something useful.

Time to start building ships in a bottle