Is DirecTV Trying To Keep DVRs From Recording Off Them

[Benjamin Elliott]

I've had DirecTV since 2005 and I've been very pleased overall. But this morning something annoying happened. It seems that DirecTV is either intentionally or unintentionally blocking all recordings.

I tried to use my Panasonic E-85 HDD-DVR (hard disc drive/dvd recorder made in 2004) to record a TV show from a SD satellite station that I had saved on my DirecTV HR21 HD-DVR. Regular 3 wire A/V jack connection that I had used successful since getting the HR21 in January and on my old DirecTivo for 2 1/4 years before that. Nothing special.

The reason for having the Panasonic with a HDD is so I can edit material that I want to burn to DVD. I probably wind up seeing nearly all the commercials the first time I watch a show. I do not want those commercials staring back at me on a DVD 3 years later. I would hook the Panasonic directly into the satellite system to make such recordings directly - but at least in 2004 none of these standalone machines that had DVD burners had tuners compatible with satellite.

My Panasonic gave the message that the show was copy protected and could not be recorded.

I tried another program that I had saved on the HR21. Copy protected. FOX News HD live broadcast. Copy protected. FOX News SD live broadcast. Copy protected. Local station in HD. Copy protected. Local station in SD. Copy protected. Several more stations. Copy protected. Turned everything off, left it alone a few hours, tried again. Still copy protected. Looked through this site and DBS Talk and did not see any messages about DirecTV adding new Copy Protection.

This machine has never had trouble from DirecTV stations through the HR21 before (recorded almost everything bar HBO using it). No settings have been changed on the Panasonic or my DirecTV HR21.

It would be nice to know if anybody else is experiencing this and whether it's deliberate or not. Also, if this is a problem similar to macrovision, is there a LEGAL product/solution out there that can solve the problem for me? (I don't want an illegal solution getting the thread killed.)

Hope to have a more cheerful subject next time, because overall, DirecTV's been a great service for my needs.

 

[RickDee]

It's DRM, Not DirecTV!

It's called D.R.M. for Digital Rights Management. You can thank the video industry and your Congressional representatives. The video industry lobbied Congress for this to prevent you from exercising your Fair Use rights. The video industry won and we lost.

So, send a letter to your Congressional representatives and thank them for looking out for the video industry!

 

[Benjamin Elliott]

Brilliant

It's called D.R.M. for Digital Rights Management. You can thank the video industry and your Congressional representatives. The video industry lobbied Congress for this to prevent you from exercising your Fair Use rights. The video industry won and we lost.

So, send a letter to your Congressional representatives and thank them for looking out for the video industry!

So, rather than continue under the system since the 80s where we make mediocre quality copies to tide us over and we eventually buy the VHS/DVD, they want people to seek out higher quality solutions through sinister methods that would result in personal copies looking much closer to the DVDs? Brilliant.

I could express my thoughts, but I'm not getting banned on my first day of membership. Not after enjoying the place as a non-member since the start.

No copying at all on analog a/v outlets?!?!?

 

[stogie5150]

So, rather than continue under the system since the 80s where we make mediocre quality copies to tide us over and we eventually buy the VHS/DVD, they want people to seek out higher quality solutions through sinister methods that would result in personal copies looking much closer to the DVDs? Brilliant.

I could express my thoughts, but I'm not getting banned on my first day of membership. Not after enjoying the place as a non-member since the start.

No copying at all on analog a/v outlets?!?!?

Things like this by the content providers, and then the satellite companies/cable companies just blindly going along because people just HAVE to have their content.....are, IMO, the reason why piracy is so rampant. I'll be DAMNED if I am going to pay ANYBODY over 100.00 a month for TV, and then THEY tell me what I am going to do with it. Its just NOT going to happen! They were forced to go along with VCR's back in the day, but today we have NO chance to beat it, there's just too many politicians in the back pockets of Hollywood.
That and that alone is the main reason my backyard is full of FTA stuff. I'll take what is free and unscrambled, record what I want and do whatever I want with it. Which is usually nothing, but that isn't the point.

 

[j0nnyhb]

So, just so I'm clear on this .. anything I record on my HR21 cannot be recorded onto a DVD? Or is it just the newer DVD recorders that have the blocking software?

Thanks in advance!

 

[j0nnyhb]

I verified I could use my current DVD recorder to record off of the HR21, so at least that works .... phew ;o)