Comments on: SOC: Tempest in the Back of Your TV http://larrydownes.com/soc-tempest-in-the-back-of-your-tv/ Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:43:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: James http://larrydownes.com/soc-tempest-in-the-back-of-your-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-739 James Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:08:51 +0000 http://larrydownes.com/?p=1053#comment-739 I recognize that Fred von Lohmann does not like to be fact-checked, but when he is factually wrong in his first paragaph, it's easy to wonder what is intentionally misleading, and what's simply sloppy on his part. Viacom has no OTA networks, either encrypted or non. If Mr. von Lohmann does not want to have access to these films, that's his choice, but to simply try and queer the situation for everyone else on the basis of a well-funded anti-hollywood philosophy is just absurd. I recognize that Fred von Lohmann does not like to be fact-checked, but when he is factually wrong in his first paragaph, it’s easy to wonder what is intentionally misleading, and what’s simply sloppy on his part. Viacom has no OTA networks, either encrypted or non.

If Mr. von Lohmann does not want to have access to these films, that’s his choice, but to simply try and queer the situation for everyone else on the basis of a well-funded anti-hollywood philosophy is just absurd.

]]> By: Fred von Lohmann http://larrydownes.com/soc-tempest-in-the-back-of-your-tv/comment-page-1/#comment-736 Fred von Lohmann Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:16:37 +0000 http://larrydownes.com/?p=1053#comment-736 I'm afraid I have to disagree with you here, Larry. Hollywood is constantly making empty threats about how they won't take our money unless we give them what they want. They said exactly the same thing about digital TV, with Viacom issuing an ultimatum in 2003 that unless they got a broadcast flag, they would halt all "high value" content on broadcast TV. Well, the deadline came and went, and Viacom is still showing HDTV movies on unencrypted OTA channels. So the thing to do here is call Hollywood's bluff. Warner has already defected, and is providing early VOD movies. You know as well as I do that maintaining a cartel is hard work, especially when there's already been a defector. And if Hollywood doesn't want to fill this new distribution channel, I know lots of independent studios who will (see, e.g., Mark Cuban, iFC, etc). And even Hollywood admits that all of these movies are up on Bit Torrent long before they appear on VOD, so SOC doesn't change the equation on piracy. There is no valid reason to grant this waiver. This is all about Hollywood trying to hasten the death of analog inputs, so that they can assert DRM controls on the digital interfaces. I’m afraid I have to disagree with you here, Larry. Hollywood is constantly making empty threats about how they won’t take our money unless we give them what they want. They said exactly the same thing about digital TV, with Viacom issuing an ultimatum in 2003 that unless they got a broadcast flag, they would halt all “high value” content on broadcast TV. Well, the deadline came and went, and Viacom is still showing HDTV movies on unencrypted OTA channels.

So the thing to do here is call Hollywood’s bluff. Warner has already defected, and is providing early VOD movies. You know as well as I do that maintaining a cartel is hard work, especially when there’s already been a defector. And if Hollywood doesn’t want to fill this new distribution channel, I know lots of independent studios who will (see, e.g., Mark Cuban, iFC, etc).

And even Hollywood admits that all of these movies are up on Bit Torrent long before they appear on VOD, so SOC doesn’t change the equation on piracy.

There is no valid reason to grant this waiver. This is all about Hollywood trying to hasten the death of analog inputs, so that they can assert DRM controls on the digital interfaces.

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