Some new boxes have firewire??

[pOiNTBLaNK]

i think its just a rumor

 

[Videofx]

Swap

Just swapped my box and only USB, No Firewire

Bill

 

[wbuffetta]

do the d-vhs machines now see the class code

 

[Videofx]

Some

The newer D-VHS recorders do. I wish I new which specific models.

Bill

 

[madpoet]

Sorry, class codes?

 

[Ilya]

Confirmed; there are no Voom boxes, new or old, currently with firewire.
Wilt

(Just posted at YahooGroups)

 

[madpoet]

Well, that's both good news and bad news I guess. I guess those two people don't know the difference between firewire and USB

 

[Videofx]

Class codes

Sorry, class codes?

I am sure you are familiar with people copying movies? Well the the motion picture industry developed a class code system whereby the broadcasters of copyrighted material send a class code which tells your recorder whether or not the program you are watching can be recorded. So lets say HBO is broadcasting Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Warner Bros doesnt want anyone to record this digitally via firewire then a class code is braodcast and the D-VHS recorder knows not to record this broadcast.

bill

 

[Vlad D]

I really hope it's true, and not just 2 people who don't know the difference between USB and Firewire

Well in my case that's what happened. While the installer was installing my STB I glanced at the back and spotted a port next to the DVI input, I asked him about it and he said it was a firewire port. It's not. I checked when I got home tonight and its a USB port.

 

[CKNA]

I am sure you are familiar with people copying movies? Well the the motion picture industry developed a class code system whereby the broadcasters of copyrighted material send a class code which tells your recorder whether or not the program you are watching can be recorded. So lets say HBO is broadcasting Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Warner Bros doesnt want anyone to record this digitally via firewire then a class code is braodcast and the D-VHS recorder knows not to record this broadcast.

bill

Well, you have right idea but it is not class code but 5C copy protection. Do not confuse this with Broadcast Flag which is totally different. Using 5C system they can send flags which tell the recorder that it is copy free (all broadcasts right now), copy once (in use in Japan on Wowow channel which is like HBO here) or copy never. 5C agreement only allows copy never flag to be used on PPV. HBO and pay channels can only use copy once. Executives from HBO and Showtime stated not too long ago that they do not plan to use any flags for foreseeable future.
As far as DVHS HD recorders, all of them including first one from Panasonic which came out in 1999 support 5C. This goes for recorders sold here and Japan. There was a rumour that Toshiba DVHS (already discontinued) sold in Japan could bypass 5C if tracking was adjusted slightly, but I never found any confirmation of that.

 

[jsb_hburg]

Well, you have right idea but it is not class code but 5C copy protection. Do not confuse this with Broadcast Flag which is totally different. Using 5C system they can send flags which tell the recorder that it is copy free (all broadcasts right now), copy once (in use in Japan on Wowow channel which is like HBO here) or copy never. 5C agreement only allows copy never flag to be used on PPV. HBO and pay channels can only use copy once. Executives from HBO and Showtime stated not too long ago that they do not plan to use any flags for foreseeable future.
As far as DVHS HD recorders, all of them including first one from Panasonic which came out in 1999 support 5C. This goes for recorders sold here and Japan. There was a rumour that Toshiba DVHS (already discontinued) sold in Japan could bypass 5C if tracking was adjusted slightly, but I never found any confirmation of that.

This is good news about what the execs said. The bit rate of HBO and SHO is nice but it is only half the bit rate of certain D-Theater movies such as Independence Day, 14 Mbps vs. 28.2 Mbps. Home HD recording allows for your own personal HD on demand until you tape over. Ultimately, I want the best home cinematic experience, so I will be buying HD-DVD movies. At the same time, I want to be able to timeshift HD recordings. And I do on Comcast. The WAF has shot thru the roof with being able to see a movie without an "appointment." I hope Voom adds Firewire soon. It's a great feature to keep customers happy.

I am not recording everything because I only have so much storage. I only record what we are interested in and then we tape over. If we like the movie, we will buy the HD-DVD as we did in the past with SD-DVD.

As nice as it is, subscription-based HDTV will become average HDTV when compared with HD-DVD or, presently, D-Theater. So, based on my own user experience, I don't understand the delay in offering Firewire unless it is a pure technology issue. I do hope that Voom subs get Firewire soon.

My 0.02 cents...

 

[madpoet]

Ok, 5c I know. Class codes was a new one for me . And VLad, I give you credit for owning up to it and not just disapearing! I wish thy'd give us firewire, but until then my WVHS will still be worth what I paid for it! It and the tapes arrive today, just in time for next week's install.

 

[Vlad D]

And VLad, I give you credit for owning up to it and not just disapearing!

madpoet,

Thanks for the support. I see no need to disappear. I wasn't trying to fool or mislead anyone. I posted to that thread on the AVS forum what I thought was accurate info (should have known better than to take the local installers word, that it was firewire, at face value without double-checking myself ); but as soon as I got home from work and realised that I was wrong, I quickly posted that I was wrong.

To tell you the truth, I was so excited that my installation went off without any problems and so happy to have all these HD channels that I never checked the back of the Voom receiver again until last night.