Error: “Program” cannot be recorded. Restrictions set by broadcaster…

There are a couple of ways you can get this message:

1. The program is sent with a copy never CCI code of 0x3. This happens with video on demand such as HBO on demand and pay per view sporting events. You are unlikely to get this with a cableCARD tuner but the codes exist for this reason. There are times when this code can be send in error. This is a digital code and most likely would occur on premium channels.

2. You can also get this error if for some reason a CGMS-A code (from the analog days, remember?) that is copy never gets included in a digital stream. This is different than the CCI code and is in the MPEG stream. CableCARD tuners are required to honor this flag if it appears as part of the cableCARD spec. This happend about two weeks ago on ABC at the very end of Subugatroy and the begining of Modern Family. This code originated at ABC and wound up killing recordings on cableCARD tuners on many cable systems but not all. Some cable systems re-compress content and strip the codes out, clear QAM tuners don’t even see this stuff and so don’t pass it on to WMC.

What can you do? Complain. If it’s a cable system error, complain to them (in writing), make a complaint on the FCC website with date and time of the error and the cable system, channel, program, etc.

If it happens on a broadcast channel on a network show, it’s just wrong. It isn’t allowed and you should make a complaint to your local station, Network (I’d suggest the Vice President of Engineering–get the name off the internet) and for good measure file a complaint with the FCC.

I think in the case of ABC on Modern Family it was a mistake–heaven only knows what caused it, someone could have thrown a switch, a bad edit, something riding on the overlay video at the begining of the show, etc.

But in short, if it is either a CCI 0x3 or CGMS-A, don’t waste your time with your tuners, the fault isn’t on your machine or tuners, its inbound.

John

Thanks for the repsonses guys, much appreciated.  This is the general gist I’ve gathered from researching this problem, that it was a mistake and shouldn’t happen.  In the last two nights we’ve had other shows set to record and some have worked, others have been flagged.  For example, last night My Strange Addiction and Khloe and Lamar recorded fine.  But today, Dr. Phil got flagged again today and didn’t record.  Then tonight, Alcatraz got flagged but recorded anyway, but The Bachelor didn’t get flagged.  So hopefully it’s getting itself worked out.  I’ve restarted a couple of times since this first happened but obviously that didn’t completely clear it up. 

So the last 3 or 4 episodes of Dr. Phil have had this.  Should I make a complaint at this point?  Sorry for being a noob with these error codes, but if I’m sitting here and see this happen how do I find out what kind of flag it was?  Or is there a log I can check some where?  Is it possible that I might see an error code besides those two?

Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated. This is basically the general gist of what I’ve gotten from the research that I’ve done, that this is a mistake and really shouldn’t be happening. The last two days I’ve had some series record fine, and others have been flagged. For example, yesterday My Strange Addiction and Khloe and Lamar recorded fine. Then today, Dr. Phil got flagged and didn’t record. And tonight, The Bachelor recorded fine but Alcatraz got flagged (but recorded fine anyway). I’ve restarted a couple of times since this started happening and it’s obviously not gone away, but it seems to be a bit less. So at this point with the last 3 or 4 eps of Dr. Phil having this problem should I be making a complaint?

Also, can you guys let me know how to check which flag code I’ve gotten? Is there a log that I might be able to go back and check? Also, is it possible I might see any other type of error code, or that it could be an issue with my setup?

Sorry for the multiple duplicate responses.  I was really having a hard time posting last night and got it cleared up today. 

But it looks like things may be getting back to normal.  Dr. Phil recorded today and my wife said she doesn’t remember seeing the error.  And Top Gear is recording right now and no error popped up.  I’ll keep an eye on it and post back if I keep getting it.  Again, thanks for the help!

On the Silicon Dust tuner, if you go to the Web Gui (double click on the tuner in Media Devices) and then click on the summary menu, you’ll see the cableCARD, Tuner0, Tuner1, Tuner2.

If you clilck on the tuner you’ll get the following information(this tuner in not in use at this time)

I’m still getting this message, but I’m never around to check the tuners when it does.  It seemed to be going away the last couple of days but it came on strong today.  Dr. Phil again, Jeopardy, and The Office all got flagged tonight.  But even though The Office stopped recording about 11 minutes in, Up All Night, which comes on right after The Office, was recording fine until I had to reboot my system because it started to act weird. 

I’ve checked the recording logs and seen the “Partial” recordings, but it doesn’t give a specific error, just that it stopped.  This is unbelievably frustrating.

Aaron, I just did last night.  But I’ve got other issues to worry about now.  For no apparent reason, my computer has decided to crash into the BSOD about 4 times over the last 2-3 days.  I don’t know where this came from cause everything had been working fine.  But a couple of days ago I started to get a message about DMRengine.exe has encountered an error and must close.  When this came up, the computer would get weird a freeze a little, but then it would work fine after a minute.  But I’d have to think that whatever is causing DMRengine to quite must be crashing the computer too.  What a mess!