Tell the FCC to Say “No” to the Cable Kill Switch

So much for that analog hole we enjoyed for so long. Then again, with Cable Card loosening up a bit, this really loses the severity which makes you wonder why studios are even wasting their time on this. Hopefully it never sees the light of day, as it is rather preposterous–just all the more reason to use a cable card device like a TiVo or HTPC and stop renting their boxes anyways.

Public Knowledge

Hollywood wants the Federal Communications Commission to grant the studios permission to engage in so-called “Selectable Output Control,” or SOC for short. SOC is a technology mandate that would allow movie studios to shut off video outputs on the back of your cable box and DVR during the screening of certain movies over cable. Why is this bad? Because SOC could inhibit future innovation, obstruct interoperability, limit fair use and restrict consumer choice. Worst of all, it could force you to buy all new home entertainment gear in order to watch Hollywood films over cable.

 

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