Copy Protection on MySky HDI???

Forums › Sky, Neon › Copy Protection on MySky HDI???

kiwigeezer

17 posts

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# 41916 25-Sep-2009 08:51

Hi Folks,
Sorry to ask what must have been already been asked dozens of times but (here goes): Can anybody definitively answer the question regarding copy protection on analog outputs of the MySkyHDI box?
I've read a number of conflicting opinions on this...i.e. it only applies to HD content vs it only applies to movies/adult content not FTA channels vs it applies to everything?
I have a standard digital Sky decoder running to my HT amp and DVD recorder, and I'm reluctant to "upgrade" if to MySkyHDI if it means the DVD recorder is then a redundant machine because of MySky's output protection.

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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# 258286 25-Sep-2009 11:07

Are you meaning what channels impliment ICT (ie you can only get HD via HDMI not component) or those channels that are using Macrovision on the composite output?

login

167 posts

Master Geek

# 258289 25-Sep-2009 11:14

Thanks for asking, a really good question. SkyTV appears to not want us to know anything about this subject. They make surreptitious changes and do not disseminate information to customers about what they are doing to us by way of firmware upgrades to MySkyHDi. Very annoying and frustrating.

In reply to your question to the best of my knowledge here is what I know.

The analogue outputs from the MySkyHDi box are protected against copying to an external recording device such as a DVD recorder. The currently protected channels are TV1, TV2, TV3 and all the movie channels. At the current time no other channels appear to be protected in this way but may be so in the future - who knows though? If you try and record a programme from a protected chanel you will get an error message displayed something like "Unable to record. Copy protected". This change has only taken place in recent months, at least in my own MySkyHDi box which was unimpeded until about May of this year. A firmware upgrade around this time enforced copy protection and there was no warning from SkyTV that it was occurring. Previously I was able to record both live programs and those recoded on the Sky hard disk to DVD without restriction.

This type of protection requires a compatible recording device. All of the brand name DVD recorders and the such have firmware code incorporated that works in tandem with the output from a source device such as MySkyHDi box to prrevent copying protected programs. Some older devices do not posess this code and so will record such programs unimpeded! But I understand these devices are not too common. I also understand that they sell on sites such as EBay at a premium!

Another alternative to defeat such recording is to install a special device that installs in the video output line from your MySkyHDi. Generically referred to as a "video stabilizer" they are not terribly expensive devices. The one mentioned elsewhere in this forum installs easily and works extremely well. It is not available in NZ but can be easily imported from the company's overseas web site. At about $90 US remember to factor this amount into your MySkyHDi expense equation.

I hope this helps.

hairy1

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# 258290 25-Sep-2009 11:22

If you have a PC next to your mysky HDi a Hauppauge PVR-150 or similar will ignore the macrovision on the analog outputs.

Perhaps Sky may address the issue at some stage by activating the SATA port and allowing an external HDD to attach to the HDi.

At almost 10% hard drive space being used per HD movie it doesn't take too long to fill the drive up which seems to be most peoples issue.

Cheers,

Matt

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ockel

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# 258328 25-Sep-2009 13:37

I suspect that if an ext HDD is enabled then it will record data in the native (unencoded) format. Access will require either another HDi STB or another device that has the same NDS decryption as the box.

hairy1

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# 258331 25-Sep-2009 13:42

I would agree with that. I can't see sky unencrypting anything on an external device. It would however allow more space on the box. perhaps the main people want to format shift is to take content with them

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ockel

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# 258332 25-Sep-2009 13:45

I also suspect that the next version of hardware will be 250gb rather than the current 160gb.
Doesnt help the early, media hungry punters that already have the box though.

geekiegeek

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# 258333 25-Sep-2009 13:49

has anyone ever tried upgrading the HDD to a bigger size?

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167 posts

Master Geek

# 258341 25-Sep-2009 14:04

It's not easy to determine but it is my understanding that the size of the MySkyHDi is 320 GB. It's not big enough (!) of course as something like 7 to 12 HD movies can easily fill it up. From memory the old MySky box was 160 GB. For the next generation of MySkyHDi box 500 GB would be good, 1 TB would be even better.

This is the reason why I want to copy stuff to a DVD - the 320 GB HD is just not big enough for me.

ockel

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# 258343 25-Sep-2009 14:11

Correct on the technical specifications but available space is roughly half of that as approx 50% is reserved for OnDemand (the push VOD library that is constantly updated).
So the next physical drives will likely be 1Tb but usuable space may only be 500Gb.
Sky claims ~90hr SD storage or 30hr HD storage which is consistent with your 7-12 HD movie capability.

geekiegeek

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# 258344 25-Sep-2009 14:12

Apparently copy+ can transfer the existing disk data to a new disk so you can install a 1TB disk in your mysky! http://www.skycopyplus.co.uk/index.php

Says it works with NZ Mysky boxes but it would void the warranty and I'm not sure what sky would think of you doing this.

The drive size at 320Gb is way under size for an HD recorder.

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ockel

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# 258346 25-Sep-2009 14:16

Worse than voiding the warranty - the box isnt yours to tamper with. Its remains the property of Sky so it you broke it then you'll be paying for it (no you didnt do that with your upfront payment, that was just the right to use it).
And given the charge for not returning a UHF or DBS box I'd hate to think what they'd charge for an HDi.

kiwigeezer

17 posts

Geek

# 258349 25-Sep-2009 14:52

login: Thanks for asking, a really good question. SkyTV appears to not want us to know anything about this subject. They make surreptitious changes and do not disseminate information to customers about what they are doing to us by way of firmware upgrades to MySkyHDi. Very annoying and frustrating.

In reply to your question to the best of my knowledge here is what I know.

The analogue outputs from the MySkyHDi box are protected against copying to an external recording device such as a DVD recorder. The currently protected channels are TV1, TV2, TV3 and all the movie channels. At the current time no other channels appear to be protected in this way but may be so in the future - who knows though? If you try and record a programme from a protected chanel you will get an error message displayed something like "Unable to record. Copy protected". This change has only taken place in recent months, at least in my own MySkyHDi box which was unimpeded until about May of this year. A firmware upgrade around this time enforced copy protection and there was no warning from SkyTV that it was occurring. Previously I was able to record both live programs and those recoded on the Sky hard disk to DVD without restriction.

This type of protection requires a compatible recording device. All of the brand name DVD recorders and the such have firmware code incorporated that works in tandem with the output from a source device such as MySkyHDi box to prrevent copying protected programs. Some older devices do not posess this code and so will record such programs unimpeded! But I understand these devices are not too common. I also understand that they sell on sites such as EBay at a premium!

Another alternative to defeat such recording is to install a special device that installs in the video output line from your MySkyHDi. Generically referred to as a "video stabilizer" they are not terribly expensive devices. The one mentioned elsewhere in this forum installs easily and works extremely well. It is not available in NZ but can be easily imported from the company's overseas web site. At about $90 US remember to factor this amount into your MySkyHDi expense equation.

I hope this helps.

Thanks login (and other posters too) -confirms my suspicions. I'm going to stick with current config for next little whiles I think in light of this, and hope that the impending release of Tivo may spur Sky to actually listen to their customers for a change...there's nothing like a bit of healthy competition to see a company lift it's game.

kiwitrc

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# 258352 25-Sep-2009 15:04

ockel: Worse than voiding the warranty - the box isnt yours to tamper with. Its remains the property of Sky so it you broke it then you'll be paying for it (no you didnt do that with your upfront payment, that was just the right to use it).
And given the charge for not returning a UHF or DBS box I'd hate to think what they'd charge for an HDi.

Mains across the DC rails will delete pretty much any evidence you have been in there, then its a warranty replacement for your "dead" box MUhahahaha

LennonNZ

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# 258354 25-Sep-2009 15:05

Not to name things (as my post would be deleted ) but it is 100% possible to take the MySkyHDi HDMI Signal into {CENSORED} and from that go out via Component into a {CENSORED} and come out as a 1080i H264 Network stream. Device A is easily ordered from overseas from many places and device B is easily ordered from alot of places in NZ.

kiwigeezer

17 posts

Geek

# 258361 25-Sep-2009 15:23

sbiddle: Are you meaning what channels impliment ICT (ie you can only get HD via HDMI not component) or those channels that are using Macrovision on the composite output?

Hi,
Meaning the composite outs. In an ideal world I'd run the HDMI out to the TV (HT amp doesn't have HDMI) and the component out to the HT amp, which then passes on to the DVD recorder...it's a cheap (very) Philips DVDR with no HDD that uses re-writeable DVDs...works amazingly well, and obscenely cheap to buy.