Audio Video News

Video hobbyists tend to be pro-choice when it comes to deciding what they can and cannot record. Their choices may soon be limited by a September 14 ruling by the Federal Communications Commission requiring that the next generation of video equipment be copyright-compliant.

Bowing to pressure from cable providers and the film and television industries, the FCC has decreed that new set-top converter boxes and digital television sets include copy-prevention circuitry. Content providers have expressed growing fear of digital technologies such as DVD recorders and hard-disk video recorders, which can be used to make an infinite number of perfect copies of movies and TV shows. Strong lobbying by the entertainment industry for stricter new rules is part of a long tradition of opposing new technology for consumers.

Consumer groups and the electronics industry have reacted strongly against the new rules, saying that they will limit users' choices and add unnecessary manufacturing costs. Furthermore, manufacturers question the FCC's authority in the copyright realm. "We are pleased that the commission in its actions today appears to recognize that consumers maintain reasonable home recording rights in the digital age," said Consumer Electronics Association president Gary Shapiro. "We maintain, however, that the FCC has no legal authority to grant permission to mandate copy-protection schemes."

The CEA may pursue litigation to reduce the severity of the constraints, or to block them altogether. The FCC's decision could cause further delays to the rollout of high-definition television, already years behind its original schedule, according to speculation in a news story in the Los Angeles Times. Hobbyists interested in maximizing performance options might be better off buying earlier-generation equipment.