[Bradford] BBC's plan to encrypt HD content management

[Steve Kerr]

To quote the article: "...it is requesting that it be allowed to encrypt the
data associated with TV listings without which set-top boxes are not able to
decode the TV content".

What they are describing there is the encryption (or obfuscation) of the
DVB-SI and (possibly) MPEG-PSI. The STB (or other client) uses these data
streams to find the content. The SI (System Information) describes where the
service (what mere humans call a 'channel' - e.g. BBC1) can be found i.e.
what frequency and other parameters to use to tune to the digital multiplex.
The PSI (Program Specific Information) within each multiplex describes how
to find the component parts of the service within that multiplex, i.e. the
Packet IDs for the video, audio and other elementary streams.

The 'listings', or EPG data, is held in the Event Information Table (EIT)
which is referenced as a component of the service in the PSI. Some service
providers encrypt the EIT data to prevent it being used by unauthorised STBs
but this doesn't prevent the STBs from receiving and decoding the services.

Freesat did a similar thing to prevent any standard DVB satellite receiver
from picking up the Freesat services. In this case I think they just used a
propriety means to describe where the services are (i.e. non-standard SI &
PSI). The Freesat services could still be received by my media centre
(non-Linux at the time I'm afraid) by doing a scan. The problem came when
services were moved - they just disappeared from my media centre's
perspective and I had to perform a manual rescan.

.Steve


On 27 June 2011 20:23, Brian <bradlug at techchico.org.uk> wrote:

> The BBC plan to introduce encryption in regard to their HD channels. It
> will mean that existing Linux boxes  won't function anymore and that, of
> course, will include MythTV *(see below).
>
> More information:-
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8259154.stm
>
>
> From which comes:-
> "Critics of the BBC's request say that open source licenses are
> incompatible with the regulations because DRM locks down software so that it
> cannot be altered by the user. "
>
> Ofcom:-
> http://tinyurl.com/66umlcx
>
>
>
> There is a PDF on that page and in it is an email address which can be used
> to respond to the BBC's plans via Ofcom.
>
> Put simply, as I understand it, the BBC can't encrypt the video but can
> encrypt the EPG etc.
> *If this is all they intend to do then, as far as MythTV is concerned, it
> won't be much of a problem as, presumably, listings can be obtained from the
> Net. I have written 'grabbers' for channels which aren't in the the standard
> EPG so the BBC should not prove any more difficult. However, with standard
> Linux set-top boxes this may prove a problem.
>
> Brian
>
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> Bradford at mailman.lug.org.uk
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>
>
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