[Discuss] Comcast gets rid of the remaining analog channels

[me at mattgillen.net (Matthew Gillen)]

On 02/09/2012 09:56 AM, Shirley M?rquez D?lcey wrote:
> On 2/9/2012 8:45 AM, Matthew Gillen wrote:
> 
>> My understanding is that the encryption isn't really a business goal of
>> the cable companies, but rather a requirement that is being forced on
>> them by the content producers.  The content producers can say "you need
>> to pay us X to carry our content if you encrypt, or pay us 10x if you
>> don't encrypt, to compensate us for the additional risk of piracy".
> 
> By "basic channels" I meant "the ones that are available as part of
> basic service" (the cheapest cable service) which are mostly available
> over the air, not the cable company definition of "basic channels"
> meaning "ones that you don't pay individual subscription fees for" (ie,
> not HBO etc). How can piracy be a consideration for channels that are
> already available at higher quality (the versions carried on cable are
> re-encoded at lower bitrates than the broadcasts) for free?

You and I can see that; this is the MPAA/RIAA content industry you're
talking about.  Common sense is uncommon in their little bubble...

Matt