What’s the mantra? - “security by obscurity is no security at all”.
If you security still works when everyone can see the source code and dig around the configuration setting than you have *secure* security.
It’s all a matter of incentives - if the death star materialised in orbit around the Earth and the message from the aliens was “open your source code or fry” a way would be found.
I understand the constraints of the present world view of STB designers and software engineers, and of studio bosses. I could counter that you’re not looking at it from the point of view of an open source advocate.
I’m asking that you break free from the current constraints.
No, I know that’s not going to happen any time soon (STB’s might be an interesting target for open source but most people rent or get it in the subscription anyway so I doubt the incentive is there).
At least some content software “protection” was a waste of time (DVD and Blu-ray encryption) as it was cracked anyway.
I think Sky’s encryption has not yet been broken but I recall years ago when cable was more a thing a mate did a nice line in a box which would decrypt all the channels (obviously the state of the art has moved on from the late 80’s).
A good bit of Canal+ content ends up online.
The problem is that if you put up a wall, some people take it as a challenge to break it down, whether they have the source or not.
Jolly interesting discussion, chaps, but might it be better to move it over to a dedicated thread?
The talk has moved a long way from a general discussion about the best way to receive broadcast TV in France…
Unfortunately, it’s not me that has to break free from those constraints, it’s the broadcasters, who are at the top of the chain in this. I was right at the bottom.
Only 2.5mb required. We have 12mb here, certainly not super fibre and also very rural France.
I would wholly recommend a fixed line for internet. SFR tried to sell me a 4G receiver that would guarantee a great internet connection. It couldn’t even get an extremely poor connection.
Well you are ok then…a lot of us aren’t. We get 1.5mbs on a good day. OP needs to check the area before deciding which way to go. Crazy to assume it will be ok.
Oh dear. Degrouptest result even worse than I had thought. Seems the telephone people weren’t the ones tearing up the road two years ago rewiring all the wooden telegraph poles here. There’s no fibre only ADSL. Speeds degrouptest is quoting …I remember getting when we first connected our computers at work by putting an old-fashioned telephone handset face down into a modem box and could literally hear the signal.
Hum. Even Orange mobile has to be better here than that.
From my experience with Orange ADSL, the data rate quoted by Orange will be much higher than you will actually receive. For example, I was told “up to 15Mb/sec, usually at least 8Mb/sec”. In fact the typical speed was just under 5 but did occasionally get as far as 6.
As an option of last resort, yes. The packages seem better on paper than they used to be but from comments on SF the service is generally as bad as it ever was.
The other option, which I mention for completeness is Starlink, this is a system of low earth orbit satellites so can offer lower latency and better speeds. BUT a) Elon Musk is behind it (people will recognise I’m not a fan), b) it’s expensive, c) it’s still in beta-test d) there have been reports of the base stations overheating e) they haven’t got all the satellites up yet so there have been coverage issues and outages f) to work well it needs line of sight to the horizon - trees and buildings have been a problem g) satellite overpopulation (and space junk) are increasing problems which this just makes worse.
Scotty sums up the problem with satellite nicely - “Ye cannae change the laws of physics”. It will always be high latency and comparatively low bandwidth.
Ah Yes, V.21 300 bps acoustically coupled modems … I remember them fondly. That was pretty much all you could get (unless you had a suitcase full of money) before telecoms deregulation.
Yes, I read about that as well, but to be fair, it happened during the heatwave in western America when ambient air temperatures climbed above 47C, and many dishes were fully exposed to the sun, hence being a lot hotter than that. So not too suprising. Your other points I agree with, especially b).
Edit: I forgot to add the issues with astronomy. I’m just starting out as an amateur astrophotographer, something Ive wanted to do for ages. The community is up in arms about this, as many have experienced frequent trails across long exposures from the Starlink satellites. I think most of the problems are caused by bunches of satellites raising thier orbits and moving on station.
It’s half “fair enough” - the reports were from Arizona I believe but designing a bit of kit which, by definition, needs to be out in the open with a full sky view and then having it shut down if the temp goes over 122°F is a bit naïve - just being in the sun with the air temp nowhere near that would do it. Particularly when you are pitching the service at remote users in remote areas - which are often a bit hot.
Indeed - they were part of my objection g) but, as you say, the scientific community is well pissed off at all this.
Does this mean buying a TV in UK, firing it up, giving it a UK p/code ? I’m hoping the price of OLED TV’s will come down with a wallop Black Fri time but even so, bringing a new one into FR now will lead to heavy dues at Customs.
Alternatively, if the first thing the sat signal arrives at is a Humax box [I have a 4 y.o. HDR-1100S 500 that has never been used] if that is set up in UK with a UK p/code, would that eliminate the need to buy a UK TV?
The dues on a reconditioned Humax I bought direct from Humax for +/- £190 would be a great deal less than a +/- £1500 telly. Being 4 y.o. they might let me off.
. You must live a blessed life…or have endless patience! In 20 years I have yet to have a simple ‘phone call to Orange…