FCC to Consumers: Screw You

This week comes new lobbying win by the MPAA. It seems those bastards have spent years trying to get the FCC to remove a ban on Selectable Output Control and have finally won. What does that mean to you?

For those who aren't keen there used to be a magical technology called "analog." This "analog" had the capability to transmit high definition video signals through connections such as component video or VGA. The MPAA helped develop a new "digital" high definition technology that would also carry "digital" audio but it would be encrypted so unscrupulous individuals couldn't use it in ways they feared. What does all this mean to you? WE NEVER NEEDED HDMI connections since component video and digital audio connections did the same things but since they don't have encryption the FCC has just granted the MPAA rights to require broadcasters to turn off analog outputs for whatever the f**k they want. That's like buying a Chevy and GM tells you that you can't use the passenger's window on Thursdays. Granted, this may happen anyway but that's because your Cobalt is a busted piece of crap.

The irony of the whole situation is that the FCC has never been good at steering technology... anybody remember Cable Card? How did that go? Oh, yeah... failure. More ironic? They admitted the failure and want CableLabs to loosen the restrictions so more people adopt it while a new technology is drafted... wtf? Yep.