[Ghost of Spookie]

This happened to me this a.m. and may very well affect others, so please read so you don't get surprised yourself....you may not be able to record your shows anymore on a separate DVR.


I got the shock of my life this a.m. when I was going to go out for breakfast and didn't want to miss the news so went to hit record on my several-year old Pioneer DVR. We live in an area with mountains so pretty much have to get our signal from DirecTv or a cable channel, no reception essentially by a regular antenna. I also use my recorder to time record my favorite shows like Face Off, Sleepy Hollow, Grimm, etc. Well DirecTv has basically made mine, and I suspect everyone else's separate DVRs, USELESS! As of today I suspect any separate DVR (like from Pioneer or whomever else) will get the message, "This content is copy protected" and NOTHING will record on these separate devices. I can record to my DirecTv DVR, a basic unit--record one channel while only watching another...no dual tuner--which has a very low storage capacity...and right now is almost completely full, but can't pass the signal thru to my accessory Pioneer unit which has a larger storage drive. And I just discovered that I get the same message when I try to record anything that I had stored in the past on my DirecTV recorder from months ago. I am so pi**ed over this. I love to season pass my favorite shows and catch up them later, so my storage fills up fast.

We also have a Cable Tivo DVR that we bought and used when we had subscribed to cable a while back (found them less reliable than DirecTv so dropped it after a while and went back to DirecTv after spending several hundred dollars on a unit ). I still have some shows on that machine and interestingly enough I am able to transfer shows to my Pioneer from that cable dvr. As I said we don't have service to that Tivo drv and don't know if that is the reason why I don't get a message. Any cable subscribers finding themselves in the same situation with their non-cable company DVRs? I really hate the thought of going back to cable and if DirecTv is doing this figure cable is too or will be.

Now I am either forced to delete stuff off my DirecTv DVR to record current shows I want to see at some point or pay more to upgrade the unit to a higher capacity. I have had my Pioneer unit for several years and relied on it for extra storage. I feel like turning my TV off completely. I hate being manipulated into spending more money by companies. I just deleted a bunch of shows I haven't had the opportunity to watch yet just to time record some shows I want to catch from today's lineup. Grrrrrr

 

[Ghost of Spookie]

Update for anyone reading this thread. After some internet searches, discovered this "this content is copy protected" or some variation of the message depending on the satellite/cable provider has been reported by many posters over the last few years. People for the most part were told this was an issue caused by HDCP (high definition copy protection) employed by providers to prevent subscribers from copying high def quality programming like HBO movies etc. and for some reason the message suddenly appears on their equipment and prevents them from even viewing their TV by putting up a blank screen. Not exactly my problem but still supposedly from the same HDCP source.


The workaround suggested by most, even the service providers as reported by customers, is to disconnect any HDMI cabling and go back to all component connectors or get a new tv believe it or not. For some the cable switching seemed to have worked but not for all. One person in a post I read said that what worked for him was to reset his satellite box (his was DirecTv as well but people with Dish have reported a similar problem). So before unplugging the mass of cabling we have for our various video and audio components I tried the suggestion of resetting the DirecTv box (using the menu button and then under settings I think until I came to Reset--DO NOT use the "reset everything" button or you will loose all your programming settings) and it worked. No message on my channels any longer when I use my Pioneer DVR or access anything on my DirecTv box. So if you encounter this issue when trying to record Grimm or some other non-premium or PPV show, give the reset a try first.