Posted by Randy Hoops on 01/19/36 11:28

The proposed broacast flag is largely a legal and regulatory device
and not a technical problem. Implementation, if required by law, is
relatively trivial.

Newly manufactured equipment would be required to look for and act on
the broadcast flags.

This could be made to work in either a digital or analog TV signal.
Current analog television has a lot of digital information. These
digital signals are broadcast in the "vertical interval", generally on
lines 17-21 of the vertical interval. Currently in addition to
Closed Captioning, and Teletext, there is SID (Source ID) AMOL
(Automated Measurement of Lineups), VITS (Vertical Interval Test
Signal) and VITC (Vertical Interval Time Code),. V-Chip parental
lockout information is also carried in the vertical interval.

If congress can implement the V-Chip with current analog television,
they can mandate that new equipment comply with broadcast flag
standards. It's legal/regulatory issue.

Since we currently have a congress that listens to lobbyists and fat
cat contributors instead of the voting public at large, the
"Broadcast Flag" issue is unlikely to go away. The RIAA and MPAA have
more power in Washington than you do.

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