Cutting the cord - not for the faint of heart...

We're taking the plunge!

After talking about it for years, I'm finally getting things setup to cut the cord with our cable TV provider and try living with the local over-the-air (OTA) and Internet provided video content.

Before doing this, I had to ensure that the rest of the family was going to make the transition with me.  We had a number of deciding factors:

1. The cost of the Cable TV services is around $3/day for our fairly basic package.  This fact alone was enough to convince my wife (the chief financial officer of our house) to allow me to spend a bit of extra money to make this all happen.  Some of the pieces that I had to purchase were in the $80-$100 range, but that's just about the cost of one months service, so they will pay for themselves in just a few months.
2. We're not a "glued to the latest sitcoms or cable-only TV shows" house.  A few friends of mine are absolute glued to the latest installments of some for-pay-only channels (i.e. HBO "Game of Thrones"), or cable-only channels ("CourtTV", "Spike", etc) (see "Bit-torrent shows" below).
3. The shows we do find hard to live without are easy to get through other means.  My wife and I don't watch much, but when we do it's usually on one of the local channels ("Big Bang Theory" on CBS, or "Masterpiece" on PBS).
4. The shows that are not broadcast locally can usually be found through other legal means.  We're currently subscribed to NetFlix, mostly for the entertainment of our two daughters (10 and 5).  For them, NetFlix has enough variety that they enjoy being able to watch multiple instalments of a show at a time.  As a bonus, they can continue to watch their shows when we're on long trips or waiting at the doctor/dentist office.
5. There are a number of streaming services that can provide a broader variety of shows.  The previously mentioned NetFlix is one popular example, but another one that has caught on is the Amazon OnDemand service.  If I subscribe to the sreaming-only options for both, it comes to roughly $14.60/month ($79/year for Amazon, and $8/month for NetFlix).  We've opted for the NetFlix "stream plus one DVD" so our total monthly cost for these videos is $22.60.  Compare that to the $90 we were paying monthly and it starts to make sense quickly.
6. The ability to DVR shows was an extra cost that was driving me insane.  We originally got along with the basic cable package, but when our stand-alone DVR died and we had to go to the one provided with our cable company, we had to upgrade to the basic digital package (extra $$), then pay an additional fee for the DVR capable set-top-box - in total about $30/month in additional fees.  Considering the old DVR we had been using (a very solid ReplayTV system) only initially cost $250, I should have looked into a replacement rather than diving further into the Cable TV trap.
7. We also want to move all the DVD videos to a "media server".  This isn't a direct replacement of an existing cable TV solution, but it is going to be a side-effect of getting this all setup.

So, those are all good benefits, but there are some drawbacks.

1. There will be something that we don't get that will be "popular" or a "must see" that we will miss.  For our family, the Disney channel might be that one channel that or daughters will miss.  But then, I lived without all the drama that HBO's "The Sopranos" provided and they are now available via DVD on NetFlix - I can get hooked on them if I really want to.
2. The technology to make this all happen is going to be completely home built.  I am technical enough that the maintenance doesn't scare me.  What I don't want to have happen is failures to record the special TV show (i.e. daughter on TV, or "final episode" of a series).  But then that has happed with our current cable company provided equipment too, so I've been through that pain already.
3. The complexity of this may not be acceptable to my family.  To quote Iyaz Akhtar of "This Old Nerd", the "Partner Acceptance Rating" is paramount to making this all work.  I have to make sure everything I put in place isn't overly complex.  Thankfully, all three are fairly geeky so I don't think this will be too much of a problem.

To make all this come together, I'm starting to put together a list of items we need to pull this together:

• TV tuner - First and foremost is the ability to bring in TV signals and convert them to something a computer can use.
• DVR software - This is the software that will schedule the shows to record, plus provide a method to view them.
• Media server system - The actual hardware and OS that will store the files and run the DVR software.
• Media "extender" - Since I will want to put the recorded video on other TVs...

The "Third Rail" of topics, bit-torrents for shows.

When I first started discussing cutting the cord with my brother-in-law a number of years ago, I lamented the lack of programing available on the local OTA stations.  (At the time, NetFlix and Amazon OnDemand hadn't been created yet.)  He had just created a bit-torrent downloader, and was having good luck with it, even setting up an automatic DropBox site to let him start downloads at home just by adding a torrent link via his smartphone.  That was working well, and the automation to download the files and get the latest episodes worked great...until the cable company sent him a lettering telling him to stop.  I'm undecided how I will proceed on this front.  I will probably save the bit-torrent setup for a later experiment since most of what we watch is available OTA, but I'm sure there will be a time when the cable TV and networks lock us out and I'm tempted to look at less than socially accepted means.

How to un-root your DroidX.

When I got my DroidX last spring, my first thought was to root it.  A few months ago I started experiencing problems and my carrier was contemplating having me return it for a new handset.  I have heard horror stories how carriers have denied all support for the phone if they determined that the phone was not 100% stock.  "Use 'Reset to Factory Defaults' will wipe this out!" I thought.  Nope, it still left the Superuser package installed.  After a bit of searching, I found a concise list of steps to remove the "offending" package.

The original steps were published in a post that I stumbled across on AndroidForums.com: http://androidforums.com/droid-x-all-things-root/292715-how-unroot-remove-superuser.html#post2396294  I know these steps worked on my phone, but I make no gurantees on your specific phone from your carrier.

The basic steps are just like removing any other package from a Unix box: login as root and remove files, the key is knowing which files.

Step 1: Getting to a command prompt.  I used this basic Terminal Emulator for Android, but any should do.  You should be presented with a "$" prompt.  This is the prompt for non-root users.

Step 2: At the command prompt, use the "su" command to become root.  Ironically, this is the exact tool we're going to remove - we'll use it one last time to give us the power.  After running su, the prompt should turn to a "#".

• Command: su

Step 3: Setup the "/system" filesystem for read AND WRITE, not just read only.

• Command: mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system

Step 4: Remove the Superuser package, and the two programs it provides, su and busybox

• Commands: rm /system/app/Superuser.apk
• rm /system/bin/su
• rm /system/bin/busybox

Step 5: Re-mount the /system filesystem as read only, and reboot.

• Commands: mount -o ro,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system
• reboot

After the phone comes back up, I tested by re-running the terminal program.  This time the "su" command returned a command not found error message and I could breathe a bit easier.

I won't gurantee that this will remove ALL traces of the root package, but it should pass a quick inspection that most carriers will give the phone upon return.

To recap, here are the commands for experienced users:

1. Open the Android Terminal Emulator and you will see a user prompt $
2. su
   • The prompt should change from "$" to "#".
3. mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system
4. rm /system/app/Superuser.apk
5. rm /system/bin/su
6. rm /system/bin/busybox
7. mount -o ro,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system
8. reboot

A SOPA-opera...

It's late in the afternoon.  Mike had just turned off the television finding nothing of interest to watch, when there was a loud knock at his front door.

Mike opened the door and sees three men dressed in black commando fatigues on his door step.  "May I help you," he asks?

"Mr. Godwin?" the first agent asks.

"Yes, I'm Mike Godwin[i]...who are you?"

"We're with the SOPA enforcement department of the government."

Mike stares back blankly, "The what..?"

"SOPA - Suppress Offending Pizza Assembly.  We have a report of a few local pizza restaurants that are using patented sauce application methods, so we're here to update your phone book as mandated by the law.  Please step aside."  And with that, the three agents push past Mr. Godwin and move toward the phone book on a table across the room.

Mike had been through this a couple of times in the past under different department names.  The first few visits replaced the pages of the phonebook for "escort" services and some shady pharmacies selling counterfeit drugs.  Mike knew he didn't want his kids having access to those sites so he and his neighbors readily accepted the changes.  But lately the changes had been for other things that didn't seem all that necessary...

"So, what is going on with these pizza places?  Are they fronts for drug dealers or human trafficking," Mike asked.  "I have a couple tips on some places I drive by on my way to work that we're certain are up to no good - I can give you their address if you want..."

"Hmm, no," the second agent responded, cutting off Mike.  "We need a reputable source[ii] to take this sort of action, not hear-say."  He resumed thumbing through the phone book, tearing out pages and replacing them with pre-printed pages they brought along.

"So, what were these pizza restaurants doing?"

Agent one turns toward Mike, obviously agitated in his questions.  "They were found to have been infringing on highly guarded trade secrets."

"What?  You mean they stole the recipe for the dough or sauce...?"

"No, much more insidious.  We have reports from highly trusted individuals that they were infringing on the sauce application procedure as documented in the patent held by Pizza Shack and cross-licensed to Dice Pizza[iii]."

Mike remembered that case, it made news a couple years ago.  Pizza Shack had settled a case out of court against another national pizza chain, Dice Pizza.  The argument by Dice Pizza was that the crust/sauce/cheese was the logical order to begin making a pizza, but Pizza Shack had received a patent for just that process a few years earlier and had successfully put a number of smaller pizza restaurants out of business.  The end result of this settlement was that Dice Pizza could put the sauce on between the dough and cheese, and they would allow Pizza Shack to use their patented "automobile pizza delivery" method Dice Pizza had patented around the same time.

Mike looked over their shoulders and saw one page being replaced.  "Wow, I had no idea "Pauls Pizza" and "Kevins Resturaunt" were doing this.  Were any of you involved in the surveillance or a sting operation?"

"No, we're too busy changing out the phone book pages to do that work.  Thankfully Pizza Shack provided us with a list of infringing sites, so that makes our job a lot easier."

"Wait, what?  You're just taking their word without checking into it yourself?"

"Oh, it's all legal - SOPA and the DMCA laws allow for this, and since there's no way our department could check all of these reports, we're grateful for their assistance."

After a few minutes agent one reports, "Our work is done for now.  Please remember it's up to each person to be vigilant in the war on terror...I mean intellectual property piracy.  Please inform us of any neighbors who might be using outdated or other phone books so we can keep them updated, too."  And with that, the agents closed the phone book and walk out the door.

Mike picked up the phone book and turns to the section marked "Pizza".  The page that use to contain ads for the offending restaurants was replaced with a new page only showing "Pizza Shack" and "Dice Pizza".

"What about "Mr. Levi's Pizzeria?  That's one of our favorite places?!?"  Mike knew they would be in the clear with SOPA because their big claim was they didn't use pizza sauce[iv], so they couldn't possibly break this law.

Mikes young daughter entered carrying a small phone book, but this one is from a foreign city.  "Here dad, I got this from a friend in school.  She was able to snag a copy when she was visiting her grandmother in Romania - they don't have SOPA or the DMCA there, so this is a complete un-censored phone book."

She opened the page and showed him hundreds of listings for pizza places all over the world.  After a few seconds she found the listing for Levi's and Mike started dialing the phone.

Before he could finish dialing, the line went dead and the door burst open.  Agent one was again in the room.

"Mr. Godwin! We just updated your phone book, but we caught you using an illegal foreign one.  Can you explain yourself?"

"Your update removed the entry for our favorite restaurant.  There must be some mistake!"

"Highly doubtful considering the source, but if you insist, you can file a formal complaint and work it out through the legal system."

"A lawsuit?!?  That will take weeks if not years to complete - what do I do if I want pizza until then?"

"That's why we left Pizza Shack and Dice Pizza - they aren't infringing on anything so they are perfectly legal."

Mike was speechless, the agent continued.  "And there's the small matter of the circumvention clause of the law."

Mike saw the agents gaze move to his daughter, and at the same time the two other agents grabbed her arms and restrained her.

"We've been keeping an eye on you and your friends at school.  Our counterparts in Romania have been watching your friends grandmother - she's claiming her innocence, but thankfully the ACTA treaty has allowed them to use our evidence in her trial.  I suppose you're one of those Free Software protesters as well, eh?"

And with that, the two agents pulled the young girl out the door to their awaiting van.

"I'm sorry for the interruption Mr. Godwin.  She'll be processed at the federal courthouse since this is a federal offense, but you can visit her some time tomorrow after she's been processed in.  I'd suggest hiring a lawyer.  The approved lawyers are still listed in the phone book."

---

[i] Homage paid to Mike Godwin - formulator of "Godwin's Law", http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law.

[ii] See the Universal Music Groups use of the existing DMCA law and how it may have been abused, http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/12/judge-gives-umg-24-hours-to-explain-takedown-spree.ars.  Also see how Warner Brothers mis-used the existing DMCA law, http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/09/hotfile-turns-tables-accusing-warner-brothers-of-dmca-abuse.ars.  Or just use your favorite search engine to search for "DMCA abuses": http://lmgtfy.com/?q=dmca+abuses

[iii] I'm envisioning the "Dice Pizza" to mirror the "Dominoes Pizza" logo, but using two dice with the values of "3" and "4" - the year in the 20'th century when Hitler became dictator of Nazi Germany.  Again, a nod to Godwin's Law.

[iv] Too much MSG in the sauces of other pizzas...