STV: DigiCasa - Add security to your SageTV install - Last Updated May 14 2005

[salsbst]

In rethinking my idea, it seems that it is almost exactly the same functionality as would be achieved from actually using Windows security and having a different set of config files (which point to a different set of drives), except for:

a) the notion of apportioning space usage across every user who would have recorded an airing (through favorite or manual or whatever); and
b) a difference in how tuners would be shared (or not shared).

Anyhow, another issues that would need to be considered is how to prioritize recordings across users who aren't supposed to see each others' favorites.

[Crashless]

Originally Posted by salsbst

Perhaps the presentation of a list vs. requiring the user name to be typed should be configurable. Listing the user names is an attractive nuisance IMO.

Good link. And I can see your point, but that the same time - what level of security does a television really require? 1024bit AES? I think a 6 or 8 digit code could be more than sufficient for most households. Just my optinion anyways. Most parental controls can be overcome by a determined teenager with too much free time, which I assume is the basis for your concern.

Even most v-chips in televisions today only have 4 digit codes, that could be brute-forced in a week - easily. So your point is taken.

Maybe the best option is to combine both, or as you mentioned offer both, but either way there's a lot of back-end stuff going on here to make a 'truely secure' television system. In the end, I'll repeat my previous question:

How much security does a television really require?

IMO - a 4-8 digit code will satisfy 99% of users.

Edit for cross-post:

That's an interesting idea. I believe that this is adding an order of magnitude of complexity to the current conflict resolution system.

It will be interesting to see how this type of thing plays out.

[salsbst]

Not to share is probably pretty easy. Right now, it seems that slight changes to the service mode (to allow multiple instances of the service running from separate config files and listening on different ports) would allow people to have completely isolated SageTV environments. The security minded could use Windows security to enforce it, while those who just want to stay out of each others' way could just launch a different sage pseudo-client instance.

Sharing the scarce resources is harder. Ultimately, it really comes down to how to share:
a) hard drive space
b) files
c) tuners

[Crazedz]

Cool this is begining to sound like what i have been wanting for the family. I may have to give it a try in the next week or so here.

[dagar]

Anyone try this out with 4.x?