Is it ok to re-broadcast?

[SATire]

I have a need to set up a video broadcast test. I could use a video camera but watching a plant grow or traffic going by would bore those helping me to test.

I was wondering, is it legal, as in, ok, to re-broadcast a known to be free, OTA channel?

For example, I know not to use something like the BIO or History channel when they show up on FTA channels but others which aren't commercial but known to be free, over the air ones.

Thanks for your input.

Mike

 

[guapoharry]

Broadcast or re-broadcast meaning what? What sort of thing do you plan doing?

Don't believe whether it's 'free' or not is the issue. Rights are the issue.

Do you have permission or approval from the owner of the content?

 

[Pete K]

You mean stream it? It's not legal. There are a lot of of folks doing it on Justin TV, UStream, etc. but it isn't legal by any stretch of the imagination. Recently a JTV subscriber was streaming the CBC-TV affiliate out of St. John's Newfoundland. The CBC quickly had it removed. It is like trying to kill weeds.
As soon as one pops up and is killled, another takes its place.

 

[harshness]

Generally speaking, it is forbidden without formal written permission from the copyright holders of each and every item of programming that you re-transmit.

Effectively, the answer to your question is no.

This goes for re-transmission via any means.

 

[rv1pop]

Public domain movies, DVDs, VHS tapes that say PD or public domain can be played ..... I am not sure why you are asking, for a lptv or streaming or ??? but some providers are somewhat liberal in allowing rebroadcast. My son was setting up a system in outer Alaska (in 1987) and got permission in one day to use the TBN signal.

But RE BROADCAST without permission = NO!

 

[B.J.]

I pretty much agree with the responses here, but just to throw a wrinkle into the thought process, with respect to "re-broadcast", I agree completely, but with respect to "re-transmission", I'm not so sure. There are some significant differences between the terms broadcast and other forms of transmission or communication. Broadcast has historically referred to putting up a signal not to a specific recipient, but instead to any and all that are able to receive it. For example, hams in general, with some exceptions, are not permitted to broadcast, but are instead supposed to be doing ham to ham communication.
Of course, this doesn't change anything relative to copywrite, but it's generally understood that we have the right to receive these FTA signals, and to display the video we all re-transmit it in some way, just to get it to our TVs, either by sending it down an HDMI or A/V cable to our TV or streaming it to a Roku or Azbox, etc. So I don't think that simply re-transmitting it is a problem, I think it depends on who the recipient's are. Ie, if you're streaming it to your TV for your wife to watch, I don't see a problem, but if you're streaming it over the internet via UDP for the general public to view, then that's obviously a problem, because that's broadcasting. So the question is where do you draw the line. Streaming via a wireless net to your brother two houses down the road? Streaming to your best friend across town via the internet. Streaming an NFL game to a group of football fans in a club you belong to? Streaming to some company to demonstrate some capability like this? Clearly, the two extremes, ie wife vs general public are well defined as OK and NOT OK, but I don't have a clue where the line would be drawn for intermediate senarios. My guess is that if there is just one recipient that it might be OK, but if there are multiple recipients, even if all at one location, I would think that wouldn't be OK.

Anyway I agree with the above responses, but there are some gray areas depending on who you're sending it to, and how.

 

[digiblur]

I have a need to set up a video broadcast test. I could use a video camera but watching a plant grow or traffic going by would bore those helping me to test.

I was wondering, is it legal, as in, ok, to re-broadcast a known to be free, OTA channel?

For example, I know not to use something like the BIO or History channel when they show up on FTA channels but others which aren't commercial but known to be free, over the air ones.

Thanks for your input.

Mike

I'd go with the simple solution with no copyright worries... small fish tank, bubble bar for constant movement, and a couple of goldfish.

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

What are you re-broadcasting to? OTA? Ham TV?

I've heard of Hams broadcasting NASA TV before, which is one public domain option I believe.

 

[B.J.]

What are you re-broadcasting to? OTA? Ham TV?

I've heard of Hams broadcasting NASA TV before, which is one public domain option I believe.

Not sure if it's still the case, but you used to have to request permission to do that with the audio, so I assume the same would be true for the video too unless things changed.

 

[Ironsides]

ummm

I can say this, unless the FCC has changed the rules it is Illegal for a Amateur Radio Operator "Ham" to make a Broadcast of any kind. It is illegal to Re-Broadcast as it is illegal to Broadcast. NASA transmissions are a horse of a different color and do not fall under the term Broadcasting. Or didn't in the past...now that could have changed...

I've been involved with one form of Radio or another for almost 35 years and held an Amateur Radio Ticket for most of that time. I totally agree with the other posters concerning this matter.

That being said, it might be possible to Re-Broadcast TV on a Private Network that is not open to the Public. For example if you have several computers at your home and you wanted to Stream TV to each of the computers that might be legal. Or For Example you had a Private Network that extended from your home to your office. It might be possible to Stream from your home to your office on a Private network. As long as it is Private and not open to the public but I would certainly check and make sure it was legal to do that before doing it...

 

[DiscoLoveGrapes]

When it comes to space missions, Ham TV stations have run NASA missions for years. As always on these things, check before doing

 

[hd fan]

buddy use the cuban tv on hispasat 30W , I bet they do not care , lol.

Now seriously , I agree with the other posters , it is even illegal to broadcast anything over the air using the regular VHF/UHF frecuencies even with very low power for only inside your home. you need a license for that to guarantee proper compliance so no other services , public or private , would be affected. Think about it, your transmitter might have spurious frecuencies interfering with other closeby services. Unless you use those wireless senders available online or on some stores that use properly allocated frecuency bands any other means could interfere with someone else. And as posted before there is the copyright issue.

 

[avg1joe]

What about using a public domain movie? You can stream them online or you look them up online and then find a copy of them at the dollar store. Using the movies shouldn't be an issue but using the movie from a certain website or from the cd may be an issue. That you would have to check.

I bet if you approached one of the smaller religious fta channels they would be thrilled if you rebroadcast for testing purposes but you still have to get permission.