I just received the below email from Zapperbox .. Apparently it will soon allow for decrypting DRM protected over the air TV channels.
BUT – existing customers need to have Zapperbox customer service log in remotely and unattended to enable it. Yes – you essentially open full control to your Zapperbox (an Android TV device underneath) and give a stranger full and unattended access at at a time that’s convenient to them.
Presumably they have some root level control of it too. I’m more than a bit nervous about that since they don’t tell you when they’ll be accessing it or what kind of access their customer service representatives will have to the device or your local network.
And after that ? You guessed it – you need an active Internet connection to watch over the air TV. And it won’t record DRM protected channels initially. A future firmware update will not require an internet connection they say. But in the near term, Internet will once again be required to watch over the air television using an antenna.
If you’re curious about the Zapperbox you can see my initial review here. I’ll be updating my box to the DRM capability and will do a followup soon.