Sirius XM Recording Work Around Idea

[DaCoach]

OK, I have not put any of this to practical use yet, but I have been brainstorming this. I'm sure Applian has already come up with some ideas, or maybe they have tabled this for the time being. Who knows!?

In the meantime, I have looked around at varying work arounds and still not seen anything that makes any long term sense.

The main issue for any company working on or planning to deliver a SiriusXM internet stream recording solution is a legal one. Sirius XM is now fully encrypting their streams. Sirius XM even has a clause in its TOS that basically attempts to nullify the end users (subscribers) rights to record for personal use (time shifting). Of course that ultimately could and should be challenged in court.

Meanwhile it appears to be clearly illegal for Applian or anyone else providing a solution (commercial or otherwise) to author software that decrypts the Sirius XM.

It would seem to me that a legal solution could be constructed as follows:

1) Have the end user install a 'virtual sound card'. Virtual Sound Cards appear as another hardware audio device (even though its just a program that acts as a sound card). Configure Replay AV to recognize the virtual sound card (instead of the installed hardware sound card). Having a virtual sound card allows Replay AV to record the Sirius XM signal without the other system sounds or audio also being recorded.

2) Allow the Login and decryption to occur at the software layer (in the browser) as the service is currently delivered by Sirius XM.

3) Author a browser plugin (I'm thinking Firefox is the place to start) that a) disables the idle nag login and b) directs the unencrypted audio stream to the 'virtual sound card'. (There is already a plugin called QuickJava 1.7.5 that allows users to disable Flash - which the new Sirius XM player is fully authored in.)

4) Configure Replay AV to record at scheduled time.


The potential disadvantage to this is that you'd be limited to recording only one stream at a time (because Sirius XM internet feed only allows one digital stream to be listened to at a time).

Applian: Whatya say? Does anyone on staff have Firefox API experience?

Quite honestly the only reason I purchased a license for Replay AV is to record Sirius programming.

Anyone feel free to comment or poke holes in my idea!

[bluespire]

This is actually a pretty good idea. The problem is not in the programming of a Firefox plugin, however. The new Sirius player is flash-based, and that means no-one can get at the programming to be able to manipulate it in any way. Therefore, there is no way to block the nag screen without using a method such as the one in this thread (https://forum.applian.com/showthread.php?7211-A-possible-Sirius-XM-recording-solution-using-a-mouse-keyboard-macro-recording-utility). Also, you MIGHT be able to isolate the sound stream from your browser, as it is targetable as an executable. I highly doubt you could isolate the stream from the webpage (on Windows anyways, you might be able to linux). Which means, you would have to be listening to whatever you are recording, and would be only useful if you are leaving the computer for some time.

[CharlieSummers]

Of course that ultimately could and should be challenged in court.

Er...no, there's nothing to challenge; this isn't a criminal statute, it's a contract between you and SiriusXM. (FYI, IMNAL, so this is a reasoned interpretation, not a legal one.) If you decide to use the service, you are agreeing to the terms listed in the agreement. If you don't agree, don't use the service. But you can't "challenge" those terms, only agree or not. They could theoretically add a term that required you to stand on your head while listening, and if you used the service, you'd be agreeing to do so.

If they decide to cancel your account because they believe you have violated section 4, there isn't much you can do about it. My suspicion is that there has never been any time SXM has terminated a user because they recorded a program, but that doesn't prevent them from doing so in the future. Would make 'em look pretty stupid, though.