Copy control method and apparatus for a receiving system

A receiving apparatus comprising:

• on-screen display control means for displaying a screen corresponding to various setting states and arranging items on said screen;
• external device control means for setting an operation of an external recording device;
• and
• control means for, when a recording input is given,
• determining whether or not a program being received is copy protected on the basis of Entitlement Control Message (ECM) data and Entitlement Management Message (EMM) data,
• setting said external recording device to a recording state if said program is initially found not copy protected,
• disabling control of said external recording device if said program is found copy protected before recording said received program onto said external recording device,
• wherein said control means performs a stop input control function corresponding to a selected state upon the instance the recording input is given;
• whereby said external recording device is prevented from recording received copy protected programs;
• and
• determining means for determining if said program is recordable based on said Entitlement Control Message (ECM) data and said Entitlement Management Message (EMM) data,
• wherein said Entitlement Control Message (ECM) data and said Entitlement Management Message (EMM) data and descramble key data are simultaneously supplied to a descrambler.

A control method for controlling a receiving system composed of a receiving device, a monitor device for displaying an output of said receiving device, and an external recording device to be controlled by said receiving device, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• setting said external recording device to a recording state, when a recording input is given, whether or not a program being received is copy protected on the basis of Entitlement Control Message (ECM) data and Entitlement Management Message (EMM) data, if said program is found not copy protected,
• disabling control of said external recording device if said program is found copy protected before recording said received program onto said external recording device;
• setting a selected state upon the instance the recording input is given which acts as a stop input for subsequent control;
• whereby said external recording device is prevented from recording received copy protected programs;
• determining if said program is recordable based on said Entitlement Control Message (ECM) data and said Entitlement Management Message (EMM) data;
• and
• simultaneously supplying said Entitlement Control Message (ECM) data and said Entitlement Management Message (EMM) data and descramble key data to a descrambler.