

You're just recording what you're already seeing, the same way that a DVR records a TV station you already have access to. That's where recording your screen comes in: this isn't breaking encryption. Doing so requires breaking encryption, and as such would be in direct violation of the law. This is why Applian, which is based in the US, doesn't offer direct downloading of files from Netflix or Hulu. "The DMCA says you're not allowed to break encryption to record something," says Dettering. But there are limits to this freedom, and in the United States they're outlined in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The DVR clearly falls under personal use: you're recording a TV show so that you can watch it later.
