CableCard vs. Cable Box
By Matt Burns 
posted July 4th 2006 12:13PM
posted July 4th 2006 12:13PM
Cable Cards have all but disappeared from consumer level TVs. There are a few still floating out there but they tend to be in the more pricey models that offer little to no advantage over the normal sets. The New York Times took some time to examine why these little cards are no longer a popular option on todays HDTVs. They come to a two part conclusion.One, the cable companies simply did not encourage them due to the amount of monthly rental fees associated with cable boxes. They make too much money with those boxes to promote an alternative solution. Second: the limitations of the card. Cables boxes cost more to the consumer, but they do offer a lot more features. The current implementation of Cable Cards only offer a one way communication stream and therefore cannot have the same interactive features like the on-screen guide or Video-on-Demand.
We think it is really the second part there. It is the lack of services that killed the Cable Card. Sure, the cable companies didn't help, but it was the downgrading feeling that kicked 'em to the wayside. Do you use a Cable Card in your HDTV?
I was looking at getting cablecard in my TV, but when I called my cable company, they said there was a 6 month waiting period for them. I decided not to get the cablecard feature, but 6 months later I called just for kicks and they said they were still waiting to get cablecard. So they had no support for it or I would have gone that method.
I had one for a little bit, but like the article points out, the lack of 2 way comm was a major disadvantage. Only time I used it was when my DVR was busy recording 2 programs and I wanted to watch a 3rd in HD, a rarity.
Yep. CableCard rocks. I hate the Scientific Atlanta boxes and interface. UGLY. Plus, I've got a Sony DVR that accepts CableCard.
I dunno guys, cable companies make MILLIONS on selling/renting cable boxes. Having said that, the point about them not being 2 way is definitely the reason the cable co.'s snubbed them altogether (ie. never even gave them a fair chance to make money off of.)
I still wonder though, could cable companies make as much on selling/renting a little card as they can on a physical box? Consumers are a funny folk, they tend to only pay money on things that are tangible...
They almost completly missed the point. It was features that Cablecard was missing, but MSO's don't care about on screen guides. There is NO potential for additional income, meaning no PPV. Even if the cable companies made more money from renting cable cards, which I think they would of if you include all the overhead of STBs it wouldn't make up for the loss revenue from PPV. PPV and VOD is what the cable companies think is their ace in the hole when competing with Dish and Directv and there is no way they are going to give it up peacefully.
The worst part of the entire thing is that it has caused such a long delay in a Stand alone HD TiVo. Why would TiVo or anyone else want to release a Cablecard 1.0 device when Cable Companies refuse to support them?
I pulled this from Wikipedia...
A CableCARD version 2.0 standard has been in the works to address some of the issues with CableCARD 1.0, as well as add several new features. The new CableCARD 2.0 standard supports two way features such as Pay-per-view, Video On Demand, and advanced electronic programming guide information. CableCARD 2.0 is also supposed to allow for up to 5 channels to be tuned in at once. CableCARD version 2.0 will not be compatible with existing CableCARD 1.0 enabled products. Several DVR manufacturers have also held off on integrating CableCARD slots into their machines until the CableCARD 2.0 standard is finalized. Equipment with CableCARD 2.0 support is expected during 2006 or 2007.
Many cable providers in the United States have already begun to support CableCARD 1.0, with many saying that they also plan to support CableCARD 2.0 when the equipment becomes available. No cable providers in Canada currently support CableCARD.
This is a little off topic, but I want to make a comment about PPV. First off, let me say that I never use it. It just doesn't seem worth it to me, and people using PPV are just screwing themselves. Let me explain why.
Years ago I lived a very happy TV life. I had HBO and Showtime and I would see all the movies I wanted including special events like boxing. Then PPV started gaining momentum and the boxing fights moved to PPV. This really upset me because these events were somewhat free in a way as I got to see them on HBO or Showtime at no extra charge. So TV is much more expensive today thanks to PPV.
The PPV pricing scheme is insane. They charge something like $50 or $100 to watch a single event! At that price, I can probably get a years worth of HBO and/or Showtime and watch perhaps hundreds of movies.
So, needless to say, I do nothing to help PPV and hope for a day people will do the same to kill PPV off, but there are just too many people out there that are more than happy to pay these high prices. So it looks like I will have to live without these special events because I refuse to pay.
I would like to recommend everyone not to use PPV. Subscribe to a pay channel instead. It is much cheaper and rewarding as you get to discover allot of movies you would have normally never have seen. And if you really want to watch a particular movie, rent it on a DVD so you can rewatch it if you like and you can see the special features as well, something you can't do with PPV.
If I'm missing something here, please let me know because I don't see what is so great about PPV.
When I got my HDTV, cable card ready, I went ahead and asked for a card from my cable provider, even though I had a dual tuner HD DVR box. Just like the user above, I can now record two things at once while watching another, albeit a rare occasion.
More often I turn the TV on sometimes without the box and the A/V receiver, just not to have to deal with all three components.
Personally, I think that cablecards will be back. With the Tivo 3 drawing crowds to them, the cable companies will be forced to "bump up" the availability of them.
Myself, I have a cablecard in my Toshiba 57h94, and I love it. I despise the idea of using Cox's tuner box because I like being able to have the "TV" be the tuner, and being able to use my television's remote.
As soon as Tivo 3 launches, you'll see ALOT of people looking into cablecards, and I'll be moving mine from my TV over to my Tivo. I can't wait.
Like we needed yet another reason to want more competition in this industry. Where is CC 2.x? Oh stuck in committee? It was supposed to be here now, but where is it? If you had those cards you could buy your own box that used the card and just rent the card. Next time the cable companies come up to renew their franchise licenses, there should be a clause added (must only charge cost for boxes and other interfacing equipment). Of course then rates would go up.
We desperately need more competition so at least it's not just one company ripping us off and smiling about it.
CableCard tanked primarily due to the lack of support from cable companies because CC doesn't allow for PPV and VOD, which cablecos view as fat cash cows. After all, a small card must be a cheaper investment (and takes less warehouse space) than set top boxes. Plus, at least half of cable customers would much rather not have a set top box. Then there's the fact that when CableCard is available, the implementation is badly buggy and unreliable.
I'm a big proponent of standards based solutions like cable card which are 1) cheaper and 2) don't force all that extra crap on you, plus you can use your tv's channel buttons.
I had one in my Samsung HDTV for 6 monthes with great results, but then suddenly the HD service crapped out. Cable company said it was the TV, but it ended up being a dead card. Replaced it for free, but 3 weeks later it died again.
I'm fed up and switching to a box, the cable card standard just wasn't done very well, and 2.0 is no where in sight. We're slaves to the cable companies, sigh.
So what of Vista Media Center??? The big selling point was supposed to be support for CableCard HD tuners.
I love my CableCard. Love it. Love it.
I get far better picture quality from the CC than from the Moto box. Channel changes are much faster. Recording to my computer works (as my TV has firewire).
I had two cable cards. I loved them, the picture quality was great, the internal guide was so/so but that's TV related.
The major downside to cable cards is the cable company BARELY support it. If I had an issue, it would take a week to get someone with the right knowledge to fix akak come replace it. If I wanted it installed they would come install it, but charged me 25 bux for each visit. But if i wanted the box I can pick that up from any location and install it myself.
It's quite difficult to PUSH the card into the back of my TV, don't know how many techs strained themself doing that. *rolling eyes*
Needless to say, I'm with Dish Network now. :)
But the reason cable cards are dying is because the cable companies won't support them.
The main reason i got a cable-card was for picture quality, as it is much better ((clearer sharper cleaner) than the SA 8300 cable box, especially with 480i channels and NSTC channels, I channels surf much faster as ther is a much shorter delay when changing channels, and virtually no breakup are static or pauses in the digital picture and sound, 1 remote, however I needed a dvr and now I have both, I record to things while watching another or two with my tv's on picture in picture (twinview) all for an extra $1.95 a month.
I find when watching concerts on inhd sometimes the sound and picture breaks up or freezes with the cable box, so I simply switch over to the card and no problem. The one way TV's electronics are simply better than the 2 way Hard drive equipped cable box and with the cable company is always fishing your info to sell to others.
CC has better PQ than the box, at least with Comcast in New England.
I do have a Dual Tuner cablebox hooked up though.
I call complete and total BS on this one. The one and only reason CableCard died is because the CableCo's wanted it dead. It cost them PPV revenue, it cost them advertising space on their horrific EPG's, and it cost them box rental fees. Dead, dead, and more dead. CableCard was very much a consumer friendly device because it let me pick the STB and EPG I wanted to interact with. Paired w/ a CableCard PC tuner or TiVo, it could have been amazing. The CableCo's always neglected to tell consumers that they could still easily order PPV or premium conent by just calling in or using their website (as opposed to ordering directly from the TV STB). This was no accident, straight up murder by the CableCo's to protect revenue streams - particularly the emerging one of advertising direcly on the EPG. Shameful.
I just got a call from Comcast last Saturday about my cable card.They needed to confirm some info about the cable card,a bunch of numbers that I read off the TV.They told me that they have upgraded to 2.0 and I should see a differance in about one week.Nothing yet. We will see.
Eddie
o.k.....sorry if this is stupid, but I'm new at all of this... thought i had finally nailed down my decision on a new HDTV and now the cable card slot or no cable card slot question pops up.... the tv i decided on is the Sony KDS-55A2000.... NO CABLE CARD... I have Time Warner Digital Cable and have been happy with the DVR and movies on demand features... here's the question... could i use the new Tivo Series 3 with this tv? does the cable card itself have to go into the TV or does it fit into the Tivo? thanks...
Toby,
The cablecards will directly in the Series 3, there is no need to have cablecard support on your TV to use a Series 3.
Hey Toby, it remains to be seen if a cablecard equipped box with hard drives, tuners, and other electronics-made by multiple vendors, will give you as clear and vibrant picture as a straight to tv and only use the TV electronics and cable card setup.
I also notice virtually no picture breakup with the card, but much more with the box.
in your situation it seems impossible to test since the TV is not cable card ready.
let us know how it goes and if you get a chance to see a native tvcablecard standard def and hidef pic vs a box or cable card box let us know what you think. standard def improves the most, but hi def is also better it has an extra pop! to it.
good luck
One of the problems with the cable card is the cable company immediately assumes that since you have a cable card that must be the cause of any problem you are having.
I was getting lots of tiling and the signal was disappearing completely at times... must be the cable card. It was bad amplifiers in their distribution.
Don't forget that the TV will get all the un-encrypted channels without the cable card. In my case that includes all the broadcast HD channels.
STB.. I don't need no stinking STB