http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/ Engadget Comments for CableCARD 2.0: What's the hold up? http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 18th 2007 4:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 19th 2007 9:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
If CE manufacturer wants to sell a 2-way piece of equipment (set-top box, DVR or a TV) to work with a Multi-Stream CableCARD they have to play by CableLabs rules. CableLabs is a standards organization. All of cable companies work to comply with CableLabs specifications so why should CE vendors be exempt from following the rules? ]]>Jun 19th 2007 9:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Exempt from the rules?
The whole point of OpenCable is to introduce competition into the market, forcing every manufacturer to use the same software violates the intention of congress.

This is like saying that every ISP customer has to use the same operating system or even web browser, after all they are all 2-way devices.

CableLabs should have no problem coming up with a 2-way protocol that allows CE companies to write their own code and that will resist "damage the network or cause issues".

I'm sure you still rent your home phone from the phone company too.]]>Jun 19th 2007 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
When you buy a DBS satellite receiver box from Dish or Directv at Best Buy or Circuit City, regardless of manufacturer of the box, they all run the same guide/user experience. This is similar.

Similar already works for cable modems. If you buy a cable modem at retail outlet and call your cable company to sign for their service, the cable company WILL download their signed firmware onto YOUR cable modem and download their configuration file that specifies the level of service you've signed up for. You have NO control nor can you overwrite their software.

Bottom line is that if you do not like that kind of arrangement no one is forcing anyone to get the box or sign up for the service. Rabbit ears are cheap and OTA programming is absolutely FREE.]]>Jun 19th 2007 12:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
The big difference between your examples and congress's goals (yes my interpretation) is that the cable modem has nothing to do with a end users experience online. They are free to choose any web browser or OS that they want. If the cable company controls the software the UI will be bad like it does now.

You are right we do have a choice, and that is why I was with Satellite for many years, but they too have moved away from giving the consumers a choice in what STB they want to use. (which is why I switched to cable to use the Series3) It has only been in the past few years that DirecTV has forced their crappy boxes on their customers instead of letting them choose.

The bottom line is that there is no real reason not ot let TiVo's DVRs use VOD and the like and if cable was smart they figure out how to get me to give them $800 for a DVR and pay $20 a month for the service.

I love to tell the story about when I bought my first HD TiVo for $1000, after spending a month with a SA 8300HD. I told my wife it was the TiVo or I'd stop watching TV.

In the end I wouldn't care who controlled the software, if cable didn't make such poor choices in what software they deploy, but it's very obvious to me, that they don't have my best interest in mind. ]]>Jun 19th 2007 12:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
Why is this so freaking difficult? They need to start acting like phone companies, just provide the data feed, let me buy the phone that I want.]]>Jun 19th 2007 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 19th 2007 1:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
They often own or have stakes in channels or programming they want to keep bottled up also - especially sports programming. Take sports programming here in Philadelphia.

It's the ultimate in vertical integration: they sell the tickets, own the ballpark/arena/stadium, own the team, produce the tv programming, sell the advertising (both in the arean and tv ads), own the distribution (which is legally limited to cable/FiOS only), rent you the set top box, etc. And that's without the internet access and/or telephone service bundled in.

It's a mad merry -go-round of money passing from consumers to corporations, and between sub-entities of corporations. Lots of people making lots of money selling the same product over and over again. No wonder they don't want anyone encroaching on their turf.]]>Jun 19th 2007 11:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
Cable companies are smart. They have tens of millions of DVR customers who fork over $10-20 per month for a cable company's DVR product. They don't need Tivo. Tivo needs them. Why do you think Tivo partnered with Comcast to port their UI on Comcast's DVR set-tops. And Comcast's Tivo product will have access to VOD.

For every Tivo3 there are 6-7 "crappy" SA Explorer 8300 or Motorola 6412's. Millions of customers use them everyday without issues and like their interfaces on their DVR product so much that some cable systems have trouble stocking enough DVR for their customers. Tivo is a marginal product for people with discretionary $500-800 to burn. If you think it's "the TiVo or I'd stop watching TV" then go ahead get Tivo or Media Center or whatever you want. Its a free country. Vote with your wallet. Comcast or Verizon will still make money. Comcast has 24 million customers. For evey one that cancels their DVR service because they don't like the guide there will 10 new ones that don't care for the guide as long as it works. Cable companies are in business to make money and like any public company their answer only to shareholders, not customers. ]]>Jun 19th 2007 1:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 19th 2007 1:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
Sure most people are happy with their DVR, ask them they'll tell you how much they love it. Then tell them why you don't like it, and they'll say, "ohh yeah, I hate that too". Ignorance truly is bliss and if Bright House Networks would have been offering DVRs before I bought my first ReplayTV then I'd probably be blissfully ignorant too.

My point is no publicly traded company makes enough profit, and they are leaving money on the table by not offering premium products to those with all that discretionary income. If anything my cable company would make more money if they let me access PPV with my Series3, after all they couldn't make less than they do now, which is zero.]]>Jun 19th 2007 1:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/It's becoming more and more evident that someone from (insert MSO name here) peed in your Wheaties. You’re either intellectually dishonest or journalistically inept, citing your own assumptions and “interpretations” for the basis of your article (and subsequent comments) is ridiculous.

]]>Jun 19th 2007 2:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Not sure what I did to prompt you to say that, but I can't believe that anyone thinks that competition and choice are a bad thing.

I have nothing against my local MSO (Bright House Networks) but I am a proponent of TiVo and am willing to pay more for a better user experience. I don't think it is fair for any MSO to prevent TiVo (or any other manufacturer) from creating Digital cable boxes that can access any services that the one and only wired provider offers in my neighborhood.]]>Jun 19th 2007 2:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
Sorry if that sounded harsh. What I have a problem with (being in the industry) is the perpetuation of the MYTH that once OCAP servers are installed in MSO headends, and a customer goes out and purchases a TiVo OCAP (or other compatible box), that the cable network the system will take over the box once it's plugged into , purging out all the TiVo goodness, and load it up with, say, TV Guides sorry excuse for a UI. If TiVo comes out with an OCAP compliant box, they will have OCAP compliant software, that software, along with future updates, would be hosted on the MSO's OCAP Servers, as MSO will be expected to support any OCAP CL Certified device. When presented with this naysayers will usually resort to the argument that MSO's are not going to support CE boxes because it will cut into their "lucrative" set top box sales.

That brings us to MYTH #2...that MSO's make a ton of money on set-tops. Let me tell you, the only guys making money on set-tops right now are Moto and SA. MSO's are lucky to break even. In my region a Moto DVR goes for $7.95/mo, Moto sells the box to the MSO at $500. That box has to function non-stop for over 5 YEARS before they even break even...and anybody that's ever had a DCT-6412 know that NEVER happens.

We might as well finish things off with MYTH #3. That MSO's have deliberately drug their collective feet on CableCARD implementation/deployment. Actually this one is partly true, but not for the reasons that everyone thinks. The reason that MSO's appear to be resistant to this effort is not due to the fact that they're trying to protect (nonexistent) STB revenue, as I stated above. It's because the things SUCK, and have a fairly high failure rate by comparison. But let's look at the facts. Who is manufacturing CableCARDS? Oh, Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta. Who stands to lose billions in set top box sales if CableCARDS were to become widely adopted? Oh, Motorola and SA. Hmmm, do you see the problem here?

On a side not someone else cursed their MSO for not allowing them "fair use" of their HD content. Dude, it's the studios. Not the MSO's. It's getting so bad that some channels (like HBO) are attempting to get MSO's to digitally watermark their individual streams so that when it does show up on torrent sites they can trace it back to the MSO and slap 'em around a bit(legally speaking). Oh, and if you don't agree to these terms, guess what? As an MSO you don't get HBO to provide to your customers.

The more things change...
]]>Jun 19th 2007 6:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/ I hope someone hoses your car. The seletions out there including TIVO suck. My main grip with satelite is shows can not be archived in HD for personal use. Cable prices are too high. We need FCC intervention.]]>Jun 19th 2007 2:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
FCC and Congress are working for the cable/telecom/DBS companies not constituents. When money talks, BS (I mean elected officials) works. Congress and FCC has been bought and paid for by special interest groups long time ago. Do not expect them to fix anything. As a matter of fact every time FCC or Congress sticks their nose into something my phone or cable bill goes up due to some new "regulatory fee" that will pad a phone or a cable company bottom line.]]>Jun 19th 2007 3:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/
Hmm, all great points, but just to recap:

A. You hope someone to jacks my shiz up.
B. TiVo is dumb.
C. Satellite is dumb.
D. Cable is dumb.
E. Why won’t the government help you?

Wow.

I don’t even know how to respond to that. Good luck with life.
]]>Jun 19th 2007 6:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/You are certainly correct with your comment on the FCC, its just another government entity that is too easily bogged down in the beauracracy. However, it is a necessary evil at this point of time if we hope to ever have progress on this issue.
With respects to Cables charging what they can, sure, but there really is not any competition where I live(Chicago). Sure, RCN serves a couple households, we have no FIOS or Project lightspeed. I could possibly get satellite, but why should if I like the picture quality I get with Comcast. I want the best of both worlds, I want Comcast picture quality, with Tivo interface and the ability to access On Demand and PPV. Sure, I have the Motorola DVR right now, and it works(Though have replaced it 3 times so far), but it is has its quirks and is certainly not as user friendly as my old tivo was. OCAP is not for me, I do NOT want to use the guide they give me. Also, don't take this as a rant on MSO's, because at this point of time I have to put some blame on the CE people as well. Both need to get off their high horse, and start working together. Personally my patience is waning. Of course, if the comcast branded Tivo would be release already, I would be happy....for the time being!]]>Jun 20th 2007 11:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/I'm right there with you on the myths and when I talked to Moto last week I asked them about their part in this entire mess. Of course they told me they have done everything they can, and that with CC they can now sell Moto STB's to SA headends, but I have yet to see any at the big box store.

Regardless I blame CableLabs (we know who owns them) for the fact that "the things SUCK". They were the ones who were certifying all these boxes and cards in the first place. If they certified the bad product, they were the ones who were supposed to make this all work. I just hope that now that all the MSOs have to use them, they will get better, but honestly I'm not holding my breath.

In the end, I'm just like most people, we don't care what the problem is, we just dream of yesteryear when we could buy a TV hook it up and we didn't need a box to get all the services we wanted. And if we do want a DVR or a TiVo we should be able to buy the best product we are willing to pay for and not have to choose between a TiVo an VOD. For 90% of the applications out there OCAP would be perfect, it is just the TiVo example where it doesn't work. I'd think that most TV manufacturers would love the idea, deploy OCAP and let the MSO worry about the rest.]]>Jun 19th 2007 6:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 19th 2007 8:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 20th 2007 10:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 22nd 2007 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/cablecard-2-0-whats-the-hold-up/Jun 25th 2007 4:00PM