http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/ Engadget Comments for FCC ponders opening set top boxes to broadband connections, greater competition 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/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 7:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
While I agree it does sound retarded, the alternative is the set top box having yet another modem inside (I think).

Of course, the cable companies would find some way to cock block this in Congress too...]]>Dec 18th 2009 8:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
I know my cable box already has a DOCSIS cable modem in it. If the MSO would just enable it so I can use it and not have one more item plugged in. I would think it would be considered green since you are using less power than before. Less materials to manufacture.

ItsNewToYou]]>Dec 18th 2009 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Say you get tv from cableCO, and the box must get it's internet from coax. All those super duper features (if they ever exist) would only work if you have internet access from cableCO.
Part of the reason cablecards failed was because the cable company was not mandated to use them in their own boxes. Had they been required to also use them in the boxes they provide, I think we would have had a working solution. Since, they would be crippling their own devices.]]>Dec 18th 2009 1:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
You might have said that if the FCC had noticed this and BLOCKED the pre-configuration of cable cards in the STBs then maybe that would have made things more viable, e.g. they suddenly would have developed an autoconfiguration mechanism which they are not incented to do for standalone cable cards.

But it requires ACTIVE monitoring by the FCC. If they're just going to issue a regulation and then go to sleep while the cablecos figure out a way to wriggle out of it, nothing will work.]]>Dec 18th 2009 11:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
I don't know about you all at Engadget, but my cable and broadband provider has been one in the same for 10 years across 4 different states including both coasts and the northern mid-west. The FCC should be pondering the near monopoly that is Comcast and how to deal with their crappy speeds, connectivity and ridiculous prices. Wherever they exist they are the only choice for internet worth anything (I refuse to consider DSL a viable alternative).

]]>Dec 18th 2009 8:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
I chuckle that you bastardize Comcast and their "terrible connection and speeds" but one sentence later you admit that you currently have no alternative technology that is better.

Perhaps you should ask the government to release their own ban on more than one company per technology being able to offer you service.

Irony is that as they passed that law to "reduce costs and confusion over choices for consumers". Costs because they didn't think it was cost effective to have two companies pay to run cable to your house and choice because apparently they think we are too stupid to make the choice of two competing companies.]]>Dec 18th 2009 7:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Make it explicitly legal for a local municipality to install its OWN wire and rent such to the cable (TV) companies. Make existing franchise agreements with cable companies invalid immediately. Make it illegal to establish lifetime franchise agreements.

Etc. Etc. Look at somewhere this has worked (e.g. in certain places in Europe) and follow them.]]>Dec 19th 2009 12:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 8:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Why on earth do you think the FCC can do better than competing companies?

Ask the government to allow more than one cable company to service your area as it is currently illegal for more than one company to run lines to your house.

I'm sure like every other company on the planet, with choice, they would be forced to compete or be eaten by their competition.]]>Dec 18th 2009 7:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
An activist FCC can only be good for us after years of being asleep at the switch.]]>Dec 19th 2009 12:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 8:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 8:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 8:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 8:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 9:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of over-regulation, I just hate it how often large companies, especially those with near-monopoly powers, use government regulatory powers to protect themselves while bitch-slapping the government at the same time.]]>Dec 18th 2009 10:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
I agree with your comments but I think you both fail to see the real problem.

These companies already using the governments limit to allow only one cable line and service to your house for their advantage.

No competition over line infrastructure is the problem.

The government doing any regulation only helps the bigger companies. Smaller companies are the ones that will help bring them down but as regulations go up, only the glutton of large companies are able to deal with it.]]>Dec 18th 2009 7:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 10:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Thanks for the laugh. That's the funniest thing I've read all day.]]>Dec 18th 2009 10:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 10:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Agreed. I'd also like to be able to buy my own STB instead of renting an archaic POS from Cox or Verizon etc for a monthly charge. If I can buy my own cable modem I should be able to buy my own STB for TV.]]>Dec 18th 2009 10:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 10:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 11:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Having said that, you can still buy a TiVo or a Moxi STB and hook into cable that way.]]>Dec 18th 2009 11:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 19th 2009 12:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
I do own my own setop box: Tivo HD. It plugs directly into the cable and has a 2-line M-Card that was a breeze to setup. Now if it could get its network connection over that cable instead of needing to piggy-back onto our wifi network using another adaptor.]]>Dec 19th 2009 12:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 10:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
There already in competition. There are all sorts of set top boxes or an HTPC that can be used now, and with all sorts of different content.

Just as in the browser selection in the EU, I don't think the government should be intervening so that stupid users who can't hook a PC or set top box to their TV can have options to watch movies.

Let's get rural broadband and deal with the cell phone duopoly first.]]>Dec 18th 2009 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Where they're going to find the jurisdiction to enforce these new policies I have no idea -- but kudos to Julius Genachowski for attempting it. This sort of change has needed to happen for a long long time now. ]]>Dec 18th 2009 11:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Silly silly silly.

How about asking the government to once again make it legal for more than one cable company to run lines to your house and give you a choice of more than one service.

Your argument flaw is that without competing "lines of service" the quality and competition to increase the infrastructure is missing.

Your idea of having different entities is correct, your just splitting it the wrong way.

If only government would have stayed out of it, you would already have 2-3 competing cable companies, all with different types of network to compel consumers of general internet vs Torrent vs Streaming.]]>Dec 18th 2009 7:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 19th 2009 12:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
err.. how does it make sense for each competing service provider to run their own cable to your house? do competing utility companies run their own separate water and electricity lines to your house? of course not..

The pipes themselves should be owned and leased out by the local government just like any other utility. Infrastructure like FTTH is too expensive and operation critical for any one company to own and operate. Look how long it's taking Verizon to build their FIOS infrastructure. Only a handful of companies like Verizon, ATT, and maybe Comcast have the revenue to build something like that. And the result is the same privately-owned infrastructure we've always had which in turn creates a monopoly.

I dunno about you, but I have much more faith in the FCC looking out for consumer's interests than any ISP out there. Sometimes regulation is the only way to keep companies from raping their customer base. and we are, without question, being raped by our ISPs. ]]>Dec 19th 2009 2:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 11:29AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/
Wow, glad to have found another one around here that gets it.

Perhaps they should lift the ban on only allowing one cable line to run to your house. Competing lines, competing companies, competing infrastructure.]]>Dec 18th 2009 7:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/18/fcc-ponders-opening-set-top-boxes-to-broadband-connections-grea/Dec 18th 2009 12:10PM