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Boxee, Comcast agree to a workaround for encrypted basic cable channels on third party boxes
Boxee usually doesn't get along with the existing media / pay-TV conglomerates, but now it's telling the FCC it has come to an agreement with Comcast. The solution agreed to lets live TV-friendly Boxee access encrypted basic cable channels thanks to a DLNA-controlled high definition digital transport adapter that would connect to the box via Ethernet, with an eye towards no longer requiring an adapter at all down the road. Multichannel News quotes Boxee CEO Avner Ronen as saying it was "good to work with Comcast" on a deal that gives third parties like his company continued access to basic cable. The benefit for Comcast and other cable companies is that they could progress with encrypted all-digital solutions that would open up bandwidth for things like higher speed internet, something Boxee was arguing against previously. What this means for existing standards like CableCARD or the long awaited AllVid is unclear, but if it's one step closer to a legitimate option to ditching the cable box, we'll take it.
Broadcom's new SoC will shrink HD DTAs
We don't often remark upon the lowly Digital Transport Adapter but it may be due for an upgrade, or at least the "DRINK ME" treatment now that Broadcom has announced a single chip solution for HD DTAs. The first of its kind, it combines HD video, cable tuner and HDMI capabilities in a new, smaller form factor. Many of you will need one for primary or secondary televisions as cable providers keep scraping for bandwidth, so consider yourself on alert another round of passionless unboxings coming soon.
TiVo earnings call reveals Comcast Tivo, Stop||Watch expansions on the way
Among the financial details (net loss of $4.1 million, yawn) of today's earnings call, TiVo had big news about its Comcast TiVo product, announcing that remote scheduling will be available this summer in the New England area, the planned Chicago launch is "close," that the cable company will soon offer customers in areas switching to all digital the option of a TiVo HD retail box instead of a digital terminal adapter and in one yet-to-be-named tru2way market, will make TiVo its primary DVR option. That's the word from CEO Tom Rogers, who also said Comcast is going to aggressively roll TiVo out, while its still looking for the "best path" of distribution. Non-Comcast interesting developments? The SeaChange partnership has lead to one independent cable operator, Comporium, offering its service, while the Stop||Watch ratings service is expanding to 300,000 subscribers, 75 times the size of Nielsen's DVR sample. Check the read link for the (.PDF) press release or listen in on TiVo's website for all the info, we're busy pondering a bleep & bloop enabled future for our boring old cable DVR boxes.Update: The transcript of the call is available on Seeking Alpha [Via Davis Freeberg]
Comcast extending all digital push in Boston and Atlanta
Not to be confused with the OTA switch to digital, Comcast is apparently ready to resume shoving customers off the analog coil and making room for more HD, DOCSIS 3.0 high speed Internet and other things we like, starting with Boston and Atlanta. Termed "Project Cavalry" it's not removing every channel from analog, but about 40 of them, and as the FCC directed giving customers two digital terminal adapters (pictured) and one digital box for free as long as they remain with Comcast. According to Cable Digital News, Chattanooga picked up 22 new high definition networks and 50Mb Internet service after the digital migration, so it really can't happen fast enough.
Comcast going all digital in Seattle, bringing DTAs to the Pacific Northwest
You already know what Comcast's Digital Transport Adapter looks like, and for folks in Salem, Eugene and Corvallis, Oregon (not to mention Seattle, Washington), you'll be seeing 'em in the flesh soon enough. Comcast has announced that its all digital transition will be heading up from Portland and into Seattle in the near future, and it's upsetting quite a few locals with Media Center PC / TiVo setups. Of course, these are just the growing (or should we say "changing") pains associated with a mass switch from analog to digital, but at least in theory, the conversion should free up oodles of bandwidth for the carrier to expand its HD lineup. And remember, a cable company choosing to pipe its channels out in digital is very different than the broadcast change coming in February 2009 -- it's confusing, we know, but the read link does a fairly decent job of spelling everything out.[Thanks, Doug]
Pace-built Comcast Digital Transport Adapter gets unboxed
We know, this whole "digital age" is quite confusing, but what you're looking at above is one of the first Digital Transport Adapters (a Pace DC50X) doled out by Comcast. First and foremost, this box has nothing to do with the impending analog shutoff of broadcast networks in February of next year; instead, Comcast (like many other programming providers) is choosing to push many markets to "all digital" in order to free up bandwidth currently hogged by analog stations. Enter the DTA, which is being used to allow older TVs to still receive channels without the need for a pricey HD DVR. Even the unboxer notes that it's pretty unimpressive, but check the gallery in the read link if you're so inclined.[Thanks, cypherstream]
