Adding Functionality to Digital Cable Boxes?

Marqis asks: "I have a Motorola DCT-2000 (info here) and supposedly it supports 3rd party software. I would like to be that 3rd party but I can't find any information about programming this unit or how the data port can be used. After phoning Motorola I was told that the data port hasn't been activated yet. Not sure how that works. Anyhow, I really hate my cable company's layout of the on screen tv listings as it only shows a 1/2 hour time block. I would much prefer a 1 hour (or even 1.5 hour) time listing that should be possible if the gigantic 'Push here for help' buttons were taken out. Also, I know from reading news groups that lots of people would like the ability to change channels through the data port so their Tivo's wouldn't have to use a sometimes flaky IR blaster. Web surfing, email checking, tv listing download, mpeg streaming to a pc and the like are also theoretically possible. Any info on the data port, protocols, compilers, etc would be greatly appreciated."

Comments

Kill the box! Television is evil!

[Orkin]

It is a proven fact in the US that a percentage of people who are exposed to television (or any other form of broadcast media) are prone to suicide, homicide, and collecting Pez (though, not necessarily all three).

It seems to me that any box that facilitates television viewing can only be evil as well...