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FCC Opens Market for Cable Boxes
fistfullast33l writes "The FCC rendered a decision today against a Comcast appeal that centers on integrated security features in set-top cable boxes. The decision comes at the end of a long standing feud between the FCC and cable companies over the matter. The result is that starting July 1st, cable boxes distributed by cable companies must not be tied directly to a cable provider via internal security features. This rule is viewed as the first step in creating a market for set-top cable boxes. Comcast does have the right to appeal and has said they will do so. From the article: 'Several major consumer electronics manufacturers have argued that if set-top boxes weren't directly linked to the provision of cable service, they could enter the set-top market. Consumers could get a cable card from their service provider that they could insert into a set-top box purchased at a consumer electronics store. The cards would ensure that consumers could only access channels that they paid for.'"
The result is that starting July 1st, cable boxes distributed by cable companies must not be tied directly to a cable provider via internal security features.
Now if only they could accomplish this same feat for mobile phones.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
Good for Tivo. Bad for Comast.
approximately what the percent chance Comcasts appeal will work?
It's directly proportional to the wad of cash they give a senator. The FCC doesn't understand technology anyway. Also, consumers are too dumb to be able to make choices for themselves.
Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
now, if only we could get a MythTV (i.e. abiltiy to create a Free DVR) clause in there, we'd be golden....
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Given enough personal experience, all stereotypes are shallow.
Current CableCard technology is one-way only. So you can't order PPV or control VOD programming. CableCard 2.0 is supposed to support two way communication, but it isn't out yet. It also will be a different card interface. So if you bought a TV that includes a CableCard slot, guess what, you have to buy a new TV to use the 2.0 cards.
Also, cablecos are not yet required to offer CableCards yet. The FCC's plug and play rule that covered it does not take effect until July. So if your cableco currently does not want to offer CableCards, you're SOL.
I'm not sure what the ownership rules are for CableCards, but from what I've seen it appears they are still the property of the cableco and you still pay a monthly fee for them (you just don't have a big, hot running box to keep around).
If this rule is allowed to take effect (translation: a bunch of cableco lobbists don't pop up and stop it) soon hooking up digital cable will be as easy as hooking up analog cable. The converter box can be built into the TV the same way we transitioned from having to get a box from the cable company twenty years ago to having "cable ready" TV's. It would help clear the way for people to not have to pay "per box" for their service. DVR recorders can be built that can tune all the channels themselves.
I think this is fabulous, it's a step to reversing the nickel and diming cablecos and the entertainment industry as a whole have been doing the past ten years.
No, Comcast won't just take your cable box away.
This sort of thing happened with telephones a while back; when they broke up the original AT&T, they also allowed anyone with the means and desire to make and sell phones. Customers no longer had to rent the phone from the phone company--but many people still did rent phones. I think it's possible to rent phones from phone companies even today; some of them seem to encourage it.
As it was with phones back then, so it will be with cable boxes if this ruling holds. Perhaps someone will soon make an independent cable box that you can buy outright and use with any cable provider anywhere. (Yes, even one with a DVR.) But you'll still have the option of renting the cable box from Comcast, and it's almost certain that Comcast will encourage people to continue renting their boxes.
There is a fine line between recklessness and courage... -- Paul McCartney
Good. This should pave the way for mobile phones to be operator agnostic.
The USB port is there so that once the Cable companies figure out how to charge for it's use.
By forcing cable companies to use CableCards themselves, the FCC will also force the cable industry to make CableCards actually work correctly. If the industry is given a choice between no VOD and making CableCard VOD work, they will find a way to make it work.
I found out an interesting thing on the slow response times from a comcast tech. ... and whoever designed it ... are really lacking in the smarts department.
It seems that the only remote button that is locally processed is the power button.
All other clicks get relayed to a central server and are then directed back to your box.
This really explain why, after not responding for 30 seconds, my cable box goes nuts and spams through every command I've been pumping in while it was locked up.
Whoever approved the design
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insightful? this isn't even a sentence!
Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat