USArcher

I assume what they mean by a "gateway device" is simply a means for consumers to connect to the internet through the same device that video is distributed to the home.  Is it correct to assume, it has nothing to do with how video is distributed around the home?  I really think it should be up to the consumer how that is accomplished in the entertainment framework UI of their choosing such as Windows Media Center.  Personally, I'm looking forward to when AT&T U-Verse becomes available to Media Center users.

 

Not as I understand it.  The whole point of the gateway device would be that you have a box in your basement which dumps video over IP on Ethernet.  Then your device (TiVo, TV, MCEm etc) gets video over Ethernet - no tuner needed.  You could change from Cable to DirecTV and just swap out the gateway and your existing devices would still work.

Maybe Comcast would be in a better position today if they had a IPTV/MediaRoom option instead of CableCard.

rjairam

 The cable industry fires back:  http://www.cabletechtalk.com/broadband/2010/03/16/comments-on-the-video-device-recommendations-in-the-national-broadband-plan/

I would suggest all Green Button MC Cablecard users read and post comments. It's time to restrict the cablecos from owning and placing stb and dvr equipment at all. Let the market determine what people want and force the cable industry to supply a standardized signal that 3rd party equipment can receive. Let them use a conditional access method like cablecard or a downloaded security device, but restrict the equipment.

John

JohnW248

rjairam

 The cable industry fires back:  http://www.cabletechtalk.com/broadband/2010/03/16/comments-on-the-video-device-recommendations-in-the-national-broadband-plan/

I would suggest all Green Button MC Cablecard users read and post comments. It's time to restrict the cablecos from owning and placing stb and dvr equipment at all. Let the market determine what people want and force the cable industry to supply a standardized signal that 3rd party equipment can receive. Let them use a conditional access method like cablecard or a downloaded security device, but restrict the equipment.

John

I really like this idea.  I hate that cable companies are trying to pigeonhole us all into using one device...theirs.  Personally I would love it if I could just use one tuning device to consume all content in America like the Ceton tuner and just swap out the 'cablecard'  from the various providers. 

JohnW248

rjairam

 The cable industry fires back:  http://www.cabletechtalk.com/broadband/2010/03/16/comments-on-the-video-device-recommendations-in-the-national-broadband-plan/

I would suggest all Green Button MC Cablecard users read and post comments. It's time to restrict the cablecos from owning and placing stb and dvr equipment at all. Let the market determine what people want and force the cable industry to supply a standardized signal that 3rd party equipment can receive. Let them use a conditional access method like cablecard or a downloaded security device, but restrict the equipment.

John

 

 

Already did. But more important than that is to comment on the FCC broadband plan when it's up for comment.  Also, please write your congressperson and senator and tell them that you support the recommendations 4-12 and 4-13 in the national broadband plan and why.  Tell them how good your experience is with media center over the cable company's STB and how much resistance your MVPD (cable or satellite operator) is giving you to get a CableCARD. Tell them that often they will flat out refuse unless you tell them it's for a TiVo.  Tell them about crappy tuning adapters and SDV. DirecTV users too - tell them about the dropping of the development of the PC tuner.  In short, make some comments in support and let your voice be heard. 

USArcher

Maybe Comcast would be in a better position today if they had a IPTV/MediaRoom option instead of CableCard.

 

 

I don't like IPTV in today's environment, at least the way AT&T and others have implemented it. It still locks you into a proprietary solution.  The ideal solution would be something that uses open standards all the way so that anyone can make equipment easily.

rjairam

I don't like IPTV in today's environment, at least the way AT&T and others have implemented it. It still locks you into a proprietary solution.  The ideal solution would be something that uses open standards all the way so that anyone can make equipment easily.

It was mentioned at CES that they were going to allow MediaRoom to be consumed in Media Center PCs and XBox.  The possibility with AT&T U-Verse being the first to enable that.  With PCs, that means many existing OEMs can have be part of the ecosystem.  I'm sure Microsoft would be happy to license MediaRoom client to anyone else who wants to build a settop box.

rjairam

 THe cable industry fires back:  http://www.cabletechtalk.com/broadband/2010/03/16/comments-on-the-video-device-recommendations-in-the-national-broadband-plan/

 

 

I cannot disagree with Cable's broad message: all providers should be treated equally. Cable should not have to follow rules that Satellite and FIOS can ignore.

But I also with the gist of this thread -- I want to own my own equipment and subscribe to services I choose.

ghdavid

I cannot disagree with Cable's broad message: all providers should be treated equally. Cable should not have to follow rules that Satellite and FIOS can ignore.

But I also with the gist of this thread -- I want to own my own equipment and subscribe to services I choose.

The permanent fix (gateways) will be applied to all providers. The temporary fix (CableCARD recommendations/IP solution for SDV) will be applied to cable only. Incidentally FiOS falls under the same rules as regular cable providers do as they are in essence a cable company since they use the same technology.

erkotz

USArcher

I assume what they mean by a "gateway device" is simply a means for consumers to connect to the internet through the same device that video is distributed to the home.  Is it correct to assume, it has nothing to do with how video is distributed around the home?  I really think it should be up to the consumer how that is accomplished in the entertainment framework UI of their choosing such as Windows Media Center.  Personally, I'm looking forward to when AT&T U-Verse becomes available to Media Center users.

 

Not as I understand it.  The whole point of the gateway device would be that you have a box in your basement which dumps video over IP on Ethernet.  Then your device (TiVo, TV, MCEm etc) gets video over Ethernet - no tuner needed.  You could change from Cable to DirecTV and just swap out the gateway and your existing devices would still work.

 

(first post, don't hurt me) 

i think you're both holding apples, seeing each other with oranges, and talking about the oranges :)

 I believe the gateway is a sort of DMARC,.. and will require CPE (your stuff or cableco STB's).  maybe i'm wrong, but i'm not seeing any benefits here other than how the CPE will talk to the DMARC.  if the DMARC is in my basement (which would be awesome, cause i don't have a basement), or my attic (120+ degree temperatures in the summer).. that would be ok too. (and preferred to me).  Maybe they'll standardize how those devices talk to the DMARC (which would make sense and the satellite devices would be connected to this).

 oh.. and did anyone read the entire FCC proposal?  Talk about a progressive redistribution of weatlth agenda! Who's signing up to be a DLC member?  (Digital Literacy Corp.)  and when do i get my subsidies for a new computer, cablecard, and cable modem?... oh wait, i have a job and education, i probably won't qualify.

  I started and stopped reading at Chapter 9.  I don't want to get all political here, but it would just make more sense to offer major (like huge) tax incentives to companies providing these initiatives instead of trying to get more government agencies involved and acts of Congress to pass more funding for all of those things... ugh, makes me sick.

If you read the whole proposal (it's actually based on comments from TiVo, Sony and others) they say that they want standards and it will be over IP. The benefits are a level playing field for all equipment. There are no proprietary standards and third party equipment talks to your TV provider exactly how their CPE does. That's the long and short of it and is essentially a "brute force" method to force cable providers to play fair. As for offering tax incentives vs technology mandates, won't work. The MVPD industry has pretty much shown their unwillingness to cooperate. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I agree, tax incentives won't work. What will work is fines and loss of market if they fail to meet the requirements. Perhaps cablecos shouldn't be allowed to put together tier packages. Another way would be for each program provider to advertiser their own services and you sign up with part going to the service provider and a couple of cents going to the cableco for the pathway.

That might wake them up. That plus the requirement that all service providers have to have a gateway device will help. Just what that'll be remains to be seen, I think it'll probably be more along the lines of the way the Ceton card will work. You buy the device with the number of tuners you want and the cable or sat service provides a decryption device and connection to their network. This gets a little more complicated with sat the way it works now with transponders and receivers, but we'll have to see if they make it to 2012.

The mandate for SDV is going to be welcome to all of us with Tivos and Media Center tuners since it'll remove the most troublesome piece of equipment and unnecessary box from our systems.

John

Well I don't think that getting rid of tiers is the answer. There has to be a basic tier for people who can't afford a full package, especially since a lot of people were affected by the DTV transition. Maybe if it goes a la carte that might help but packages shouldn't be prohibited entirely.

sorry, when i meant tax incentives.. i was referring to these FCC and other federal/congressional proposals:

programs:

                * Lifeline assistance and Link-up America (broadband for low-income households, subsidized by tax payers)

                * Free or low-cost services to promote adoption (subsidized by taxpayers)

but, yes.. tax incentives to 'convert' to recommendations wont' work.. that i agree to.

I don't think we're too concerned about those things around here. Our focus is TV.