After years of fits and starts, we finally find ourselves on the cusp of a CableCARD successor as the FCC has proposed the pay television industry “unlock the box”– providing customers broader access to programming via hardware and experiences of their choosing. As a long-time industry observer, I’ve found much of the press coverage unsatisfying – marred by a lack of situational … Read more
While the official TiVo blog generally engages in trivial (and bizarre) marketing, they’ve taken to WordPress this week to cover something far more significant in CableCARD. And, while cable companies like Time Warner and Charter will soon (12/15) be able to provide set-tops without integrated CableCARDs, TiVo reassures us that these companies remain on the hook … Read more
EchoStar continues to pitch US cable providers with a higher end set-top box solution. The company, generally known for its satellite television technology, first unveiled a CableCARD-powered tru2way DVR with Slingbox capabilities back in 2009. Despite what appears to be limited interest and uptake, EchoStar presses on and announced the Aria initiative earlier this summer. Amongst other … Read more
ZNF regular Chucky routinely proclaims that we live in the Golden Age of CableCARD. While I had my doubts in the FCC’s ability to enact reform, I stand corrected and believe that era has indeed arrived. Most large cable providers now provide CableCARDs with simplified pricing and without requiring a truck roll. Further, staff finally … Read more
Much has been made of Comcast Xcalibur, the code-named IP-based service designed to feed consumers their Internet access and video content all through a single fat pipe. In fact, the term Xcalibur has been whispered in back rooms for years, with some of us afraid to speak it out loud for fear of karmic retribution. … Read more
Amongst all the dazzling new televisions and parade of tablet devices, there were two products and services that clearly stood out during my abbreviated CES journey. FiOS TV… As An App While we saw at least three methods of bypassing the cable box at CES, none excited me more than the Verizon FiOS TV approach. … Read more
Not only is Comcast planning to launch a TV remote app “very, very soon,” but CableLabs is making it possible for other cablecos with fewer resources to do the same. At the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo last week, CableLabs execs were talking up a proof of concept the organization has developed for smaller companies who want … Read more
Over at EngadgetHD, Ben D wonders if the FCC will make any meaningful improvements to the CableCARD quagmire and retail STB accessibility when they convene on Wednesday. I don’t have the energy or time to rehash all my thoughts on where we are and how we got here. And don’t imagine the FCC has the … Read more