what does this mean for BTV?(cable card)

[oppland]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...yndication=rss

Agreement may mean end of cable set-top boxes

By JOHN DUNBAR

Associated Press Writer

The set-top box, a necessary appendage for millions of cable television customers for decades, is moving toward extinction.

A leading television manufacturer, Sony Electronics Inc., and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association said Tuesday they signed an agreement that will allow viewers to rid themselves of set-top boxes, yet still receive advanced "two-way" cable services, such as pay-per-view movies.

In most cases, cable viewers also could dispose of another remote control since they could use their TV's control rather than one tied to the set-top box.

The agreement marks a significant meeting of the minds between cable companies and one of the world's dominant makers of consumer electronics. The two industries have been feuding for a decade about how best to deliver cable service to customers while allowing them to buy equipment of their own choosing.

Sony agreed to use the cable industry's technology in its sets as soon as possible but could not say when the first such televisions might be appear in stores.

The agreement is between Sony and the nation's six largest cable companies: Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc., Cox Communications Inc., Charter Communications Inc., Cablevision Systems Corp. and Bright House Networks. The six companies serve more than 82 percent of cable subscribers.

Cable subscribers are generally locked into renting a set-top box from their provider if they want more than the most basic cable TV service.

More than a decade ago, Congress ordered the cable industry to allow outside electronics makers to compete for the boxes. The industry responded by developing the "cable card." The cards are inserted into competing boxes, televisions or other devices and unscramble the cable signal.

The cards have been the source of frequent customer complaints and never proved popular. In addition, sets can only receive signals from their cable company, not vice versa. Subscribers were unable to enjoy "two-way" features such as video on demand, on-screen channel guides and cable company-provided digital video recorders.

Customers will still be able to attach their own devices - like TiVo digital video recorders, according to the NCTA.

Under the new system, customers will still need to get a cable card from their provider, but the agreement means, hopefully, technical glitches will be eliminated, "two-way" services will be available and there will be no need for the clunky boxes.

The cable association said it was hopeful other electronics manufacturers will also agree to use the same technology.

The industry hopes to head off action by the Federal Communications Commission to impose a two-way standard on the industry.

"Every member of the FCC has encouraged the parties to resolve these highly technical issues in private-sector negotiations," said Kyle McSlarrow, president of NCTA. Tuesday's announcement means they have done so, he added.

The FCC declined to comment on the agreement Tuesday.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

[tscales]

Can't imagine it means anything. Unless Sony is willing to replace all the TVs in my house for free, I'll still have BTV and cable boxes for a long while

[Asmordean]

What it means is that in about 10 years either we'll have tru2way capture cards and all will be well or you'll have to keep using a box.

In 20 years we'll be screwed if capture cards aren't created to allow recording of the signal.

In 20 years you might have to look into the grey alleys to find the equipment you need but it'll be there. I for one, hope that doesn't happen and a legit capture card exists that allows recording of encrypted data. Not sure how the DRM would work but maybe someone will come up with a less draconian way of dealing with it.

[Rich A]

Capture (tuner) cards aren't what is being talked about here. Rather "cable cards" which are currently not made to plug into your PC but rather into a cable card ready viewing device. A friend of mine has one of those Sony HD TVs with a cable card slot.

As the thread starter mentioned, up to now they have not been very popular, because of the problems mentioned. But that is for the first version of the card. Cable card version 2 (from what I hear) is in the labs getting ready to be released. (or maybe it already has?) Anyway, the next version of the cable card will have 2-way capability.

The only way you can get a cable card to work with a PC is to get the ATI Ocur box. A small set-top box where you can plug in your cable card and then feed your computer with it. And from what I hear you can only get it bundled with an OEM computer build.

[jhanan]

Unless Snapstream gets a CableLabs license, we will never get CableCard support for BTV. No hope from the CableHome project it appears. Without a license for Snapstream/BTV, CableLabs will not allow an OCUR to work in a off-the-shelf PC running XP or Vista w/o MCE. Bummer... I guess HD-PVR is the only available option now...

[Rich A]

I believe it would not be Snapstream who would be getting the cable card license. It would be the hardware provider. That is one reason that you can only get a cable card ready PC direct from the manufacturer. It's the PC builder who has has to get the license for their equipment.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by Rich A

I believe it would not be Snapstream who would be getting the cable card license. It would be the hardware provider. That is one reason that you can only get a cable card ready PC direct from the manufacturer. It's the PC builder who has has to get the license for their equipment.

Wrong rich,

Snapstream would have to get a license. In order to playback the video content and interact with the CableCard tuner their would need to be decrypting of the video file, and correct communication the the CableCard tuning device.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by Greg Caulder

Wrong rich,

Snapstream would have to get a license. In order to playback the video content and interact with the CableCard tuner their would need to be decrypting of the video file, and correct communication the the CableCard tuning device.

I think not. (of course I could be wrong ) As I understand it, the cable card is supposed to be plugged into a cable card device. The output of the device (AFAIK) is what BTV records.

SS doesn't need to license anything to record from an HVR-1600, PVR-2/350/500 etc. Why would a cable card be any different? The cable card IS the decrypting device, which is normally used with a cable card ready TV or Occur etc.

[cfaslave]

SS doesn't need to license anything to record from an HVR-1600, PVR-2/350/500 etc. Why would a cable card be any different?

It is different because we're dealing with CableLabs and thier very strict rules. Those other tuners you mentioned don't have to follow those rules.

The problem here is this. For a computer to be able to use a CableCard, it requires a CableCard Reader. To get a CableCard reader to work on a computer, that computer must have a ASIC chip soldered onto its motherboard to use CableCard at all. So right off the bat, you need a pre-built computer that has this ASIC chip on it - this means the computer builder must license their pre-built PC with CableCard and probably Microsoft to ensure it will work. Then you have the software side of things. For this, Microsoft and Tivo have had to license their software with Cablelabs and then built software to work with CableCard and include all of the required DRM and restrictions to make it all work.

This is true of 1.0 CableCard and 2.0 Cablecard. Snapstream would need to license their product with CableLabs and then spend $ to make it all work. and even then it would only work on those computers pre-built with CableCard's ASIC chip built in.

[jhanan]

SS needs a license, because they need to protect the recording per CL DRM requirements. I don't like DRM. But I don't like more not recording the HD tie THAT I PAY FOR with TWC. I would rather record the non-clear QAM channels through a CC than not at all. My guess is that SS cannot afford the license otherwise they would have already gotton it. The H/W is availalbe now from ATI at a reasonable cost. Looks like I'll be switching to DTV anyway since TWC has dropped NBC (in Austin).

[Rich A]

Thanks for the info. I understand now how the whole licensing thing really works. I guess sometime down the road our only recourse is going to be that we will have to deal with FCC type acceptance, CableLabs requirements and DRM to name just a few.

[jhanan]

I moved to DirecTV, screw cable (cards)....now I just need to deal with a satelite instead of a cable

[Terminal]

Originally Posted by jhanan

I moved to DirecTV, screw cable (cards)....now I just need to deal with a satelite instead of a cable

Me too. Not really by choice, as the cable service in the area I just moved is a joke. This area which is only a few miles from where I lived before and had Cox. Some local small time company has this area and they have only about 70 channels and no HD channels. ALthough I spoke with a lady at thier office who said she believed they now had a couple of QAM channels. So I may end up adding them along with my Dish Network box. It's been a bit of a transition switching to Sat but I am getting used to it. Sure has a boat load of HD channels.