Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
 ·PenTeleData
 ·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
1 edit | I don't think they even care
Let's face it. The cable companies want to put a box in your house so they can keep charging that lovely rental fee.
SE Cable originally sold me cablecards but when I called to ask about getting more for another TV they told me that I had to rent them now. Seems to me like that monthly revenue stream is too good to pass up. |
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rdmiller
join:2005-09-23
Richmond, VA | When?
"Back in January" .. of what year?
Actually I thought it was the 2007 CES. |
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BB User
@rr.com
| Karl, OCAP does not replace CableCARDs
said by Karl :
the cable industry has been working for more than a decade on the OCAP (Open Cable) specification, which would allow consumer electronics vendors to embed cable functionality directly into TVs and other devices -- a more elegant replacement for the CableCARD. Neither OCAP nor tru2way are replacements for CableCARD.
CableCARD is the security key standard.
CHILA (CableCARD Host Interface Licensing Agreement) had defined the hardware specs.
OCAP (OpenCable Application Platform) defined the software specs.
TOGETHER those 3 make up tru2way aka OpenCable.
DCAS (Downloadable Conditional Access System) would be the replacement for CableCARDs, but it's not a standard yet. |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
 ·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| And this is surprising, why?
They're just taking a page out of the telcos' book: promise something then not deliver. Then again, I'm not seeing that they promised something, took a big payout to do that something, then opted to not do it (but were still allowed to keep the money). So, they seem to have missed on that opportunity.
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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell |
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bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | tru2way is not a replacement for CableCARD
The linked article does not mention CableCARD at all, so implying that missing the tru2way deadline has anything to do with "a more elegant replacement for CableCARD" is horribly misleading. |
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DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
·Comcast
·Patriot Media
| Delay
Its all about were cable, and we have the power. Unfortunately this is the one time , i think the government should get involved, not spend money, and fine the cable industry like 5 million dollars a day if it doesnt get released soon. I think if its not around by Jan 1 first, someone should push some really toothy legislation. |
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ajwees41
Premium
join:2002-05-10
Omaha, NE
·Cox HSI
| reply to Eat Me
Re: I don't think they even care
said by Eat Me  :Let's face it. The cable companies want to put a box in your house so they can keep charging that lovely rental fee. SE Cable originally sold me cablecards but when I called to ask about getting more for another TV they told me that I had to rent them now. Seems to me like that monthly revenue stream is too good to pass up. if you have money to spend every few years when new technology comes out you should be able to by the cable card/box, but there are still people who prefwer to rent and they are probably the majority. |
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visuelz
join:2003-05-01
Brooklyn, NY | tru2way
From what I was told, it was that no TV supports it besides Panasonic. |
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Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL
·Comcast
·Embarq
|  Cable getting too much money through Terminal Rental Fees.
The reason that the Cable Parasites do not want to deploy Tru2Way is the revenue stream that renting terminal equipment generates. If I could own my own terminal equipment and assuming that I would not have to pay for each outlet, I would pay $65.75 for all basic cable and digital extended service channels. I would pay $35.05 for all Premium Channels. The total monthly subscription fee would be $100.80 plus tax. It is time for the government to wake up and smell CATV Industries Bull Feces.
Because of cable's monopoly position I am forced to pay a additional $46.80 to rent two HD DVR terminals. That is $561.60 per year or $2808.00 over a five year period. I am paying more to rent two HD DVR subscriber terminals than for premium programming. This bull feces has to stop. In 2001 I bought a Panasonic DVR with 80Gb Hard Drive and DVD Recorder for about $200.00. We paid for all basic channels and unlimited outlets, through our Homeowners Association Fee. All I had to pay was $12.00 per month plus tax for HBO.
I pay for a telephone line and no longer have to rent each telephone in my home from the phone company. It is time for the FCC to find a Judge Green to stick it the CATV monopoly. I should only have to pay for the connection to the CATV network. Not an additional charge for each TV or DVR connected.
The CATV Weasels want to keep renting terminal equipment because it generates to much revenue. |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
·Optimum Online
2 edits | reply to ajwees41
Re: I don't think they even care
said by ajwees41 :if you have money to spend every few years when new technology comes out you should be able to by the cable card/box, but there are still people who prefwer to rent and they are probably the majority. That is probably the same argument AT&T used for decades when people had to rent their phones instead of being able to buy them. Funny thing was, when AT&T was broken up in 1984, millions of people scrapped their AT&T phone, and the monthly rental charges, and bought their own phones (I was one of them - the lines at the AT&T Phone Center Stores were huge and there were piles of old returned phones everywhere).
A $50-$100 "open platform" box that can replace a proprietary cable company box would be worth it. That price is probably within the realm of possibility if the proprietary nature of the current boxes is eliminated and manufacturers can make an open one that works on any CATV system. Just look at the price of DTV converter boxes and how they have come down in price as more of them hit the market. Cablevision charges $10/month plus something like $2/month for the remote for one box. In less that 12 months, you could pay off a cheap box. If it breaks after two years, so what? Get a new one. Most people right now assume that you have to have a box because it is magical. Tell them they can stop paying monthly rental fees and I suspect a lot of people would jump at the chance. A cable box should be no different than a cable modem.
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. |
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DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
·Comcast
·Patriot Media
1 edit | reply to Mr Matt
Re: Cable getting too much money through Terminal Rental Fees.
I agree, the card should cost no more the $20, and should be available from any store. The total cost should be on the customer, in terms of equipment. What is happening now, is over charge for cablecards, overcharge for boxes. We should just pay for service. Cable is really bringing on its own demise. |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
| reply to ajwees41
Re: I don't think they even care
said by ajwees41 :said by Eat Me :Let's face it. The cable companies want to put a box in your house so they can keep charging that lovely rental fee. SE Cable originally sold me cablecards but when I called to ask about getting more for another TV they told me that I had to rent them now. Seems to me like that monthly revenue stream is too good to pass up. if you have money to spend every few years when new technology comes out you should be able to by the cable card/box, but there are still people who prefwer to rent and they are probably the majority. That would be true if they weren't charging a whopping $10 for the HD cable box, $15 for a DVR.
With 1 cablecard at $125 I pay zero monthly fees so I break even in a year and 15 days. |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
| reply to visuelz
Re: tru2way
said by visuelz :From what I was told, it was that no TV supports it besides Panasonic. Tivo supposedly has a DVR in the works that will support it.
If it is deployed they will definitely have a DVR that supports it. |
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ajwees41
Premium
join:2002-05-10
Omaha, NE
·Cox HSI
| reply to Eat Me
Re: I don't think they even care
said by Eat Me :said by ajwees41 :said by Eat Me :Let's face it. The cable companies want to put a box in your house so they can keep charging that lovely rental fee. SE Cable originally sold me cablecards but when I called to ask about getting more for another TV they told me that I had to rent them now. Seems to me like that monthly revenue stream is too good to pass up. if you have money to spend every few years when new technology comes out you should be able to by the cable card/box, but there are still people who prefer to rent and they are probably the majority. That would be true if they weren't charging a whopping $10 for the HD cable box, $15 for a DVR. With 1 cablecard at $125 I pay zero monthly fees so I break even in a year and 15 days. how did you figure cable card at $125? you could buy a tivo, but no 2way communication sdv adaptor needed. |
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axiomatic
join:2006-08-23
Tomball, TX
| New FCC
The new FCC head should take a look at this issue as a great starting point to tackle. I flat out refuse to rent from the cable company and have my own TIVO's with my own cable cards as well. Fuck those greedy cable companies.
Were I to have FIOS in my area I would not be with Comcrap. |
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beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH
| reply to Mr Matt
Re: Cable getting too much money through Terminal Rental Fees.
If the box rentals are truly a profit center for cable companies (which I don't believe) and it were to go away, they would just make up the revenue/profit elsewhere. If your bill today looks like $80 for service + $20 for rentals = $100...and you believe that by buying your own box that will drop to $80 total, you are SADLY mistaken. |
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beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH | reply to axiomatic
Re: New FCC
You'd have the exact same issues/limitations with FIOS (outside of needing the free SDV adapter). |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| reply to Eat Me
Re: I don't think they even care
said by Eat Me :Let's face it. The cable companies want to put a box in your house so they can keep charging that lovely rental fee. Actually, they could care less.. think about it. Your statement is a little factually incorrect. If there is equipment in the house, or not, that they rent you, they're still going to charge you per-television anyway. If *I* were running the company, I'd gladly welcome this, remove the need to purchase, deploy, and maintain converters,... let the consumer buy their own stuff and still charge the $5 per set to authorize them..
The per TV fee will not go away until or unless congress finds a way to make a compelling argument as to why. Don't forget, the providers have rights too.. they have to protect their signals somehow. And, until XM/Sirius, DirecTV, Dish, and everyone else charging a per-item fee is forced to stop, they will continue the per-set fee. Otherwise, you'll have Jr. tossing on his parents sets to his account, or his friends.. etc.
So.. in the end, it's really a wash.. OCAP isn't a way for you to discard the box fee.. it's a way to have a choice in equipment you choose to use in your home is all. |
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
| reply to Eat Me
You buy a Tivo, (let's not even get into that 'whopping charge in total) you still pay a fee to Tivo, and often a fee to the cable company to lease/rent a card.
You buy an HD cable box, and pay a "whopping" $500 for it.. you are still going to wind up paying an authorization fee per month AND get to be burdened with all the headaches of ownership, repairs, etc.
You were lucky you got to buy your card.. its VERY rare to find a company, big or small, that sold them.. Comcast, in many systems, gave the first one or two to the customer at no charge... |
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Eat Me
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage
| reply to ajwees41
said by ajwees41 :how did you figure cable card at $125? you could buy a tivo, but no 2way communication sdv adaptor needed. That's what Service Electric cable charged me for a cablecard.
They do not have SDV nor do they have plans to deploy it as far as I've been told. besides, the sdv tuning resolver is free with most providers.
TiVos are not the only devices to use cablecards. Moxi dvrs and even some TVs have them. I have a cablecard TV. |
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