US Cable Support > Comcast Cable TV > Why is cablecard so expensive ?

reply to really a

Re: Why is cablecard so expensive ?

reply to DaveDude
i wonder how many times the cell phone company will be willing to show up at my door to replace that sim card.

reply to DaveDude

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Wow! how shrill, So when i buy $2000 LCD, its not warrantied for 1 year, or any other electronics. If you read this exact forum for more then a week, you would know Comcast and Seachange want to add ppv on Tivos. Oh did you know that in the 80's you could get a set at the store and it didnt need a box!!!! Wait its seems technology is de-evoluting. Oh have you heard of a cellphone, you know the ones from ATT, well your sim is always replaced for free , as long as you have service with them. FIOS please come quick...
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reply to DaveDude
Ive actually been a member of this forum for years, Ive actually worked in cable for 15 years.
Im fully aware. I know they are working to get PPV working with TIVOS. They want to add it to ANYTHING tha has a cablcard slot because without it they loose revenue and perceived value in their product.
Your TV is warranted from the manufacturer. And if you want that warranty extended you will pay a permium for that option. That isnt what you are saying however.
You want to purchase a CC.
You want it warranted for as long as your a customer, free of charge.

Comcast wants to lease them and support them and to offset their minimal cost compared to a box and limited functionality due to TIVO and TV manuacturers shortcomings they charge for that lease. And they charge MUCH LESS then the rate of a convertor box.. that does more.
It all seems perfectly reasonable to me?

But we can compare a cablecard to a TV and to a Phone or a car or a home or a Toaster if you want. It really doenst matter what you compare them to- the point it moot. There are wildly different factors at play in the pricing and options of each apple and orange.

FCC, NCTA, CableLabs, and the CEA.

You can't own the CableCard. The CableCard is a piece of property owned, licensced, and under exclusive use of CableLabs. Negotiations between CableLabs, it's partnership (most cable companies, Verzion, Echostar, and other members), the CEA, and compliance with FCC regulations as put into law through the 1996 Telecom Act prohibit a consumer from purchasing the seperable security device. Before CableCard, CableLabs prohibited a consumer from purchasing the integrated security device (in the states, Canada was different).

It's expensive because it can be. 4 TV's for, around $6 a month, correct? Is there any competitor close to charging that little? I would imagine as PVR, HTPC, and full service TV's come online, the CableCard fee will go up, not down.

reply to rody_44

reply to gar187er

sorry man, they arent authorzied to sell them... SA or whoever is the manufacturer....comcast comes out with a replacement and then sends the old one off to get repaired thorugh a 3rd party (and they have to pay for it), or they buy a new one...

they are not a retailer..retailers sell products....

Never heard of a car retailer, most are dealerships that act as a 3rd party broker between manufacturer and consumer.