Panasonic Stops Selling Tru2Way TV Sets > Allvid is the answer

Allvid is the answer

The cable companies will kill any product that threatens to replace their cable boxes. They'll just draw out the process so long that the product will become obsolete before it has a chance to enter the market place. It's worked well for them in the past.

Consumers would love options to the cable box. It's the cable companies that kill such products. I think they should just make a deal with Tivo and Moxi and dump their existing product line and rent receivers that people actually like.

The only hope is for the FCC to follow Tivo's suggestion that the FCC mandate open standards access through proven technologies that exist today. Tivo's proposal was the use of open internet video standards that would make external access a breeze. If the FCC issues a mandate that matches Tivo's request the set-top box requirement is dead.

Thank god for Tivo as without them the proposal would have never been made. This proposal is the only hope of ever having independent DVR's, homebrew DVR's and frankly ending the need for company provided hardware. Tivo's proposal would actually make it possible to build a MythTV box that has direct access to everything without having to interface through a set-top box.

I pray that the FCC kills Cablecard and tru-2way and enacts the rules Tivo proposed. I also hope they apply the same requirements to Satellite.

I belive you are referring to this FCC docket:

»www.scribd.com/doc/24455769/Tivo···and-Plan

Note the nice pictorial diagram at the end. TiVo's request, along with others, fueled the current "AllVid" device. This is not open standards internet video from the TiVo. It is another device in the home for which the TiVo can connect to, requireing two devices within the home total for the TiVo to access MPVD service. AllVid does not allow TiVo to access cable, instead, it is a "MODEM" design that the TiVo connects to. In the future, this would most likely be a fine solution, but caution must be given that this will cost us more during inception. We will have to rent this "MODEM" from our MPVD's and then buy our devices as well. Over time, prices will settle and it should be a cheaper (adjusted for inflation) solution than today, for all involved, including the cost of the MPVD's to deliver you content. But take head: the initial cost will be substantial and DRM will exist from source to display. Any device not capable of supporting this DRM will display nothing. This model should exist for ALL television outside of over-the-air. The FCC-Satellite, FCC-Fios, and FCC-Uverse discrimination must end for this to succeed as a consumer benefit. Everyone should be forced to the "MODEM" model with DLNA interface connectivity. An ethernet port will physically deliver the data and anything capable of running an application through firmware upgrades or installed on a "drive" can become DLNA capable, as long as the display output has a content protection enabled system. So your Wii can not become DLNA capable, while a PS3 can as long as all non-HDMI ports are deactivated.

Tru2Way hardware, direct to retail, was a pipe dream. Tru2Way will survive where it's roots started: open cable. A simple premise to offer interactive television, where a broadcaster can connect direct to an in-home device. AllVid will further Tru2Way in this regard, for the protocol between home device and closed network will not need to be known and easily translated between devices and networks. The hardware Tru2Way was dead before it was named.
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I can haz competition?

What is needed is for the FCC to actually enforce the law that has been on the books since 1996 rather than accepting any more excuses from the cable TV companies. Take away digital cable encryption for all but premium channels such as HBO until a significant third party retail market exists and watch how fast Cable Labs comes up with or accepts a solution that adheres to the law and ends the present anti-consumer digital cable box situation.