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Craiger
join:2012-07-05
Chesterfield, MO

Craiger

Member

Why Doesn't Charter Phase Out It Old HD DVR's?

Why do they still use those old Motorola ones and not use the latest HD DVR's?

defiant
Former Charter lackey
join:2013-03-22
Monroe, MI

defiant

Member

Cost.

JimE
Premium Member
join:2003-06-11
Belleville, IL

JimE to Craiger

Premium Member

to Craiger
+1

You likely have plenty of stuff in your home right now that is old, but still works well enough that you can't justify the cost to replace. Same applies here. It would be an ongoing expenditure to replace thousands of units.

If they still work, why replace them? If you want a new/different one, take a trip to your local office. They will (should) replace it, no questions asked.

chip89
Premium Member
join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

1 edit

chip89

Premium Member

Exactly I have a old Sharp & Magnavox CRT I'm not going to replace until they break.

RollTide2011
@charter.com

RollTide2011

Anon

Video over IP is comming which will require new boxes most likely Samsung so it wouldn't be very smart to invest in RF based technology when it is on its last leg.

MooJohn
join:2005-12-18
Milledgeville, GA

MooJohn to Craiger

Member

to Craiger
I could live with my old Motorola and "only" 2 tuners if the damn thing didn't have a good chance of hard rebooting when I view the list of recordings. Probably 25% of the time I view the list, or 50% of the time when I delete a recording, it'll reboot just as if I pulled the power plug - loud click and all.

It works fine when it returns, and sometimes will go a week between incidents so I haven't bothered getting it swapped. I might get a worse one!

Mr Guy
@charter.com

Mr Guy to RollTide2011

Anon

to RollTide2011
said by RollTide2011 :

Video over IP is comming which will require new boxes most likely Samsung so it wouldn't be very smart to invest in RF based technology when it is on its last leg.

Actually Charter is doing it's guides over IP once the transition is done and the old boxes will be able to handle that just fine. Charter has stated that already.
smcallah
join:2004-08-05
Home

smcallah to RollTide2011

Member

to RollTide2011
Video over IP isn't coming, it's already there in cable company head ends, and has been for years. It's how they transport video on an IP network. They don't have to deliver Video over IP all the way to homes if they still use coax.

Their satellite receivers output IP and their QAMs join IP video streams and that is converted to RF and sent to homes. They're not going to do Video over IP over coax until they have more DOCSIS 3 and 3.1 cable modems delivering 100mbit or more to homes. And there is no reason to do that if RF video is working fine for them.

I can see them doing VOD over IP to settops, since that is a single stream per customer and would save QAM channels as well as making VOD available to more customers simultaneously.
Craiger
join:2012-07-05
Chesterfield, MO

Craiger

Member

So I guess that rules out their RG becoming a HD Receiver? Then that being connected to the cloud DVR?

DocDrew
How can I help?
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join:2009-01-28
SoCal

DocDrew

Premium Member

RG??
Craiger
join:2012-07-05
Chesterfield, MO

Craiger

Member

Residential Gateway

DocDrew
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DocDrew

Premium Member

said by Craiger:

Residential Gateway

The gateway doesn't have any video outputs. What exactly do you want it to do?
Craiger
join:2012-07-05
Chesterfield, MO

Craiger

Member

Using it to connect to a Cloud DVR through an app.

DocDrew
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4 edits

DocDrew

Premium Member

said by Craiger:

Using it to connect to a Cloud DVR through an app.

That's already possible with the right software/licensing combo.
»multichannel.com/news/co ··· d/358347
»www.multichannel.com/new ··· d/358018

The gateway doesn't have to "receive" or process any actual HD video, it just passes on the IP stream to the client. You keep trying to get the "in-between" devices to do something else, when they don't have to.

With a client device, program the CloudDVR to record a particular program, then stream that recorded IP video stream to the client on demand where it is decoded into video. Any client device with enough bandwidth, the right software, and authorization can receive it. That's what the other providers do.

SDV and VOD work almost that way, with the last mile IP connection being tunneled through a video QAM vs a data QAM. Everything up to the edgeQAM in the local headend is IP video streams from a centralized source. The box is just being directed to a specific video QAM channel to pickup the IP video stream.

miscposter
@charter.com

miscposter to smcallah

Anon

to smcallah
said by smcallah:

Video over IP isn't coming, it's already there in cable company head ends, and has been for years. It's how they transport video on an IP network. They don't have to deliver Video over IP all the way to homes if they still use coax.

Their satellite receivers output IP and their QAMs join IP video streams and that is converted to RF and sent to homes. They're not going to do Video over IP over coax until they have more DOCSIS 3 and 3.1 cable modems delivering 100mbit or more to homes. And there is no reason to do that if RF video is working fine for them.

I can see them doing VOD over IP to settops, since that is a single stream per customer and would save QAM channels as well as making VOD available to more customers simultaneously.

Charter is working with this company and in fact will most likely switch to IP TV as it takes the processing work off of the client device.

»www.activevideo.com/

motorola870
join:2008-12-07
Arlington, TX

motorola870

Member

said by miscposter :

said by smcallah:

Video over IP isn't coming, it's already there in cable company head ends, and has been for years. It's how they transport video on an IP network. They don't have to deliver Video over IP all the way to homes if they still use coax.

Their satellite receivers output IP and their QAMs join IP video streams and that is converted to RF and sent to homes. They're not going to do Video over IP over coax until they have more DOCSIS 3 and 3.1 cable modems delivering 100mbit or more to homes. And there is no reason to do that if RF video is working fine for them.

I can see them doing VOD over IP to settops, since that is a single stream per customer and would save QAM channels as well as making VOD available to more customers simultaneously.

Charter is working with this company and in fact will most likely switch to IP TV as it takes the processing work off of the client device.

»www.activevideo.com/

this is for the guide not the actual video streams which are staying QAM as the older boxes don't support full IPTV.

mixdup
join:2003-06-28
Alpharetta, GA

mixdup to miscposter

Member

to miscposter
IP TV will come eventually but not any time soon. Everything will still be QAM based for quite a while. ActiveVideo's guide is even delivered by QAM-encoded video streams to older boxes.

RollTide2011
@charter.com

RollTide2011

Anon

Writen by Jay Rolls Chief Tech Officer Charter Communications June 2013
For a long time, the cable industry has considered the idea of going “all IP”, by which we mean every service we offer (most notably including video) would be delivered via Internet protocols. Most operators share Charter’s current delivery model, whereby broadband and voice are delivered via IP, and video is delivered via MPEG transport streams over dedicated digital video QAMs (6 MHz channels). This has the effect of creating a number of discrete service delivery platforms, which must be cared for uniquely and separately. It’s what we’ve “grown up” with, so we know it well, and it certainly scales well. But there are advantages to be gained by consolidating the service delivery model into a single system.

A few of the advantages of a single all-IP system include:

•simplification of the delivery network and the operations thereof
•bandwidth efficiencies offered by the bonding properties of DOCSIS 3.0+
•migration of all services to the “lingua franca” of today’s electronics and connected devices: IP
•increased flexibility in the selection of conditional access and digital rights management
Lately, the collective wisdom of the industry has coalesced around the notion of all IP being a “when” discussion, not an “if” discussion. Over the past few months, we have been extensively modeling what it means to go all IP, and what it would take. This includes modeling costs, modeling bandwidth requirements, understanding the equipment needs, how CPE in the home would change, and how we would do things differently. Most interestingly, initial price modeling indicates that costs are not likely to increase. This was always the fear – that going all IP would be more expensive since DOCSIS delivered services might drive higher network costs than traditional video QAMs. And while this is true, indications are this would be offset by savings from less expensive in home equipment. Bandwidth needs also appear to be manageable, though certainly aided by the all Digital transformation the company is going through over the next 18 months. We will continue to analyze what it would mean for Charter to take this step, and when it would make most sense. It would be a massive transformation of how we conduct many parts of our day to day business. But I think it would bring many advantages worth the trouble and will better align us with where the world is headed. While it’s hard to predict when in the next few years we might embark on the journey, I do believe it’s just a question of when, not if.

mixdup
join:2003-06-28
Alpharetta, GA

mixdup

Member

Yes, they will go all-IP eventually, but it will be quite a while. They are about to invest a ton of money in set tops to go all digital and the 'cloud guide'. If they are all-IP with no QAM-based video before 2020 I will be surprised.
Zone15
join:2004-04-22
Spartanburg, SC

Zone15 to Craiger

Member

to Craiger
I got a Motorola DCX 3510-M from Charter at the end of 2013, is it already outdated? What boxes are Charter issuing now?

miscposter
@charter.com

miscposter to mixdup

Anon

to mixdup
said by mixdup:

Yes, they will go all-IP eventually, but it will be quite a while. They are about to invest a ton of money in set tops to go all digital and the 'cloud guide'. If they are all-IP with no QAM-based video before 2020 I will be surprised.

Except, with IP TV you don't really need a STB. You could just download the TV app to your smart TV/Device/Table/Computer/Game system.

Doc Casualty
join:2005-02-06
Harbor Springs, MI

Doc Casualty

Member

said by miscposter :

Except, with IP TV you don't really need a STB.

While that's true, this service would need to be launched to the lowest common denominator, which means the person with nothing more than a "dumb" TV has to be able to watch programming and that would require some type of STB.

JimE
Premium Member
join:2003-06-11
Belleville, IL

JimE to Zone15

Premium Member

to Zone15

If it's working, it's not outdated. Hence the reason for this whole topic.
said by Zone15:

I got a Motorola DCX 3510-M from Charter at the end of 2013, is it already outdated? What boxes are Charter issuing now?

outz
Premium Member
join:2002-11-16
Moore, SC

outz to Craiger

Premium Member

to Craiger
unless charter has changed - even if you get a newer dvr they'll still cram their old 90's looking 4:3 interface onto it... so it doesn't really matter.

mixdup
join:2003-06-28
Alpharetta, GA

mixdup to miscposter

Member

to miscposter
said by miscposter :

said by mixdup:

Yes, they will go all-IP eventually, but it will be quite a while. They are about to invest a ton of money in set tops to go all digital and the 'cloud guide'. If they are all-IP with no QAM-based video before 2020 I will be surprised.

Except, with IP TV you don't really need a STB. You could just download the TV app to your smart TV/Device/Table/Computer/Game system.

There will always be set top boxes provided by the cable company. There is no way to guarantee that the customer will have a compatible device. But, you are correct that the MSOs will have apps for a myriad of devices like Xboxes, iPads, Rokus, and even some TVs. And, the set tops you get from the cable company will just be some box that runs the cable company's app.
Chubbysumo
join:2009-12-01
Duluth, MN

Chubbysumo to smcallah

Member

to smcallah
IP video will likely never come to charter, because they are moving all their systems to full digital, and already use SDV, so that there is actually a lot more free space on their cables now than there has been in years.

mixdup
join:2003-06-28
Alpharetta, GA

mixdup

Member

said by Chubbysumo:

IP video will likely never come to charter, because they are moving all their systems to full digital, and already use SDV, so that there is actually a lot more free space on their cables now than there has been in years.

That's silly. They'll move to IP eventually. Just like they have dumped analog, IP is the next evolution in the technology.
Craiger
join:2012-07-05
Chesterfield, MO

Craiger

Member

said by mixdup:

said by Chubbysumo:

IP video will likely never come to charter, because they are moving all their systems to full digital, and already use SDV, so that there is actually a lot more free space on their cables now than there has been in years.

That's silly. They'll move to IP eventually. Just like they have dumped analog, IP is the next evolution in the technology.

Just curious, how would Charter deploy IPTV when they use coax. Don't get me wrong, I think it would be cool if they would move to IPTV. Would Charter move to like how UVerse is setup? Or maybe go to the cloud and no boxes?

Mr Guy
@charter.com

Mr Guy

Anon

said by Craiger:

Just curious, how would Charter deploy IPTV when they use coax.

How are they doing it now when I watch TV on my Charter app on my phone or tablet? Probably the same way.

DocDrew
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1 edit

DocDrew to Craiger

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to Craiger
said by Craiger:

Just curious, how would Charter deploy IPTV when they use coax. Don't get me wrong, I think it would be cool if they would move to IPTV. Would Charter move to like how UVerse is setup? Or maybe go to the cloud and no boxes?

They already deploy IPTV in limited form, with their TVeverywhere client app: »www.charter.com/browse/t ··· #TV-Apps

It uses Charter video streams sent to an authorized app installed on a supported device connected to the internet. Wider use of IPTV just needs the app supported on more devices.

Right now none of the regular cable companies can get rid of QAM entirely because of FCC regulations requiring CableCARD support and other rules. Beyond that, there just isn't a consolidated enough platform for Charter to build apps for wide spread adoption. It's fragmented between iOS, Android (several versions), Roku, XBOX, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic etc.