Comcast building a 500TB TV Warehouse to keep viewer data
by Richard Lawler 
posted Jan 12th 2009 at 1:28AM
As a part of its Canoe advertising collabo with other large cable operators, Comcast is apparently working out how to keep track of viewing statistics from 16 million households nationwide. Charter is already tracking several hundred thousand boxes in its Los Angeles, while the Canoe venture is looking to eventually track viewing metrics for 32 million households so it can deliver Interactive TV and targeted ads. Privacy groups are already up in arms about the plans, however if this kind of system could have persuaded someone to keep Pushing Daisies on the air, we'd be willing to consider it.
Filed under: Set-top boxes, Cable
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Garst @ Jan 12th 2009 2:05AM
Yet another reason not to pay for cable. Especially when I find targeted ads incredibly offensive. Who in their right mind would willingly try to get a date with Steve-O or Vanilla Ice? I get very uncomfortable watching those late night ad for those dating chat lines. The one for Interactive Male is the most disturbing. Why can't TV stations show commercials for things I actually would want? I couldn't give you an example for something I want because all the commercials are for Interactive Male. That or fast food or Victory Auto Wreckers, which has been the same commercial for at least the last 20 years. It's time for a new commercial Victory!
Maxx @ Jan 12th 2009 4:28AM
Where is Max Headroom when you need him ?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IzxHDqUz8Sk
GhostDoggy @ Jan 12th 2009 6:34AM
I bought 1TB hard drives for $99 recently. So, Comcast thinks $50K is enough? Let's see what happens when you divide that by the number of cable subscribers that Comcast has. Whoa, nil investment. Maybe Comcast should spend at least 1 penny per subscriber so as to at least give this board justification to post something.
squiggleslash @ Jan 12th 2009 8:19AM
It's not the cost, it's the privacy concerns. What the hell are they doing storing that much information about subscriber activity?
Maybe they're using a really, really, inefficient XML format to store people's billing information, but I doubt it.
clara @ Jan 12th 2009 9:28AM
Cablevision did this like...2 years ago?
jayens @ Jan 20th 2009 12:22PM
Pushing Daisies...its sad ABC is doing this again to an amazing concept ahead of its time with elaborate sets...ala Battlestar Galactica(1978), main reason from ABC for cancellation was cost overruns for both of these series they aired.
Wryker @ Jan 12th 2009 11:27AM
Pushing Daisies is a great show and I wonder if there are any more episodes to air!?