Recent Comments:
Future Warner HD DVD releases to be inferior to their Blu counterparts? {Engadget HD}
Jan 31st 2008 1:28PM to to to to to?
CableCARD 2.0ish STB caught in the wild {Engadget HD}
Jul 20th 2007 5:50PM This is true, pre-pro devices from Samsung, LG, Panasonic, TiVo and others are being tested at CableLabs now. I highly recommend the tour...
cableric
CableCARD 2.0 is ready {Engadget HD}
Jun 25th 2007 11:21AM Alex -
Here is (almost) everything you could possibly want to know about CableCARD.
http://www.opencable.com/primer/cablecard_primer.html
CableCARD 2.0 is ready {Engadget HD}
Jun 25th 2007 11:18AM Ben - Great article, good references, coherent explanations...well done. I take back everything I've said about you.
cableric
CableCARD 2.0: What's the hold up? {Engadget HD}
Jun 19th 2007 6:33PM Horngreen
Hmm, all great points, but just to recap:
A. You hope someone to jacks my shiz up.
B. TiVo is dumb.
C. Satellite is dumb.
D. Cable is dumb.
E. Why wont the government help you?
Wow.
I dont even know how to respond to that. Good luck with life.
CableCARD 2.0: What's the hold up? {Engadget HD}
Jun 19th 2007 5:35PM Ben -
Sorry if that sounded harsh. What I have a problem with (being in the industry) is the perpetuation of the MYTH that once OCAP servers are installed in MSO headends, and a customer goes out and purchases a TiVo OCAP (or other compatible box), that the cable network the system will take over the box once it's plugged into , purging out all the TiVo goodness, and load it up with, say, TV Guides sorry excuse for a UI. If TiVo comes out with an OCAP compliant box, they will have OCAP compliant software, that software, along with future updates, would be hosted on the MSO's OCAP Servers, as MSO will be expected to support any OCAP CL Certified device. When presented with this naysayers will usually resort to the argument that MSO's are not going to support CE boxes because it will cut into their "lucrative" set top box sales.
That brings us to MYTH #2...that MSO's make a ton of money on set-tops. Let me tell you, the only guys making money on set-tops right now are Moto and SA. MSO's are lucky to break even. In my region a Moto DVR goes for $7.95/mo, Moto sells the box to the MSO at $500. That box has to function non-stop for over 5 YEARS before they even break even...and anybody that's ever had a DCT-6412 know that NEVER happens.
We might as well finish things off with MYTH #3. That MSO's have deliberately drug their collective feet on CableCARD implementation/deployment. Actually this one is partly true, but not for the reasons that everyone thinks. The reason that MSO's appear to be resistant to this effort is not due to the fact that they're trying to protect (nonexistent) STB revenue, as I stated above. It's because the things SUCK, and have a fairly high failure rate by comparison. But let's look at the facts. Who is manufacturing CableCARDS? Oh, Motorola and Scientific-Atlanta. Who stands to lose billions in set top box sales if CableCARDS were to become widely adopted? Oh, Motorola and SA. Hmmm, do you see the problem here?
On a side not someone else cursed their MSO for not allowing them "fair use" of their HD content. Dude, it's the studios. Not the MSO's. It's getting so bad that some channels (like HBO) are attempting to get MSO's to digitally watermark their individual streams so that when it does show up on torrent sites they can trace it back to the MSO and slap 'em around a bit(legally speaking). Oh, and if you don't agree to these terms, guess what? As an MSO you don't get HBO to provide to your customers.
The more things change...
CableCARD 2.0: What's the hold up? {Engadget HD}
Jun 19th 2007 2:20PM Ben-
It's becoming more and more evident that someone from (insert MSO name here) peed in your Wheaties. Youre either intellectually dishonest or journalistically inept, citing your own assumptions and interpretations for the basis of your article (and subsequent comments) is ridiculous.
There is no CableCARD 2.0 {Engadget HD}
Jun 15th 2007 5:32PM I can understand why there is so much confusion when people like Mike F. muddy things by spreading misinformation. The reason that bi-directional communication works with the new NPH (non-portable host) set tops has NOTHING to do with the fact that they are capable of running in an OCAP environment. They continue to function in a bi-directional manner because the box still has a dedicated Upstream Modem for its QPSK return messaging to the RPD2000, and DAC6000, receiver and controller (in a Motorola environment).
In addition, the notion of TiVo having to "cede control of their user interface" to become OCAP compliant, is complete rubbish, and not even worth getting into.
All in all, you clearly have little insight into the intent and implementation of the OCAP environment or the inner workings of CableLabs. I suggest you keep all this nonsense to yourself and stop pretending like you know what you're talking about...honestly CableLabs has done a great job at making it confusing enough as it is.
cableric
RIAA misreads Jobs' open letter on DRM, thinks he's offering to license FairPlay {Engadget}
Feb 7th 2007 2:47PM Gimme a break...I have something for the RIAA...
http://www.orange32.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=28
Trumors: iPhone 3.0 delays force v1.0 shelving for Macworld {The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)}
Dec 8th 2006 1:11PM Hahaha...You guys just don't get it. It's not the article that is supposed to be funny, it's the responses from all you douche bags that are up in arms. God forbid anyone satire an Apple product.
Get a life.
