[opendtv] Re: More on Cable Cards
- From: "John Willkie" <JohnWillkie@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2005 10:15:19 -0800
it sounds to me like the cable industry "Has already lost" this issue.
"Acceptance" is the next step, unless the FCC does their bidding. But, it's
hard to see why the FCC will even consider reviewing their previous
hard-fought and solid decision.
John Willkie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Birkmaier" <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "OpenDTV Mail List" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2005 7:51 AM
Subject: [opendtv] More on Cable Cards
> A reliable source tells me that the cable card issue was one of the
> biggest stories coming out of CES.
>
> The CE industry wants to force the cable industry to use the SAME
> cable cards as those needed for integrated receivers and cable ready
> digital STBs. Meanwhile, the cable industry is applying extensive
> pressure on the FCC to remove the requirement that they use these
> cards.
>
> Support for products with dual tuners and PVRs is at the core of conflict.
>
> A little known fact: The new cable ready PVR announced by Tivo last
> week will have two cable card slots. Why?
>
> The current generation of cable cards will support only ONE tuner.
> There are no plans to offer cards that will support multiple tuners.
> This is by design.
>
> If you buy an integrated receiver with a cable card pod, you can only
> record the single program to which the cable receiver is tuned. You
> cannot have the PVR record a different program. To do this you must
> include another cable card for the second tuner. This not only
> increases the cost of any product that competes with the STBs offered
> by the cable industry, but you must pay the cable company for two
> cards, which currently are being rented for about $5-7 per month
> (each). Meanwhile SA and Motorola are building boxes without cable
> cards that support multiple tuners.
>
> The theory is that by forcing ALL boxes to use cable cards, the
> playing field will be leveled. That is, the cable companies will have
> an incentive to offer more capable cards that support multiple
> tuners, since they will be forced to use them too.
>
> Regards
> Craig
>
>
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