[opendtv] Re: News: The Real Fight Over Fake News
- From: "Adam Goldberg" <adam_g@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 10:10:22 -0400
> With digital cable the cable company can enable/disable channels on
> an individual basis via the STB - a critical part of the two-way
Channel authorizations have NOTHING to do with the two-way 'agreement' (if
there is one).
> the FCC and public interest groups. In essence they have said that
> they cannot offer ala carte until every subscriber has a conditional
> access box. The fact that DBS cab enable/disable channels on an
Without expressing an opinion on a la carte, I haven't heard this argument
against it. What they argue, I think, is that channels are cheaper in
bundles (for them, and they pass the savings on to you).
-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Craig Birkmaier
Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 8:05 AM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: News: The Real Fight Over Fake News
At 10:18 PM -0700 6/7/08, John Willkie wrote:
> If you are able to watch at least one channel that should have been
>encrypted, that's simply the problem/fault of the cable company.
From time to time the cable companies put HBO or other premium
channels in the clear for promotional purposes. Perhaps the clear QAM
version was just a promotion where they removed the encryption for a
weekend?
>
>I kind of wonder how cable is able to charge for digital when you
>have access to many digital cable channels when you hook up a DTV
>receiver to cable.
Actually, when you subscribe to digital cable on most systems you are
required to choose one or more tiers, which you typically pay for.
With digital cable the cable company can enable/disable channels on
an individual basis via the STB - a critical part of the two-way
cable agreement. So you do not gain access to the digital channels
unless they program the system to allow you to view them.
Cable has used this argument to fend off the ala carte overtures of
the FCC and public interest groups. In essence they have said that
they cannot offer ala carte until every subscriber has a conditional
access box. The fact that DBS cab enable/disable channels on an
individual basis but still offers programming packages says volumes.
THEY COULD EASILY offer ala carte but do not. One would think that
they would jump on this opportunity as it is a major CURRENT
advantage over cable. But they go along with the same bundling
schemes because that's what the congloms want, and they make a little
more money too.
Regards
Craig
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