House votes to end Cable Cards requirement

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

But a quick, inexpensive step for the cable providers would be to change the CCI flag from copy freely to a more restrictive setting, as an interim step until they can get all of the hardware swapped out.

I wouldn't sweat them doing that.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

But a quick, inexpensive step for the cable providers would be to change the CCI flag from copy freely to a more restrictive setting, as an interim step until they can get all of the hardware swapped out.

What would that accomplish?

[KeithAbbott]

I guess it depends on what their motivation is to get rid of cablecards in the first place. If the motivation is to further enforce DRM and eliminate any chance of their subscribers viewing and recording content that they are not in control of, one way to do that is to reduce the copy freely content that they make available.

So I guess the question is: why is the elimination of cablecards important to the cable providers? Reducing the cost of the hardware? Somehow, I think there is more to it than just that...

[tvmaster2]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

I guess it depends on what their motivation is to get rid of cablecards in the first place. If the motivation is to further enforce DRM and eliminate any chance of their subscribers viewing and recording content that they are not in control of, one way to do that is to reduce the copy freely content that they make available.

So I guess the question is: why is the elimination of cablecards important to the cable providers? Reducing the cost of the hardware? Somehow, I think there is more to it than just that...

One thing's for sure with Cox: barely anyone in the company has a clue how to make on work. There's a little division in Atlanta, whose contact info is akin to trying and finding Jimmy Hoffa. But if you do, they can always make things work.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

I guess it depends on what their motivation is to get rid of cablecards in the first place. If the motivation is to further enforce DRM and eliminate any chance of their subscribers viewing and recording content that they are not in control of, one way to do that is to reduce the copy freely content that they make available.

So I guess the question is: why is the elimination of cablecards important to the cable providers? Reducing the cost of the hardware? Somehow, I think there is more to it than just that...

It always has seemed to be down to control of equipment on their networks and revenue of hardware rentals. There's also the possibility that non-cablecard solutions are simpler to integrate/operate.

IMO it's pretty clear control of content isn't the primary reason, if it were, all the operators would be setting everything Copy Once already, but many operators leave most things Copy Freely even though they don't have to.

You have to remember, 99% of people with CableCards have them in Tivos, and those folks don't have a clue about Copy Once, Copy Freely, etc, so a change from Copy Freely to Copy Once would go unnoticed by all but the 1% of people not using WMC with CableCards, of the 1% of people using PC DVRs, of the 1% of cable customers using Cable Cards.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

But a quick, inexpensive step for the cable providers would be to change the CCI flag from copy freely to a more restrictive setting, as an interim step until they can get all of the hardware swapped out.

There's nothing stopping them from doing that now... TWC already flags everything as Copy Once, which is why SageDCT and cable card are already pretty much useless for TWC subscribers.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It always has seemed to be down to control of equipment on their networks and revenue of hardware rentals. There's also the possibility that non-cablecard solutions are simpler to integrate/operate.

Agreed. Support would be another reason - it's usually easier to support the equipment that you completely control than somebody else's or worse, some hybrid solution (e.g. cable card + HDHomerun + some random PC + Windows Media Center). The support staffs at most cable providers can barely handle activating a cable card, much less supporting it after the fact.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by Tiki

There's nothing stopping them from doing that now... TWC already flags everything as Copy Once, which is why SageDCT and cable card are already pretty much useless for TWC subscribers.

If they do that that will finally give me the excuse to completely Dump Sage in our household .. I am just looking for a reason that my entire household will buy into. Sage is a great PVR but the worst media player out there.

[farscapesg1]

Originally Posted by Tiki

There's nothing stopping them from doing that now... TWC already flags everything as Copy Once, which is why SageDCT and cable card are already pretty much useless for TWC subscribers.

That's my major concern right now with Comcast... besides the fact I'm paying almost $150 for just Internet and TV (jumped from $99/month to $139 in May). I need to go into the local office to find out why the sudden increase and what options I have.. and I wouldn't mind being prepared to say "drop TV completely". Just got to figure out my best options though.