Sunday, August 21, 2005
Spinning CableCARD FUD
Posted by James Fee in "ARTICLE" @ 09:55 AM
"As expected, since Enderle does not side with any particular company, organization, or technology, he was right on the mark with his thoughts on the topics presented. Case in point – Windows Vista's possible CableCard support: He explains, that if Microsoft ever implements CableCable support in Vista, that users would not have access to advance network features that they would otherwise get from a provider's set-top box – i.e. access to Video-On-Demand, Pay-Per-View, and possibly even HD programming. In his words: "Even when it gets CableCard [support]... in the Vista time frame... it looks like it's going to be [a] hobbled CableCard... and that's going to remain problematic for the platform until that gets resolved."
I think CableCARD is going to be a huge deal in the next year. Of course the cable companies are ready to try and convice you not to invest in a CableCARD ready device, but I don't think people care too much about missing PPV movies (especially with Netflix around). To think that customers will be unhappy not having "advanced" features such as targeted ads is a joke. People want choice and CableCARD gives them that choice. I know with my CableCARD TiVo I will get all the HD channels that my cable provider offers and that is all I care about. MIGHT there be features that the cable companies come up with that require their STB? Probably, but if they require me to use their STB, I won't bite.
CableCARD isn't here yet and the spin machine is already trying to create FUD over it. Just ignore it and be thankful that you'll have many more choices in the next year.
update I just wanted to add the only reason that CableCARD can't support "advanced" features is that CableCARD is one way only, meaning that it can only receive data not send it. So unless your HD feed requires your STB to send signal back, you'll be able to receive it. I doubt we'll see any HD feeds that require this anytime soon.
I think CableCARD is going to be a huge deal in the next year. Of course the cable companies are ready to try and convice you not to invest in a CableCARD ready device, but I don't think people care too much about missing PPV movies (especially with Netflix around). To think that customers will be unhappy not having "advanced" features such as targeted ads is a joke. People want choice and CableCARD gives them that choice. I know with my CableCARD TiVo I will get all the HD channels that my cable provider offers and that is all I care about. MIGHT there be features that the cable companies come up with that require their STB? Probably, but if they require me to use their STB, I won't bite.
CableCARD isn't here yet and the spin machine is already trying to create FUD over it. Just ignore it and be thankful that you'll have many more choices in the next year.
update I just wanted to add the only reason that CableCARD can't support "advanced" features is that CableCARD is one way only, meaning that it can only receive data not send it. So unless your HD feed requires your STB to send signal back, you'll be able to receive it. I doubt we'll see any HD feeds that require this anytime soon.
