FCC Moves Ahead With Proposal Aiming to Make Subscription TV Available on Any Set-Top Box

[Juicy Box]

Are cable companies like Comcast not allowed to put their Comcast app on something like Roku/Apple TV and offer their cable service over IP to everyone in the country to help expand their market?

I'm not sure why cable companies have not done this, so would love to be enlightened if there is a reason.

Someone asked this already, or something similar a few posts ago.

I do not think it is in Comcast, or other companies best interest to do this. They would be losing a lot of rental revenue.

I wish they would, but I won't hold my breath.

EDIT: I re-read your post. I understand what you mean now. That could be a great idea. This would be a good way to have a little more competition in areas that have none right now.

It might benefit smaller cable companies, but someone like Comcast that covers many customers over the US already, they probably like the status quo.

 

[Macwick]

I find the HDHomeRun + Apple TV combo to be fantastic. It truly was plug and play and I find it as quick or quicker tuning into a channel. I also think the picture quality is great. I have 75/75 internet. Yes, Channels app lacks a channel grid and it takes getting used to, but we (wife & 2 daughters) are 2 weeks into this setup and they have no issues at all. It helps to just add the channels you watch to your favorites list for easier access.

You are also correct in regards to SDs DVR app. They are charging to cover licensing fees. Tivo does the same... although it's quite a bit more at $150 year.

Awesome, looking forward to setting it up. It's not like it has to meet a very high bar when it comes to responsiveness. Changing channels on the FiOS box (particularly when it was first turned on) felt like trying to drive your car with a wet noodle.

I'm really looking forward to going with HDHR and AppleTV myself. What will your total investment be on your system?

I haven't set mine up yet but the cost so far is as follows:

*Two HDHR Prime boxes (to give me 6 total tuners across 4 TVs): $230
*Two CableCards from Verizon: $4.95 / month

Once HDHR releases their DVR app, I'll also add:

*A 4TB My Cloud NAS drive: $150
*The DVR subscription: $60/year

Overall it will pay for itself in ~11 months and will then save ~$450/year.

 

[nt5672]

HELLO To Higher Internet Costs

Higher cost is/was going to happen anyway. We might as well get some consumer choice with our higher cost.

 

[Macwick]

I also understand the whole card thing may be going away in the next couple of years. Lots of things to consider here.

I agree with this statement, although I've been waiting for cable video service/CableCARDs to go away for 10+ years now. Also, this is a relatively small investment that will likely pay for itself before any streaming service becomes available.

In fact, that's how I'm looking at the HDHR/Channels app - it's a stop-gap that will allow me to use one box (Apple TV) until Apple finally gets a streaming service out there.

 

[meegwell]

Awesome, looking forward to setting it up. It's not like it has to meet a very high bar when it comes to responsiveness. Changing channels on the FiOS box (particularly when it was first turned on) felt like trying to drive your car with a wet noodle.


I haven't set mine up yet but the cost so far is as follows:

*Two HDHR Prime boxes (to give me 6 total tuners across 4 TVs): $230
*Two CableCards from Verizon: $4.95 / month

Once HDHR releases their DVR app, I'll also add:

*A 4TB My Cloud NAS drive: $150
*The DVR subscription: $60/year

Overall it will pay for itself in ~11 months and will then save ~$450/year.

I remember looking at this setup months ago. This is basically an offset to paying for cable box rent, correct? How is the sound quality broadcast coming over HDHR>Channels App...do you get Dolby Digital 5.1 surround at least? If not you, can anyone with this setup answer this?

Thanks

 

[Macwick]

I remember looking at this setup months ago. This is basically an offset to paying for cable box rent, correct? How is the sound quality broadcast coming over HDHR>Channels App...do you get Dolby Digital 5.1 surround at least? If not you, can anyone with this setup answer this?

Thanks

According to Channels, 5.1 is supported: https://twitter.com/getchannels/status/699290167065051138

 

[winston1236]

Thats good for some I guess. I cancelled cable a year ago and don't miss it at all.

 

[Beezoo]

I was an early adopter with DIRECTV. Back in the begining we would go to our local electronics store and buy our own satalite receivers to use with the service. At the time I chose Sony equipment, which came with a bit of a premium, as I was aware that DIRECTV was using Sony for uplink. Along the way, DIRECTV got greedy and bricked all of our home equipment forcing us early adopters to rent (at a comparatively very expensive price) DIRECTV branded equipment. Having not much of a choice, I went along. The new set top device was horrific. Not only did I notice degradation in picture quality, but the sound quality and user interface suffered as well. I was not happy paying a high monthly "rent" for a box that that gave me a substantial reduction of value in user experience for my home theater. Any of us who have ever looked inside these cable and satalite boxes, that we are forced to rent, knows the quality of inner components and the designs are not even worth the value of what we are being charged for a single month of rent. I applaud the FCC (something I don't often do) for attempting to fix this problem. I welcome the opportunity to have a choice in what components make up my own home entertainment system. I have long since left DIRCTV, however, the same problem of crap electronics permeates the industry. We are all in the same enormous unpleasant boat.

 

[Ladybug]

We have Cox + 3 Tivo's + 3 cable cards. The thing that gets me is even billing admits that its not on their website, however they force you into buying their Advanced TV package with this setup. We have tried multiple times to downgrade our services and they insist you must buy this package or higher if you use a Tivo. We are currently looking for a better solution. Seems they get you one way or another.

I hope this ends up helping consumers but I'm skeptical I guess.

 

[k1121j]

Well if this passes just wait your bill will go up to make up for it

 

[Tech198]

FCC is movin

Good for the cord cutter, bad for the cable subscriber ...

Can't we have a balance where both are equal ? The cable company will be the the middle man in this as "not happy" and a big frowny face.

All the while, in the meantime I am enjoying HBO now on my Apple TV

 

[2457282]

Hopefully this can get implemented and I can pay on a monthly basis. I am tired of dealing with Comcast in the US and their lousy equipment.

I am a comcrap non-fan

I would love for this to move forward as yet another nail on the coffin of these cable companies. If Comcast were smart, they could simply allow their xfinity TV go app to run on the Apple TV. That would immediately make an impact. Then (probably needs FCC approval) they could offer that app in markets where they do not sell the physical cable connection.

In other words they will become a utility like the phone company providing telecom service (internet provider) and then a second company that sells content. Of course my biggest problem is on the utility side and where I live I don't seem to have any options there for now. Maybe the mobile companies will get to a price point where it can be competitive with cable and finally give me options.

 

[2010mini]

HELLO To Higher Internet Costs

Not really. All streaming services offered by cable companies don't count against data caps because they don't go over the Internet. This proposal is just opening up competition for set top boxes. The pay tv providers will still have control over tv packages.

 

[Macwick]

I agree with this statement, although I've been waiting for cable video service/CableCARDs to go away for 10+ years now. Also, this is a relatively small investment that will likely pay for itself before any streaming service becomes available.

In fact, that's how I'm looking at the HDHR/Channels app - it's a stop-gap that will allow me to use one box (Apple TV) until Apple finally gets a streaming service out there.

Uh. So I just set up the HDHomeRun + Channels app. Why have I been paying $50/month for FiOS cable boxes. Video quality is great, responsive is great. Only two gaps right now:

1) No DRM channels. On FiOS that just means all Fox channels + HBO/Showtime.
2) No DVR, but SiliconDust is working on this.

I'm sold.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Who does the parrot think won the last Republican debate?

Obama.

 

[lordofthereef]

Can the cable companies also be forced to pay back (or credit our accounts) for the months and years we were forced to rent a clunky ridiculous piece of hardware just to have the privilege of viewing the programming we are also already paying for?

 

[ominx]

Uh. So I just set up the HDHomeRun + Channels app. Why have I been paying $50/month for FiOS cable boxes. Video quality is great, responsive is great. Only two gaps right now:

1) No DRM channels. On FiOS that just means all Fox channels + HBO/Showtime.
2) No DVR, but SiliconDust is working on this.

I'm sold.

That was my reaction when I first set it up too.
The channels app should support DRM channels soon according to their website.
As for DVR, I've realized there is less of a need with networks offering AppleTV apps. Most shows can be streamed without worrying about DVRing them. With the exception of CBS. They want even more $ for their "All-Access" pass.

 

[macs4nw]

One way or another, these guys will get roughly the same $/month average out of households.

They will either get from you on the TV side, a combo of TV/Internet or if you're all Internet they'll just keep capping & jacking until they are getting what they want.

The cable companies nearly "own" the regulators and there's no (or very very little) competition within markets.

You are sadly sooo right. We're screwed either way. But it is nice that now we might have the option in the future to use higher quality set-top boxes, rather than the crappy low-tech boxes with their two-bit program guide OSs we are currently provided by the cable cos.

 

[class77]

but streaming cable content to your apple TV will go thru data like !@#$ thru a goose. Your internet costs will rise by the same margin that your box rental goes down. I haven't used Comcast equipment except for cable cards in the last 3 years. I bought TiVOs and they're awesome. Much better than inferior Comcast used boxes.

 

[PaulRustad007]

Why don't cable providers have an app on the ATV? Wouldn't this save them a lot of money by not having to provide a box to everyone?

They would lose out on all the pay-per-view that is available on their boxes. They can get $5.99 for a movie rental and most can use the remote to access other pay per view......when you get rid of their box, they lose that stream of $$$.

 

[Ladybug]

They would lose out on all the pay-per-view that is available on their boxes. They can get $5.99 for a movie rental and most can use the remote to access other pay per view......when you get rid of their box, they lose that stream of $$$.

Tivo gets On Demand with Cox cable now. Can't they just do the same with all cable companies?

 

[Snoopy4]

Wow. Imagine being able to subscribe to DirecTV without having a dish if your house had enough bandwidth, or being able to have a vacation home with a streaming device at the alternate location and access what you can at home provided you have enough bandwidth. Or better yet, be able to move from service provider to service provider and not have an install fee. Get the best bang for your buck Internet and pick a package. Wow. A la carte or not, this kind of flexibility would be incredible.

I've been hoping directv would just build an app that would stream stuff from the main Genie DVR so I didn't have to have C41s all over the place.
[doublepost=1455853951][/doublepost]

Tivo gets On Demand with Cox cable now. Can't they just do the same with all cable companies?

Yes. It would simply be a program guide app that emulates the guide and options from your cable or sat box.
[doublepost=1455854063][/doublepost]

Why don't cable providers have an app on the ATV? Wouldn't this save them a lot of money by not having to provide a box to everyone?

Yeah. Directv puts RVU in some TV sets and I have an iPad app that lets me view what's on the DVR from anywhere. Seems to me that putting a similar app on the ATV would be sufficient. I'd even be fine with having to have a primary DVR in the house that streams to the ATV.
[doublepost=1455854197][/doublepost]

Let's hope this turns out better than the cablecard setup that was suppose to allow us a great choice in cable boxes.

Yeah, what a mess that is.
[doublepost=1455854676][/doublepost]

Well, you don't remember when the Justice Dept. broke up ATT, then; which was a regulated monopoly just like the cable companies are today. A lot of people complained at the time about the government screwing things up. Five years out, we had actual competition, more choice, lower prices, etc. You could finally own your own phone-- not just rent it-- and you could get it from someone not named "Bell."

I remember when long distance was 10 cents a minute. Breaking up the monster was a spectacular move.
[doublepost=1455854801][/doublepost]

What part of the interface would Apple lack control over? It seems like all the cable provider would still control is what you can access over the cable connection.

Yeah, it seems to me this is really just app based television viewing.

 

[lederermc]

HELLO To Higher Internet Costs

Internet service and Cable/Sat. service SHOULD compete on their own merits. Bundling is anticompetitive and should be illegal. Nobody with a choice would want to rent a $50 box for $10/month.

 

[BeefCake 15]

How long will this take to be implemented in real life? Don't underestimate the sleepiness of Comcast and the likes with these things and dragging their feet to implement changes, like the HBO app customer verification on the PS4 dilemma.

 

[AtomicDusk]

Curious, what Comcast platform are you on? I switched to FioS a year and a half ago but had been on the Sara platform (pre-X1) from Comcast. That was truly awful. Everyone I know who has switched from FioS back to Comcast's X1 (X1v2) platform are extremely happy. Mid-Atlantic area.

I had Comcast pre-X1, went to FiOS, now on X1v2 after moving 15 miles away where FiOS isn't. (Mid atlantic too).

I prefer FiOS to X1 because to me it seems like FiOS worked in real time, saved to a disk, etc. X1 seems to use the internet for everything. I say that because I've seen it buffer DVR'd shows, and a stutter in live video that I've only seen with streamed content.

Also between the two, I prefer FiOS UI, but that's simply a personal preference.