FCC To Address Set-Top Boxes, CableCard at April 21 Meeting
Commission Seeks Rule Changes to Spur Set-Top Retail Market
By John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 4/15/2010 12:14:09 PM
The FCC has released its its agenda for the April 21 public meeting and, as advertised, it includes items on future set-top boxes and the current CableCard regime.
The FCC is seeking comment on the best way to create a standard, open and accessible navigation device that can unite broadband and traditional multichannel video as a way to spur broadband adoption.
It is also proposing rule changes to set-top boxes currently in use to spur a more robust retail market by improving its rules mandating the separation of channel-surfing and security functions via the CableCard hardware technology used to insure the latter.
Other national broadband plan-related items on the docket include an inquiry and rulemaking on universal service reforms, the effects on broadband of network damage, equipment failures and overloads, and establishing a voluntary cyber security certification program.
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski was urged by Senate Commerce Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) to implement the plan as swiftly as possible so the benefits could reach all Americans, particularly the rural residents he represents.
The FCC has laid out what Genachowski has called an aggressive and unprecedented agenda for implementation of the broadband plan that will include monthly rulemaking proposals and inquiries stretching over the months and even years ahead.
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The FCC recent request for comments regarding Media Video Players AKA (STB's) DirecTV, Dish, and other IP Video providers such as Vudu etc. Have flourish by due to the competitive nature of using DVB standards for encryption. Open systems provide multiple vendors and solutions. In fact DirecTV sites as one of their reasons of success has been due to the competitive nature of an open solution. Transparent Video Systems has provided practical low cost solutions from the Headend to the STB for over three years at a fraction of the cost of current systems. We applaud the FCC for
approving DVB Security solutions and STB's.
Norman Gillaspie - 4/17/2010 8:53:28 PM EDT -
Let's just call Cablecard a mistake and get on with implementing IPTV and/or other Internet based streaming video. If security is good enough for Amazon video downloads and Netflix, it's good enough for the rest of us.
We already have a cheap setbox prototype with the Roku player ($80 retail!) and cable modems available for less than $50.
Bob Teatow - 4/16/2010 12:11:56 PM EDT
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