DirecTV Says, 'Leave Our Box Out of It'
DirecTV continues to argue that it shouldn’t be subjected to the same FCC regulations that require cable to let retail CE devices — like TiVos — access programming without a separate set-top box (see DirecTV: Opening Up Set-Tops Would Be Too Costly).
Well, I wouldn’t either: The cable industry has spent more than a billion dollars complying with the FCC’s rules on retail navigation, including an estimated $935 million so far complying with the “integrated set-top” ban which requires most MSO-supplied set-tops to use CableCards. And the result? A mere 443,000 standalone CableCards have been deployed for use in retail devices by the top 10 operators.
That is not a great return on investment.
Now the FCC says it wants to ”spur the development of a retail market for nationally portable video devices that will work across all delivery platforms, including MVPD [multichannel video programming distribution] platforms and broadband-based video platforms” (see FCC Requests Information On How Set-Top Boxes Can Spur Internet Viewing).
DirecTV says that’s a bad idea. “An ‘all-MVPD’ solution would impose unnecessary costs and would impede, rather than
advance, technical innovation,” the DBS operator says in Dec. 15 comments filed with the FCC.
But it’s illogical to impose one set of rules on cable, but not on DirecTV (the U.S.’s #2 biggest TV distributor after Comcast) or Dish Network (#3). This was one of the main messages in NCTA CEO Kyle McSlarrow’s letter to the commission in support of an all-MVPD solution (see One Set-Top to Rule Them All).
And aside from basic fairness, consider this: A device with “all-MVPD” access would be far more attractive to a consumer than just one that could only access cable through tru2way (putting aside for now the question of what the additional cost would be to an HDTV or TiVo).
If a cable-ready HDTV is good, then a cable-satellite-IPTV-ready HDTV would be even better, right? The million-dollar (billion?) question here is how that would come about; the NCTA suggests a cross-industry consortium could produce a solution. DirecTV says any such solution would be “quickly surpassed by newer technology.”
Of course, it all boils down to what the premium for an “all-MVPD” device would be: How many people will pay, say, 20% or more extra for a TV set just for the potential to connect directly to multiple providers’ services at some point in the future?
sat commented:
That's just one issue though. Satellite is much more complex as it involves communicating with multiswitches or the dish directly to switch polarity, satellites, and/or transponders. As well as the need to send voltage to the dish if there's no other reciever connected. If a user were to incorrectly switch to satellite mode when a cable or another provider is connected, the voltage can cause damage to other devices or the junction box on the pole. Making it a box that also incorporates both satellite providers, cable/Fios, and IPTV providers like U-Verse, can be highly expensive as it basically needs a dedicated circuit for each provider. And unlike DirecTV and Dish Network's own recievers where they can send firmware updates or swap them out for future changes, (i.e. the current process DirecTV is doing of switching 72.5 based locals to the MPEG4 locations or Dish Network going 100% MPEG4 for the eastern arc and HD), the user who bought their own box will likely be unable to use it after this point if it was built without the ability to be upgraded to support these features or additional satellites. Or in Dish Networks case where they have upgraded their encryption several times in recent years, they would need to support both the old school credit card sized devices as well as the bulky PCMCIA sized cable cards or whatever they come up with.
Reaper commented:
Strictly speaking as a consumer, it would be great if I could take an Echostar HD DVR (with PIP, HD interface, sling-loaded technology, etc) and use it with FiOS TV - including VOD. Or if FiOS falls behind DIRECTV in numbers of HD offerings, then being able to use the same box for DIRECTV. That's pie in the sky stuff I know but still, it would be pretty cool.
Todd Spangler commented:
Theoretically, you face the same potential issue with regard to cable RF frequencies. For example, at some point, an MSO may put programming above, say, 860 MHz. That would mean TVs with QAM tuners that don't go above those ranges would be unable to access those channels.
You forget commented:
There's a huge difference though. Cable basically agreed on a QAM standard with the standard set of US frequencies for channels 2 - 158. Satellite is an entire different monster. Not only do both providers use a different set of frequencies, they both use a different set of modulation (a propietary system for DirecTV, DVB for Dish Network), as well as they all use different satellite slots. Sure they can build TV's to be compatible. But with the providers all launching new satellites and future satellite slots, the chances are the TV won't be able to tune to all the channels after a few years. Not to mention satellite was one of the providers that already let 3rd party manufactuers make settops, the thing was it caused problems with compatibility for future services, as well as customer confusion for both customers and reps, so they switched to a uniform system.