Hauppauge asks for continued open market for CableCARD

[mike_ekim]

Second: Nothing in the bill states that cablecards will 'go away' in 2 years. The bill does not modify the requirement for cable card availability.

I used italics to highlight the word 'presumably'. The text that follows it is presumptuous. And baseless.

This a reply on behalf of Ken the CEO of Hauppauge
I guess you didn't read the whole bill:
"Terminates, two years after this Act's enactment, the FCC's set-top box integration ban that prohibits MVPDs from placing in service new navigation devices that perform both conditional access and other functions in a single integrated device."
Once cable operators integrate conditional access and no longer need to use CableCards, they have no legal obligation to provide cable cards to consumers. This means "cablecard goes away".

1: I read the whole bill prior to making any posts to this thread. My posts in this thread demonstrate my understanding of the bill.

2: The legal requirement to use cablecards in the cable company's boxes, is a separate requirement from the one to provide cablecards to consumers.

3: Does the CEO of Hauppauge really ask people to post trite quips and misinformation on his behalf?

[mike_ekim]

The issue is that CableCard goes away in 2 years even if no standard is decided upon by the FCC.

This bill modifies the integration ban set forth in 47 CFR § 76.1204, but does nothing to modify the requirement for MVPDs to deploy and support CableCARDs set forth in 47 CFR § 76.1204 and 47 CFR § 76.1205. 47 CFR 76.1204(a)(1) would change as follows:

A multichannel video programming distributor that utilizes navigation devices to perform conditional access functions shall make available equipment that incorporates only the conditional access functions of such devices. Commencing on July 1, 2007, no multichannel video programming distributor subject to this section shall place in service new navigation devices for sale, lease, or use that perform both conditional access and other functions in a single integrated device.

This a reply on behalf of Ken the CEO of Hauppauge

"If cable operators have to use CableCARDs in their own devices, then cable operators will supply CableCARDs to retail devices.
If operators don't have to use CableCARDs in their own devices and they stop buying CableCARDs, then basic economics dictate that Moto and Cisco will stop making CableCARDs (or at best dramatically increase pricing) because demand will drop significantly since only competitive boxes will be using CableCARDs and there is no requirement for Moto and Cisco to continue to manufacture them.

This is not just speculation. Charter, in a recent petition to the FCC, said "Charter no longer had any clear obligation to provide CableCARDs" and that "Charter does not have an independent obligation to supply CableCARDs under the statements of other cable operators or CableLabs that preceded the adoption of 76.1204"

You have a knack of quoting just enough information to be misleading. That sentence was part of a background paragraph explaining why Charter explicitly agreed to support cable cards until a replacement is available at retail. Here is the first sentence I bolded/underlined, in larger context:

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view; ... 7022420872
Therefore, with § 76.640 vacated and § 76.1205(b) effectively so, between the time that Charter
filed its Request for Waiver and the time that the Bureau wrote the Waiver Order, a significant
change had occurred – Charter no longer had any clear obligation to provide CableCARDs.6
In the face of that uncertainty, the Bureau sought to secure CableCARD support as a
condition of the waiver. Charter explicitly accepted as a condition of waiver to commit to a
package of support for CableCARD devices, including to maintain simulcrypt for use by existing
retail CableCARD devices, and to the provision of CableCARDs for retail devices that had been
required by § 76.1205(b) at least until a device that uses Charter’s downloadable security
becomes available at retail, notwithstanding the D.C. Circuit’s EchoStar decision.

Regarding the second sentence I bolded/underlined, it's 100% true: "Charter does not have an independent obligation to supply CableCARDs under the statements of other cable operators or CableLabs that preceded the adoption of 76.1204"

76.1204 (via 76.1205, which applies to providers subject to 76.1204) sets forth the requirement for cable providers to provide cablecards. So prior to 76.1204, cable companies didn't have to provide cable cards to consumers. Do you disagree with that statement?

[shspvr]

mike_ekim I only pass on what is sent to me.
Personally I think the real problem is going to be all big content provider not so much cable companies not counting MPAA and RIAA as they would love nothing more then to get rid of CableCARD and all DVR, etc, etc and lock down all channel so can't record.

It got me think about the old song Video Killed the Radio Star which now = Internet Killed the Video Star
But as time goes by min of you ready know the big content provider are starting to move to online content steaming and will cut out the middleman so mean wail some of it maybe free for now but in time I beat before long we be paying it sooner or later. I'm petty we can kiss Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and other Video Steaming service Playon, Plex, etc, etc good bye why well that easy those content provider do not want shear profit with other online video distribution they want all the profit and this really big problem just like with min of the gamers who fight about Steam vs Origin and/or Uplay I like see them all work tough I only want one place to go not some 10 to 15 diff website just fine what I want to watch.

[mike_ekim]

I'm petty we can kiss Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and other Video Steaming service Playon, Plex, etc, etc good bye why well that easy those content provider do not want shear profit with other online video distribution...

Agreed, we are already seeing the transition with CBS and HBO. Those networks have content on other streaming services, and are already (CBS) or will soon be (HBO) providing their own streaming service for a fee. I suspect at some point their content on the other sites will be greatly reduced, with just enough 'teaser' material on the big streaming sites to convince you to stream directly from their own sites.

In the end I think basic cable will cost no more than streaming services. When major networks pull content from Netflix/Amazon/Hulu and you have to pay $6/month for each of the big networks AND pay for the internet connection, and buy a streaming device for every TV, cable will become appealing again.

The streaming services know they are at the mercy of the networks and rights holders. Amazon, Netflix and Hulu aren't just creating original series to differentiate. They are doing it because they can lose a lot of programming as soon as a licencing agreement expires. Netflix will continue to incrementally increase monthly fees because it's own licensing fees will continue to increase.