DirecTV opposes Plug 'n' Play?

At www.tvpredictions.com, there is a link that looks like this:

DIRECTV Opposes 'Plug 'n Play'
Says it would give cable an edge.

However, if you click the link, it currently goes to a site where
such a story is nowhere to be found -- at least by me. Does
anyone have a better link? I came up dry at Google.

Anyway, I see conflicts of interest here. DirecTV owns a good
part of TiVo, right? TiVo would benefit from Plug 'n' Play with
respect to digital cable since they could then theoretically make
a DVR that handled digital cable without a separate digital cable
box, which usually requires unreliable (for many, not me) IR
blasters for channel-changing.

I think I also read that cable companies are against Plug 'n' Play
because they want to continue generating revenue from cable
box rental fees.

I hope Plug 'n' Play makes it to market, personally.

Bao H. Lammy wrote:
At www.tvpredictions.com, there is a link that looks like this:

DIRECTV Opposes 'Plug 'n Play'
Says it would give cable an edge.

However, if you click the link, it currently goes to a site where
such a story is nowhere to be found -- at least by me. Does
anyone have a better link? I came up dry at Google.

Anyway, I see conflicts of interest here. DirecTV owns a good
part of TiVo, right? TiVo would benefit from Plug 'n' Play with
respect to digital cable since they could then theoretically make
a DVR that handled digital cable without a separate digital cable
box, which usually requires unreliable (for many, not me) IR
blasters for channel-changing.

I think I also read that cable companies are against Plug 'n' Play
because they want to continue generating revenue from cable
box rental fees.

I hope Plug 'n' Play makes it to market, personally.


I saw this short blurb at
http://www.skyreport.com/viewskyrepo...ReleaseID=1345


DirecTV Back Again at FCC on Plug-and-Play

The back-and-fourth comments between cable interests and DirecTV on
plug-and-play issues continued recently at the Federal Communications
Commission.

At issue this time is a mandate prohibiting cable operators from
deploying set-top boxes with integrated security features as of July 1,
2006. The National Cable and Telecommunications Association has argued
that the rationale for the integration ban is no longer valid, the costs
of the ban are unnecessary and unwarranted, and the commission should
eliminate the rule.

While the company didn't necessarily take a stand on the rule, DirecTV
took issue with the NCTA's assertion contained in its arguments on the
matter. "DirecTV strongly objects to NCTA's position that a retention of
the integration ban would allow DBS providers to unfairly compete with
cable operators, and places the 'thumb on the scale in favor of one
competitor over another,'" DirecTV said in a filing at the FCC.

"This argument ignores the fundamental reality that the scale of MVPD
(multichannel video programming distribution) competition still weighs
heavily in the direction of cable operators, and that these cable
incumbents continue to exert substantial MVPD market power," DirecTV said.

As the commission considers whether to retain the integration ban for
cable operators, DirecTV said the FCC should not "lose sight of the
facts, and its earlier and current findings, in making its determination
on the issue."

"Aardvark" wrote
I saw this short blurb at
http://www.skyreport.com/viewskyrepo...ReleaseID=1345
DirecTV Back Again at FCC on Plug-and-Play
[snip]

Thanks. I'm not sure what they're talking about in this article.
I thought Plug 'n' Play in this context was referring to some
rule proposed recently that would allow standardization of
digital cable so that third parties (like TiVo) could build DVRs
that accepted digital cable natively without a separate box.

Bao H. Lammy wrote:

"Aardvark" wrote

I saw this short blurb at
http://www.skyreport.com/viewskyrepo...ReleaseID=1345
DirecTV Back Again at FCC on Plug-and-Play

[snip]

Thanks. I'm not sure what they're talking about in this article.
I thought Plug 'n' Play in this context was referring to some
rule proposed recently that would allow standardization of
digital cable so that third parties (like TiVo) could build DVRs
that accepted digital cable natively without a separate box.


Its more like making Tv that can hook up to any (digital) cable system
with out a converter box. I don't think they care about "third parties".

If all Tvs had this plug and play the cable company wouldn't need to
have that box and therefore charge you less for cable (HA! I kill me!!)

"Aardvark" wrote
I saw this short blurb at
http://www.skyreport.com/viewskyrepo...ReleaseID=1345
DirecTV Back Again at FCC on Plug-and-Play
[snip]
Thanks. I'm not sure what they're talking about in this article.
I thought Plug 'n' Play in this context was referring to some
rule proposed recently that would allow standardization of
digital cable so that third parties (like TiVo) could build DVRs
that accepted digital cable natively without a separate box.
Its more like making Tv that can hook up to any (digital) cable system
with out a converter box. I don't think they care about "third parties".
[snip]

No, that's what I thought the headline was about. If you read
the article, that doesn't seem to be the topic. What you wrote
was what I was getting at: making devices (TVs, DVRs, etc.)
that don't need a digital cable box to use digital cable.

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Bao H. Lammy wrote:
At www.tvpredictions.com, there is a link that looks like this:

DIRECTV Opposes 'Plug 'n Play'
Says it would give cable an edge.

However, if you click the link, it currently goes to a site where
such a story is nowhere to be found -- at least by me. Does
anyone have a better link? I came up dry at Google.

Anyway, I see conflicts of interest here. DirecTV owns a good
part of TiVo, right?

AFAIK, DirecTV is just a licensee of Tivo technology and software.

TiVo would benefit from Plug 'n' Play with
respect to digital cable since they could then theoretically make
a DVR that handled digital cable without a separate digital cable
box, which usually requires unreliable (for many, not me) IR
blasters for channel-changing.

And do dual tuners, and not outside of possibility, OTA digital too, and
quite possibly HDTV cable/OTA.


I think I also read that cable companies are against Plug 'n' Play
because they want to continue generating revenue from cable
box rental fees.

Quite opposite, they are for it, except they want to be sure of the
security of the Opencable system before going for it.

I hope Plug 'n' Play makes it to market, personally.






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