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story category Time Warner Cable Cripples TiVO, Gets FCC Fine
Switch to switched digital video trouble for CableCARD users...
(old news - 04:26PM Monday Aug 25 2008)
tags: business · hardware · cable · RoadRunner Cable
A growing number of cable operators are deploying switched digital video (SDV) technology, which frees up bandwidth on cable systems by delivering fewer channels to the cable-box, keeping the rest waiting at the edge router. In current cable systems, all channels are consistently made available to the set-top box, using up valuable bandwidth even if your TV is off. In early trials, Time Warner Cable announced the bandwidth savings "exceeded 50%," so they've been aggressively deploying the technology. Perhaps a little too aggressively.

In Kansas City, the company began upgrading to SDV before the two-way technology was modified to work properly with one-way CableCARDs, so users of third party set-tops (like TiVo) were forced to downgrade to Time Warner Cable boxes. Now the FCC has fined Time Warner Cable's Hawaii division a not-so-whopping $7,500 for failing to properly inform the Local Franchising Authority in Hawaii about the upgrade. Consumers are obviously annoyed to find their TiVO suddenly not getting a wide swath of digital and high definition channels:
In November 2007, complaints came in to the Spectrum Enforcement Division of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau, as Time Warner cable had moved some "popular high definition sports and entertainment channels," to SDV, rendering them inaccessible by unidirectional, CableCARD-equipped TV sets.
Click for full size
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) announced last year that they'd be working with TiVO to develop an external adapter that would allow CableCARD users to access SDV channels. Initially promised to be ready by the second quarter of 2008, the devices (Motorola's version is pictured) just received certification from CableLabs but aren't yet available to the public.

I contacted Time Warner Cable for comment as was told that while consumers may not be happy, they were properly notified of the changes. "The FCC's fine pertains to notifying the Local Franchising Authority in Hawaii, specifically the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Cable Television Division," says Time Warner Cable spokesman Justin Venech. "Time Warner Cable did provide its customers with the necessary notification."

The company still isn't offering a solid date for when customers can expect to have the issue fixed, but Venech did say the company expects to begin testing the devices "in the next few weeks." "We currently plan to offer these adaptors free of charge," Venech says.

Related:
  1. Time Warner Redefines the DVR
  2. OCAP Becomes Tru2way
  3. Shift To SDV Leaving Some CableCARD Owners Stranded
  4. Comcast Sued Again Over Forced Equipment Leases
  5. Customer Battles Time Warner Overages
  6. Cable's 'Canoe' Plan Takes On Water
  7. TiVO Coming To Time Warner Cable
  8. Cable Carriers Miss Tru2Way Deadline
Forums » Time Warner Cable Cripples TiVO, Gets FCC Fine
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Post a:
curls310

join:2007-09-26
Hillsdale, NJ

FU TWC

Glad to not live in an area disserviced by them.

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:

Re: FU TWC

Sucks to be you. Thanks to SDV technology, i am happily getting new HD channels.
curls310

join:2007-09-26
Hillsdale, NJ

Re: FU TWC

You need to reread my comment... i'm a happy FIOS customer. better in every possible way. Even cablevision is way better than TWC.
wierdo

join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP

said by tiger72 See Profile :

Sucks to be you. Thanks to SDV technology, i am happily getting new HD channels.
Heh, so am I, but that's because Cox is forward thinking enough to have moved to a 1GHz plant.

(Not that they're not going SDV eventually, they just don't need it now)
--
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iwnt14me

join:2000-10-13
Newport News, VA
·Packet8
·Verizon FIOS
·Verizon Online DSL
·Verizon VoiceWing

Re: FU TWC

Before you make an comment like that do some research. Cox has been using switched digital video in almost all of their areas since Febuary of this year. I was told by a Cox technician That they did this to one add more HD, But to also force Tivo customers to downgrade. I dont care what kind of plant they have it still bites this entire area has the worst service with Cox's the picture freezezs and artifacts I had technicians and engineer at my house one night trying to tell me i was imagining it but when they all were in my living room watching it happen on their own boxes they had no answer. I have since dumped them since my complex was wired for Fios. I have also convinced 63 of my neighbors to make the move. the beautiful thing is everyone I get to sign up Me or one of my family memebers gets 100 bucks a month using the refer a friend program.

kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
·Packet8

said by tiger72 See Profile :

Sucks to be you. Thanks to SDV technology, i am happily getting new HD channels.
You mean those compressed-to-hell, downrezzed 1280x1080i piece of shit quality HD Lite ones?

Yeah, TWC and HD - best clueless post of the week, ROFLMAO!
--

tiger72
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Saint Louis, MO
clubs:
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Re: FU TWC

said by kamm See Profile :

said by tiger72 See Profile :

Sucks to be you. Thanks to SDV technology, i am happily getting new HD channels.
You mean those compressed-to-hell, downrezzed 1280x1080i piece of shit quality HD Lite ones?

Yeah, TWC and HD - best clueless post of the week, ROFLMAO!
It seems you don't know the difference between DirecTV (which extensively uses HDLite) and TWC. Go check out AVS before you make an idiotic comment like the above.
--
"What makes us omniscient? Have we a record of omniscience? ...If we can't persuade nations with comparable values of the merit of our cause, we'd better reexamine our reasoning."
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fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

said by curls310 See Profile :

Glad to not live in an area disserviced by them.
Evolve...
riblet2000

join:2006-03-08
Naples, FL

Re: FU TWC

Grow up.

ARGONAUT
got ping?

join:2006-01-24
New Albany, IN

Re: FU TWC

+2
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

Re: FU TWC

see my post above..

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

TiVO makes use of Time Warner's network

TiVO has little to stand on.
What's next... me suing TiVO for not working with analog after Feb 2009 or not working with OTA boxes ?
--
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast

Re: TiVO makes use of Time Warner's network

said by en102 See Profile :

TiVO has little to stand on.
Only if TWC was not advertising these devices as being supported in any official capacity. If that is the case the fine should be $0.
--
"At the moment of conception."

BillRoland
Premium
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL
clubs:
·Cox HSI

said by en102 See Profile :

TiVO has little to stand on.
What's next... me suing TiVO for not working with analog after Feb 2009 or not working with OTA boxes ?
I'm sure we could find a federal judge out there who could find somewhere in the Constitution that TiVO is a Constitutional right.
--
"Don't steal. The government hates competition."

insomniac84

join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
The problem is that they have to offer cable card service by law. So they "updated" their technologies and now want people to rent extra equipment cable card was supposed to remove the need for.

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME

Re: TiVO makes use of Time Warner's network

Not that I don't have issues with the way its being handled, but..

Typical business 101 though - if you're forced to implement a solution for a small group of users, you pass that cost on.
TWC is not going to replace ALL of its current devices for Cable card devices, but will offer a 'patch' for a fee for those that want to use it.
--
Canada = Hollywood North

insomniac84

join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN


1 edit

Re: TiVO makes use of Time Warner's network

said by en102 See Profile :

Not that I don't have issues with the way its being handled, but..

Typical business 101 though - if you're forced to implement a solution for a small group of users, you pass that cost on.
TWC is not going to replace ALL of its current devices for Cable card devices, but will offer a 'patch' for a fee for those that want to use it.
That defeats the entire point of a cable card.
And they were fined, so there is no point in defending the cable company. Legally they are wrong.
riblet2000

join:2006-03-08
Naples, FL

Well, it's not business 101. Maybe Business Law 340.

They are required to provide devices which work with TiVo under the guise of Cable CARDs or equivalent technology. They didn't. They also rent a competitive DVR, and this non-action to provide the adapters they are required to provide could be considered anti-competitive (read: Illegal) activity by a regulated entity. In fact, this smells of a cash grab. I wonder how many of the customers forced to "downgrade" (which is what going from a HD TiVo to a cable DVR is) were provided cable-owned DVRs free of charge. It's either the adapter or a temporary freebie on the DVR until the adapters are available.

Too bad the FCC didn't actually issue a fine. Maybe a lawsuit would be a better idea.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction

join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:
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·AT&T Southwest

said by en102 See Profile :

TWC is not going to replace ALL of its current devices for Cable card devices, but will offer a 'patch' for a fee for those that want to use it.
TWC knew the rules ahead of time. they chose to ignore them. hence, FCC fine and wrist slap. hopefully it continues until they figure out a way to make everything play nice.

wmcbrine
Touched by His Noodly Appendage

join:2002-12-30
Laurel, MD

said by en102 See Profile :

TiVO has little to stand on.
What's next... me suing TiVO for not working with analog after Feb 2009 or not working with OTA boxes ?
Uh, it will work fine with OTA boxes. They just released an update to support them. Anyway, that's a Series 2 issue; SDV is a Series 3 issue. (The Series 3 already had a built-in digital OTA tuner.)

It's about time a cable company got punished for deploying SDV without accommodation in place for CableCard users -- since it violates the intent of the CableCard mandate -- but this is too little, too late. Even the silly tuning adapter (a ridiculous kludge of a design) will only help TiVos, and not many (any?) other CC devices.
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Anonymous_
Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1
clubs:

1 edit

lol

what about the CAPS

will they drop the internet caps if they do SDV

what happions if all the channel slots are being used

do i get an error saying

channel can not be displayed?

nukscull

@rr.com

Re: lol

SDV has nothing to do with adding Internet bandwidth at this point.

It is for adding new HD channels to compete with Satellite and FiOS, to which TWC is way behind with HD channel offerings.

insomniac84

join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched_digital_video
It appears all channels are sent to all nodes and this technology is only used on the last mile from each node to each house. Which means it would be much easier to send out higher quality channels and offer more channels. In theory if it's per node the number of tvs should be small enough to never run into a bandwidth problem, but they are adding an extra point of failure which means a channel not available error is entirely possible. And if they realize all their nodes only use an average of 50 unique channels they could start using the extra hundreds of channels of bandwidth for other things. And if they use all the extra bandwidth up and people start buying more tvs and leaving them on weird channels, you could run into a channel not available message. Overall this seems like a good technology, but I think the government is going to have to step in and force extra equipment be offered as a free rental. It's crap for cable companies to alter their networks so they can sell more premium services while also forcing existing customers to pay extra rental fees just to keep their existing services. And someone needs to force a standard so customers can buy 3rd party boxes and cards to enable tvs to work with any cable service. Cable companies shouldn't be allowed to use technology as an excuse to charge people per tv.
K Patterson
Premium,MVM
join:2006-03-12
Columbus, OH
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: lol

All channels are sent to the neighborhood hub, not to the node.

The hub (which, incidentally, is where the CMTS's are located) sends them to each of the several dozen nodes it supports as required, and tells the set-top box how to tune to the program.

The next step, once the copyright issues have been resolved, is to allow users to "record" the program at hub. In other words, a DVR without anything more than a set-top box at the residence.

Video Guy

@verizon.net


from:
LiamJunket See Profile

Re: lol

Actually it is to the service group, which is a logical collection of nodes. That is not, strictly speaking, equivalent to the hub.

SDV relies on queueing theory just like the phone company does to allow more tuners to be connected to the network than there are "slots" to serve them. It' sort of like how there are more phones than dial tone available at the CO.

When a cable system has SDV, there are two species of video: the traditional broadcast channels and those that are in the switched pool. (Broadcast in this context does not mean over-the-air, it means traditional transmission of cable video channels). If you tune to a traditional broadcast channel everything works the same as before. If you tune to a switched pool channel, your tuner first looks to see if any other tuner in it's service group has requested it. If so, it just tunes to the temporarily assigned location of that channel and you're done. If not, it makes a request to the system to have that channel added to one of the temporary channels and it tunes to it.

It all happens very quickly in most cases, so the user cannot tell when they tune to a switched channel.

Niche Content and High Use Content...
The theory goes you should be able to switch your lowest viewed content since the chances of people watching very many of them at any one time in any one service group are low. You should also be able to switch your very highest viewed content since (and this will sound counter-intuitive) there are not that many of them and a very large number of people will tune to it. Remember that if any one tuner calls for a channel, all the other tuners can tune to that temporary feed without taking up any more slots. What makes it all come together is the fact that when highest viewed content is on and the most number of tuners are in use, that usage is concentrated, so you don't run out of slots. When things slow down and viewership spreads up and down the dial (mid day, over night), the variety goes up but the overall number of turners requesting channels goes down.

Over time, the goal is to reduce the homes per node and nodes per service group and to increase the size of the "bank" of channels such that there is a one-to-one ratio between tuners and slots. That is called switched unicast. And that, my friends, is the day that the cable plant becomes logically limitless in terms of video capacity.

What makes this tricky is the space for the slots is not free. Each slot takes up the same space as a broadcast digital or HD channel. So at first, SVD eats bandwidth until a cross-over point is reached where you have placed more channels into the switched pool than you have used up with SDV slots. Depending on how deep you go, you can gain a LOT of bandwidth for use as additional SDV slots (so you can launch more digital and HD content) and for other applications. Typically groups of slots are launched a QAM at a time, so you will migrate chunks of content over time.

SDV, going all digital and upgrading to 1Ghz are the three primary levers cable operators have to stay competitive with the dish and the telcos.

LiamJunket
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Ocean City, NJ
·Comcast

said by Anonymous_ See Profile :

what happions if all the channel slots are being used
do i get an error saying
channel can not be displayed?
You may under certain conditions. Just like when you use VOD, you can get an error when all the bandwidth available on a node for VOD use is used up.
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Mr Matt

join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL
·Comcast
·Embarq

I think that $7,500.00 is a fine fine.

I think that $7,500.00 is a fine fine as long as Time Warner is fined $7,500.00 for every subscriber that has lost the use of their TiVO. Time Warner should also be required to provide a DVR at no cost to any subscriber that has lost the use of their TiVO until the new interface device is made available.

DataDoc
My avatar looks like me. If I was 2D.
Premium
join:2000-05-14
Greenville, NC
·Suddenlink

Re: I think that $7,500.00 is a fine fine.

said by Mr Matt See Profile :

I think that $7,500.00 is a fine fine as long as Time Warner is fined $7,500.00 for every subscriber that has lost the use of their TiVO.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium
join:2005-06-29
clubs:

one more way.

to screw the customer has hard as you can and get away with it.

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:

Re: one more way.

how's that?

insomniac84

join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN

Re: one more way.

Per tv fees added to your already high monthly rate.

See 31 replies to this post
EPS

join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

Bah

Complain when they don't upgrade their network, complain when they do upgrade their network...

I thought Motorola had a box that made TiVo compatible with SDV? Is this actually not out yet, or is this just referring to Cisco cable systems?

jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Bah

said by EPS See Profile :

Complain when they don't upgrade their network, complain when they do upgrade their network...
I think the perception many of us share is that the cable companies are not upgrading as much as they are thinly spreading available resources around.

The headlines in many tech news sites and publications are continually making us aware of these seemingly artificial attempts to upgrade our services. Our HD television is full of artifacts and seemingly compressed far too much. It seems as if too many channels are sharing too little bandwidth. Talk of throttling our internet speeds and placing caps on our total usage is heating up in several discussion threads.

They are redistributing existing resources rather than truly providing customers with legitimate upgrades. The same carrot is simply being chopped up into smaller pieces. The only problem is that this carrot no longer feeds all of us anymore, so it is becoming more obvious to us that they sorely lack in infrastructure and support.
DNCS Guy

join:2008-03-26
Decatur, GA

Re: Bah

said by jmn1207 See Profile :

I think the perception many of us share is that the cable companies are not upgrading as much as they are thinly spreading available resources around.

They are redistributing existing resources rather than truly providing customers with legitimate upgrades. The same carrot is simply being chopped up into smaller pieces. The only problem is that this carrot no longer feeds all of us anymore, so it is becoming more obvious to us that they sorely lack in infrastructure and support.
So what happens when something like tru2Way comes out and a customer has a 2 way capable device, and then the CableCo upgrades from a 750mhz plant to a full 1Gig and customers suddenly discover that their brand new (or relatively new) television only has a 860mhz tuner in it so they can't gain access to anything in the new upgrade? And then what happens if the CableCo decided that they more effeciently utilize their plant's resources by moving some existing channels/services to the new 860+mhz frequency ranges?

A large part of the problem is that technology is advancing, and customers are wanting more and more from their providers. Because of the various factors that must be evaluated in the quest to deliver those services, there is no perfect solution and there are many options available to MSO's today. That's also one reason you can see different MSO's having completely different strategies.

A MSO must evaluate the ROI of the upgrade approach, the speed which they can get the improvements to the customer, customer impact during the upgrade process, FCC licensing and rules, future upgradability, cost, etc etc etc. Each option has it's own advantages and disadvantages. Sure, Every MSO could upgrade their plants to 1Gig systems with MPEG4 video, but the cost of replacing all the existing Settop boxes in the field with ones capable of decoding MPEG4 would be excessive...The customer impact of being told "You need to swap your box or else" would be a customer service nightmare, let alone a logistical one.... And the time, service disruptions, and customer impact while going thru an entire plant and upgrading every single component from the headend out to support 1Gig would be another major cause of problems. The ROI on that upgrade path would be such that for the large MSO's it would be career suicide for numerous people once the stockholders got ahold of them.

So you see different MSO's taking different approaches at finding ways to offer their customers more using the technology available today. Because each of them have their own measurements they used in evaluating their options, you can see the differing results. Obviously, it has to be something they can cost effectively do to a large majority of their systems... Then they need to figure out what kind of customer impact they can deal with, the technical costs and headaches of rolling it out without causing service interruptions, etc....And then you have them factoring in things such as their legal obligations with content providers, franchise authorities, content providers, etc; as well as cost, market competition, the speed they can have the customers see the benefits of the upgrades, and the ultimate ROI.

some are choosing to go the SDV route. Others are attempting to improve compression so they can squeeze another HD channel into a mux. Still others are just saying goodbye to analogs so they can replace it with all digital.

No matter the strategy they choose, someone gets pissed. Go SDV, Tivo and cablecard TV people get pissed because they can't get all the channels someone with a 2way box can get. Go 3-in-1 HD's, HDTV videophiles get annoyed because the picture can get a few more artifacts than it does in a 2-in-1. Go All Digital, People with multiple TV's plugged straight into the cable get annoyed that they don't get all the channels they used to get without a box.
jaminus

join:2004-10-14
Arlington, VA

Re: Bah

Very insightful technical analysis. Thanks for posting.

jchambers28

join:2007-05-12
Alma, AR

glad I moved

glad I moved to a cox area

Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

Re: glad I moved

Why? Cox is deploying SDV too.
SilverSurfer

join:2007-08-19

Re: glad I moved

said by Dogfather See Profile :

Why? Cox is deploying SDV too.
Yes, but they sent notices in advance before they did it.

Dogfather
Premium
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

1 edit

Re: glad I moved

Not in my market (Orange County) where we supposedly have SDV.
krazymon2

join:2008-01-13
Coraopolis, PA
·Comcast

Not TWs Fault

I really don't see why its TWs responsible if equipment that YOU BOUGHT doesn't work on their system. Systems are changed and updated to benefit not only the company but the consumer in the long run. The Tivos that people purchased don't have the right technology to adapt. If anything Tivo themselves are at fault for not having the hardware to THEIR customers to handle SDV.

See 16 replies to this post

skuv

@rr.com

So...

Unless EVERY channel is on SDV, the TiVo is far from useless.

Why such sensationalism?

And TiVo isn't excepted from all the blame, since they actively pushed their product, knowing that 2-way communication would be necessary at some point. TiVo even made an updated TiVo HD model after the Series 3, knowing full well that SDV already existed.

But I do agree with the fine because people lost some channels without much notice. But their TiVos certainly aren't useless.

Hopefully the 2-way adapter will be available by the time TWC has deployed SDV in more areas and added more HD channels because of it.

myosh

join:2001-05-03
Cupertino, CA

Re: So...

It's hard to build hardware around something that doesn't have a standard. Motorola and Cisco implement SDV in different ways, from what I understand.

I own 2 high def TiVos and fortunately Comcast hasn't implemented SDV yet in my area.

MacLeech
The one and only
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-14
SoCal

Re: So...

Standards exist and have for a few years:
»www.opencable.com
given the new name for marketing:
»www.tru2way.com
--
Don't mind me, I'm just trying to help...
DNCS Guy

join:2008-03-26
Decatur, GA

hmmm

Somehow just because of the nature of SDV, I doubt TWC moved highly watched channels to SDV. If they moved channels that were watched by most of their customers, it would completely negate the whole advantage of SDV technology because the channel would still be sent pretty much all the time taking up that bandwidth.

Now... I could see them maybe moving some lesser watched channels to SDV that just so happen to be the type of niche programming that technophiles like to watch.

One of the irony's is that people using TIVO's are not a majority of a cable company's customers just because a lot of consumers either don't see a reason to buy their own DVR, or don't have the money to invest in the equiptment. It's just that the type of customer who is more likely to purchase a TiVo is also more likely the be the type of customer wanting to view the niche programming and channels that are most suited to an SDV migration.

Generally, if a channel is not the type of channel to be watched almost constantly by a large group of customers, then it's a perfect candidate for SDV. Considering HDTV's are not even owned by the majority of households yet, it makes perfect sense from a customer ratio standpoint that certain HDTV niche programming (like sports channels which may have only 1 or 2 people watching them on every other node unless there is a major sporting event being aired) be converted to SDV.
maxpower

join:2006-10-09
Providence, RI

Pass it on

Hopefully TWC won't pass the fine on to all of their subscribers....just the Tivo users.
SilverSurfer

join:2007-08-19


1 edit

Re: Pass it on

said by maxpower See Profile :

Hopefully TWC won't pass the fine on to all of their subscribers....just the Tivo users.
Yeah, because non-TivO users like you are safe from any arbitrary/capricious and unannounced changes to the network.
maxpower

join:2006-10-09
Providence, RI

Re: Pass it on

said by SilverSurfer See Profile :

said by maxpower See Profile :

Hopefully TWC won't pass the fine on to all of their subscribers....just the Tivo users.
Yeah, because non-TivO users like you are safe from any arbitrary/capricious and unannounced changes to the network.
How do you know I don't have or use a Tivo?

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

said by maxpower See Profile :

Hopefully TWC won't pass the fine on to all of their subscribers....just the Tivo users.
Want to bet the cablecard rental rates go up to absorb this fine?
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riblet2000

join:2006-03-08
Naples, FL

said by maxpower See Profile :

Hopefully TWC won't pass the fine on to all of their subscribers....just the Tivo users.
I would happily agree with you as long as the rate increases for ESPN and the rest of the cable bill hogs were only passed along to the sports junkies and MTV addicts. Seems fair, eh?
maxpower

join:2006-10-09
Providence, RI

Re: Pass it on

said by riblet2000 See Profile :

said by maxpower See Profile :

Hopefully TWC won't pass the fine on to all of their subscribers....just the Tivo users.
I would happily agree with you as long as the rate increases for ESPN and the rest of the cable bill hogs were only passed along to the sports junkies and MTV addicts. Seems fair, eh?
It sure does.

cornelius785_nli

@verizon.net

here's an idea...

I'd love to see all cable boxes with a firewire port that allows you to connect to any machine. Not ideal, but no wondering if that cable card works and no more issues on locking into 'old' tech. I know some cable boxes have firewire, but most use 5c encryption and the big media giants plus the MAFIA will complain that no one should have access to unprotected content and so on. Atleast with the idea, all that is required to support new features is a software update to the host. One can only dream...

nightwalker
Nightwalker

join:1999-08-07
Appleton, WI


1 edit

standard tivo's work just fine with SDV

Around here, the converter box is included in the cost of digital cable anyhow.

I'm using an older Series1 Tivo and it works fine. I'm sure the Series2 work as well.

Cablebox --> Svideo/RCA (audio) --> Tivo

Tivo --> SVideo/RCA (audio) --> TV

--
»www.reverse.net

notivoplease

@rr.com

no

why would anyone buy a tivo. they will be outta business in 2 years.

myosh

join:2001-05-03
Cupertino, CA

Re: no

said by notivoplease :

why would anyone buy a tivo. they will be outta business in 2 years.
Pffftt, yeah right. Didn't all the so-called "experts" say this 5 years ago?

eric_n_dfw

join:2001-10-22
Euless, TX

Re: no

Yeah. Much like the "beleaguered Apple Computer Company" comments 8+ years ago.

youeeiiioouue

@comcast.net

Soo What!!

Get DirecTV with a DVR and get all the damn channels you want!

eric_n_dfw

join:2001-10-22
Euless, TX
·EarthLink
·AT&T U-Verse
·Speakeasy

Re: Soo What!!

Paying a fee for the privilege of leasing their HD DVR and being locked into it for 2 years is why I left DTV when I went to HD. If that DVR is so good, why don't they give people a no-commitment option (like Dish, TWC, and Uverse does) or even a 30 day opt-out?

spidey3
Premium
join:2003-01-12
Croton On Hudson, NY

Yet another ugly motorola box

Ugh. Could they have made this device any larger and uglier?

Motorola consistently has the most unnecessarily large and ugly equipment.
--
Joshua Moses Diamond

eric_n_dfw

join:2001-10-22
Euless, TX

Re: Yet another ugly motorola box

That's the exact same plastic they used for the VOIP box I used to have with SpeakEasy.net

DaveNJ
No Fear

join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
·Comcast
·Patriot Media
·Cingular Wireless

TW should have to buy all those tivos back

TW should have to buy back all those TIVOs, that should be there punishment. The cable industry is just too cavalier in actions to their customers. Why create a standard, which is provided by the industry, then allow dozens of manufacturers to make equipment. Then a few years later decided to obsolete it, And then not follow a compatible standard. Its like the cable industry likes to chase its own tail.
--
“Say no to fear. Don’t let anxiety crush your life. Live life free and unfettered.”


See 10 replies to this post

JSY
Premium
join:2000-04-05
Elmhurst, NY
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Bway.net

Quick to raise rates, slow to offer solutions...

Is this so much a TiVo thing or the fact that Cablecard technology hasn't evolved? The people who are blaming TiVo users for this miss a lot in this. TWC is required to offer cablecard technology (which the S3 Tivos use) so that the consumer is not required to rent their STB. Before they had this - people up and down the block complained that TWC gave you no other option but to rent their STB in order to get their service. Well, this is an extension to that and why TWC would change their service without already having a solution for their cablecard customers is a head scratcher.

We should ask why cablecard technology has not evolved to two-way communications already. Regardless, as usual - it should have been considered before and a fix should have been already in place before moving to SDV. It would have been a compassionate idea on their part to clean up their shit before moving on with this. Instead the only thing they're quick with is raising your rates.

MacLeech
The one and only
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-14
SoCal

Re: Quick to raise rates, slow to offer solutions...

CableCARD has evolved, well beyond the limited spec the FCC passed to get CE makers to put 1-way enabled CableCARD slots in their equipment.

Tivo didn't build their gear to the specs that have been available for the last few years to enable 2-way capabilities that cable companies can use.

See this:
»www2.dslreports.com/forum/r21013···Ws-Fault

Joemama1

@ameritech.net

Switched video just an excuse for spying on you

Thats why I will NEVER use cable again. It knows what channel to select and only pipes it in to save bandwidth?? The bandwidth from my hose to the stinkin box down the road? Why not fill 'er up? Yeah, yeah ... they save a little bandwidth at the end of the line but really, does this help me get faster internet?? NO! It does, provide a really nice summary (or "log") for cable operators to know what you were watching and in which room. We will see how this data will be used to give you custom ads. Imaging it knowing you are watching the playboy channel ... in your room (from cable box#)at 2am and custom piped ads like "Match.com dating service" or "Girls Gone Wild" on top of logging in their database that you are a lonely perv w/ no woman there! Be smart, switch to Satellite - no 2 way communication necessary (possible but not needed).
cableguy619

join:2003-06-24
Chula Vista, CA

Re: Switched video just an excuse for spying on you

they need to start playign FCC that is fair with all the telecom companies now. Uverse, verizon.. need to comply with all standards.. thats real competition and fair play. make everyoen abide by it

Joemama1

@sbcglobal.net

I understand that with fiber, switched video is necessary because it is simply a network connection ... not always with the insanely high capacity of cable where you can modulate hundreds of channels over the same wire.

I just wanted to make a point that cable has its eye on the prize of spying on what people watch for their evil ways. They will see what people use the most and jack up the price or sell all that personal data "for my benefit". I and most people I know are getting SO DAMN SICK on everyone with "prying eyes" thinking they could see what I am doing, saying, reading, to turn a quick buck for themselves.

People want the internet, now they lie and treat bandwidth like gold. What a crock. The crying "we have to do this to protect the customer" is crap. Plain and simple. With switched video at HD res piping through lets say 3 TVs at my house 24 hrs a day would use TERABYTES of data a month but some cable operators are crying that 5GB -40GB cap is "fair use" and no one in the world should use that unless they are doing something illegal! Then they want to stick it to you with insane overage charges!! If I transfer 1 TB of data a month to my neighbor on same network, I can get charged THOUSANDS of dollars but seems "its all ok" piping THEIR overly compressed garbage tv signals for$69!! What crap is that!!!

JSY
Premium
join:2000-04-05
Elmhurst, NY
clubs:

C'mon now...

Do you for a second think that the cable company doesn't already know or have the access to what you watch now? The boxes are two-way boxes and they can already see what their customers are viewing. They don't need this switched video to track it.
Forums » Time Warner Cable Cripples TiVO, Gets FCC Fine


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