One-way vs. two-way CableCARD

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

"Keeper of the Purple Twilight" <no@spam.invalid> wrote in message
news:2004090216341050073%no@spaminvalid...
>I know that the current generation of CableCARD technology only supports
>one-way communication - meaning, you can't use things like video on demand,
>pay per view, etc.
>
> My question is, is this tied to the actual TV itself, or only to the
> cablecard you put IN the TV? Meaning, if I bought a CableCARD TV now,
> could I upgrade to two-way CableCARD technology by simply swapping out for
> a new card, not having to buy a whole new set?
>
> --
> "No urban night is like the night [in NYC]...here is our poetry, for we
> have pulled down the stars to our will."
> - Ezra Pound, poet and critic, 9/18/1912, reflecting on New York City
>

It's doubtful. It would require the TV to receive commands from your remote
control, or one provided by the cable company, and pass them on to the cable
company. Since this remote control "pass through" is one of the sticking
points in the negotiations between the Cable industry and the Consumer
Electronics industry, it's unlikely that the TV's with CableCard slots now
being sold have been set up to support it. Also, due to the nature of the
electronics involved, it is likely that the two-way capability will require
the TV to include an RF modulator for the return portion of the signal from
the TV to the cable company. I may be wrong, but I don't think the Cable
Card itself will include the return modulator.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

It might have to do with the software also in the set. I know of several
Cable Card sets that the software is upgradable via a MMC card slot next to
the cable card slot....The new Hitachi LCDs for example.

Scott

<drgrafix@hotpotato.com> wrote in message
news:qqqclvs3naofb38lq06taiq0i4ufa308di@4ax.com...
> Everytime I hear this kind of stuff I really have to wonder why in
> God's name any manufacturer even bothered to spend the money designing
> a set with a cablecard slot. It does absolutely nothing except gets
> rid of a STB which you'd need if you wanted to use 100% of the cable
> service it was supposedly designed for!
>
> Somebody dropped the ball on this or maybe it's an easier fix than we
> think. Ironically, we have major manufacturers introducing new sets
> with cablecard slot, and now we have cable companies offering the slot
> card... and the true money maker for the cable industry (PPV) has been
> bypassed?
>
> I'm not an electronic engineer, but it's not hard to imagine the next
> generation of cablecard smartcard having enough software/memory
> capability to allow inclusion of the PPV selection capability. Nobody
> is going to tell people to throw away circa 2004-2005 model $3000+
> HDTVs so they can get PPVs on a new $25 smartcard. It just does not
> make any business/marketing sense at all.
>
> Doc
>
> On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 09:49:11 -0700, "Mike Rush"
> <miker@avenuenospamcable.com> wrote:
>
>>"Keeper of the Purple Twilight" <no@spam.invalid> wrote in message
>>news:2004090216341050073%no@spaminvalid...
>>>I know that the current generation of CableCARD technology only supports
>>>one-way communication - meaning, you can't use things like video on
>>>demand,
>>>pay per view, etc.
>>>
>>> My question is, is this tied to the actual TV itself, or only to the
>>> cablecard you put IN the TV? Meaning, if I bought a CableCARD TV now,
>>> could I upgrade to two-way CableCARD technology by simply swapping out
>>> for
>>> a new card, not having to buy a whole new set?
>>>
>>> --
>>> "No urban night is like the night [in NYC]...here is our poetry, for we
>>> have pulled down the stars to our will."
>>> - Ezra Pound, poet and critic, 9/18/1912, reflecting on New York City
>>>
>>
>>It's doubtful. It would require the TV to receive commands from your
>>remote
>>control, or one provided by the cable company, and pass them on to the
>>cable
>>company. Since this remote control "pass through" is one of the sticking
>>points in the negotiations between the Cable industry and the Consumer
>>Electronics industry, it's unlikely that the TV's with CableCard slots now
>>being sold have been set up to support it. Also, due to the nature of the
>>electronics involved, it is likely that the two-way capability will
>>require
>>the TV to include an RF modulator for the return portion of the signal
>>from
>>the TV to the cable company. I may be wrong, but I don't think the Cable
>>Card itself will include the return modulator.
>>
>

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Two points:

First; the next generation DTV tuner will include interactive features plus
dish services. When this will hit I don't have a clue.

Second; video on demand will die as soon as DTV's include a large harddrive
to record what you want when you want. Then just download the program and
view it as many times as you want.

Richard.

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv (More info?)

Digital copy protection is also on the way. You will NOT be able to
record "what you want when you want." You will still be able to
record most things, but not everything. Plus the bandwidth required
to download a program that you specifically want to watch would be
astronomical. Mystro TV tried it last year with AOL Time Warner's
backing. http://msn.com.com/2100-1104_2-991788.html?tag=nl You would
need some serious rf plant technology upgrades before this happens
widespread. And what you are talking about really is just another
form of Video On Demand. You "just download the program" each time you
use VOD. It is streamed to your settop alone and generally can not be
viewed by others. As opposed to broadcast video where there is a
constant stream that you tap into each time you tune to a channel.
Mystro had a good plan, but the transmission technology right now just
won't support it. DVRs will be around in the interem until
transmission technology catches up. Then you won't need that large
hard drive in your DTV for the content atleast.



"Richard" <rfeirste@nycap.rr.com> wrote in message news:<mnm_c.8214$2s.4636@twister.nyroc.rr.com>...
> Two points:
>
> First; the next generation DTV tuner will include interactive features plus
> dish services. When this will hit I don't have a clue.
>
> Second; video on demand will die as soon as DTV's include a large harddrive
> to record what you want when you want. Then just download the program and
> view it as many times as you want.
>
> Richard.