Indeed. Their monthly prices make no sense, besides making their margins so huge.
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FCC: Its Time to Unlock the Set-Top Box Market
- Thread starter giga
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Down to just one set top box in my living room now, i've managed to cut the cord on all other rooms via Laptops/Netflix/whatever else. I can't see myself using Time Warner for anything but Internet within the next 2 years.
I can't complain about Time Warner's internet though. No data caps (yet) and the speed is decent, even if it isn't Google Fiber speeds.
I can't complain about Time Warner's internet though. No data caps (yet) and the speed is decent, even if it isn't Google Fiber speeds.
which would hopefully mean more cities doing municipal internet and having google fiber roll out to different cities.
spawnsniper
Member
Thing is, is that if they do remove the leased price of the box, they'll most likely rise prices even more.
raising prices would lead to even more people cutting the cord. they would have to start offering different tiers of channels to retain people which would be good. plus online streaming apps like sling might continue getting better.
industrian
will gently cradle you as time slowly ticks away.
It's socialism for cable!!1!
catpurrcat
Member
Spent $200 on a box built in 2006, refurbished. Ugh.
I wonder how much of an increase we'll see when pick and pay arrives.
Dubbedinenglish
Banned
Which these companies effectively curb with data caps. Consumers are cornered and it is time the FCC does something.
Clockwork
Member
I recently got a letter from my apartment complex management letting me know that Showtime was now available in the "free" cable that is included in my rent. I thought this was pretty exciting.
However, after calling Time Warner I was much less enthused. This is because to do this, you have to rent a cable box from them. Even though Showtime is available to stream if you have it as part as your service, Time Warner will not activate it without rental of a cable box. Even though I told them I wished to stream it online/via app only, they outright refused and said it was not possible without the cable box rental.
I think that is pathetic given the other technologies and services readily available to view and access such content.
However, after calling Time Warner I was much less enthused. This is because to do this, you have to rent a cable box from them. Even though Showtime is available to stream if you have it as part as your service, Time Warner will not activate it without rental of a cable box. Even though I told them I wished to stream it online/via app only, they outright refused and said it was not possible without the cable box rental.
I think that is pathetic given the other technologies and services readily available to view and access such content.
Shrug, I have my own box and had my cable card working fine with Comcast. You just got to call the right number from the beginning. If you call regular support, you'll get a bunch of bozos who either screw it up or completely waste your time. If you get a cable card with Comcast, Google the # first.
I honestly never imagined this was a possibility -- to be able to buy a cable box like I would buy a router.
Currently I have DirecTV so I don't know if that counts, but a lot of the time the Genie is slow as hell with up to several seconds of input lag, and come to think of it the interfaces of most TV provider boxes haven't really advanced in years. They're lightyears behind the interface of a game console or even a Blu-Ray player. I just kind of always thought of the two as completely separate things.
Currently I have DirecTV so I don't know if that counts, but a lot of the time the Genie is slow as hell with up to several seconds of input lag, and come to think of it the interfaces of most TV provider boxes haven't really advanced in years. They're lightyears behind the interface of a game console or even a Blu-Ray player. I just kind of always thought of the two as completely separate things.
Cable companies are obliged by law to provide CableCards, they do their best to hide that fact from costumers and make it as difficult as legally possible, but they have to provide that service.
The main issue I used to have is that every single time I had service outage they would blame it on my setup and provide no fucking help (I kid you not, they used to say "call Microsoft"), I filed a couple of FCC complaints but eventually I got tired of that bullshit.
It's fucking great when it's working, it's embarrassing that cable companies are forcing such shitty and archaic set-op boxes/DVRs in 2016
It's amazing what they charge for this shit.
You've been able to do this for years. It's the same setup I posted about earlier.
One solution that works fantastically:
Win 7 + WMC + Cable Card + HD Home Run
Then you just put an Xbox 360 on each TV as your "set top box."
You've got all your cable channels, a guide that is better than Tivo (and no monthly fee), networked DVR, and no per TV/per box fee.
Link
The Autumn Wind
Based Wheeler.
awesome news.
thats great for you, do you think the average consumer can hook that up? Or has even heard of HD Home Run? The only reason i have is because i've looked into different things that Kodi can use.
Also lol @ the average household having multiple xbox 360s to put on every tv.
Barkley's Justice
Member
So simple grandma can do it!
Wheeler getting in that work, goddamn
Good. Comcast gave me this giant-ass HDDVR box (seriously, bigger than most VCR's i remember having), for super-basic SD service, though i'm still in the promo period so they don't have the gall to charge me for it yet (taxes/fees ratio is pretty good. My bill is $69.95 base, $79 after taxes/fees). I remember having a tiny little box when i had them in college, i'd be glad to be able to get something like that back.
smokeandmirrors
Banned
man remember when people were afraid Wheeler was gonna be terrible. good times
http://corporate.comcast.com/comcast-voices/a-sharply-divided-fcc-votes-to-force-new-tech-mandates
Comcast not happy. Which means that this was a good decision.
Comcast not happy. Which means that this was a good decision.
Why wouldn't the average consumer be able to hook it up? We're not talking rocket science. You plug in the box. You run the setup app. Choose your cable provider and let it all finish.
As for the consoles, but a brand new Xbox 360 is going to cost about the same as the HD upcharge for one TV for a year (assuming you don't get the system on sale). It's less than you'd pay for a box if you were buying one outright (or lost/damaged one and had to pay for a replacement).
Why do you think it is laughable for someone to use a cheaper, more reliable and more user friendly option? When set to WMC mode, the 360 looks and feels just like a DVR. It boots directly to the guide and you can jump into live TV or play a recording. You don't even need to see the dashboard unless you want to fire up a game or an app like Netflix.
Yes there are other options out there that use other setups (ex MythTV) but WMC is stupidly user friendly and extremely straightforward.
As of Win 8.1 it is that simple.
Seriously, it will probably take most people more time to download the initial guide data than to do the initial setup.
If you can read basic instructions it works OOtB for most people.
TemplaerDude
Member
Who do they honestly think they're fooling with this fucking bullshit? What is it going to take to have that piece of shit company broken up?
Smokey_Run
Member
I hope this happens. Currently paying $35/month just in rental fees.
While I'm glad that something is finally done about this, what will happen companies will raise the prices on internet bills or find some other fee to make up this revenue stream loss.
FCC also needs to address prices, "zero rating" services, and bandwidth caps in order for the consumer to benefit at the end result.
No one likes to give up revenue streams.
You realize it wasn't just him, right? There were companies + politicians pushing behind this agenda.
Google TV crashed so hard, that it makes so much sense to get behind it.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Yes!!! Need this in Canada as well!
entremet
Member
outunderthestars
Banned
$231 a year for a shitty set top box. Damn! I just got done getting comcast to drop my internet only rate from $50 to $30. Can't wait to be away from them all together.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
Folks: Approving a decision and enforcing it are two very, very different things.
Windows 7 supports CableCards so you need a HDHomeRun or Ceton and Windows Media Center. From there an Xbox can connect as an extender or you can buy the Ceton Extenders. I was running this for around a year before I moved over to a TiVO.
Windows 7 supports CableCards so you need a HDHomeRun or Ceton and Windows Media Center. From there an Xbox can connect as an extender or you can buy the Ceton Extenders. I was running this for around a year before I moved over to a TiVO.
https://youtu.be/j-Q2iMI1h1M
Why some people were upset when Windows 10 retired Windows Media Center. People are hoping the Xbox One is going to replace the functionality sometime this year.
Here is a random video of the WMC UI in use:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kaaddnEUFU
Here are some guide shots from the web:
It's pretty straightforward, and extremely user friendly. My Dad is the ultimate non-techie and he had no trouble using it.
The HD Homerun Prime is a small box that just sits in the corner, next to the router. It has three tuners, so up to three different shows can be watched live and/or recorded simultaneously. I believe there is also a six tuner variant if you are a hardcore TV addict.
You can use pretty much any PC you like as the WMC server. Recording and streaming digital TV files takes very little CPU.
The HDHR is the core of a roll-your-own solution. You don't have to access it via WMC (that's just the easiest option and the one that is most friendly to non-tech users). Plenty of custom solutions work with it if you want to go crazy.
If you didn't care about the guide, you could just toss a HDHR on your home network and access it via DLNA. No need for a PC if you're doing that. There are also Android and iOS apps, streaming options, etc.
lastflowers
Banned
Thanks dude. I just set up a media/gaming/Set-Top PC for my living room. I'm going to make good use of this.
I read an article somewhere not too long that Comcast was going to start offering a DIY cable card kit. I've used TiVo for the past 10 years or so, and the worst part is getting the cable card installed as it requires a technician to come out ($$$) and most aren't familiar with the process. Also, they charge me a monthly service fee for "extra rooms/tv sets" for just one tv since the cable card can handle multiple streams.
He's already burned his bridges with the cable companies over net neutrality, and he probably has enough money for the rest of his life. It seems clear that he's now aiming for a consumer friendly legacy.
Familienoberhauptvogel
Banned
Why not just buy a TV with the functionality build in?
BlastProcessing
Member
Wheeler is proposing a system that would directly allow that.
For the people not old enough to remember, there was a time where only Phone company made equipment was legally allowed to be plugged in. You had to go buy an AT&T branded phone from the AT&T store at the mall. It was crazy restrictive. The Phone companies fought tooth and nail to keep this right arguing that it was what was best for their customers.
It's no coincidence that shortly after the law was changed that modems came along and the telecommunications revolution started.
you apparently have never worked tech support or helpdesk.
Never mind that your fighting an uphill battle considering that the percentage of people that subscribe to Directv/comcast/att/whatever would believe that the only way to access that provider is through the box that that provider gives them. I would put this at at least 75% of subscribers.
Most TV's are already capable of this, the problem is the cable companies encrypt the channels so that only approved devices such as their set top boxes will allow you to receive the signals.
Well, maybe we'll get some innovation out of it... and more people cutting their cable due to high prices.
They raise the prices anyway whether or not people use their boxes or their own.
The innovation would be the only positive I could see.
Sure, but they are going to let 20 billion dollars go when they are already struggling. It will be a near instant price hike to offset the loss.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
They tried this when the FCC approved Tru2Way and shocker, cable companies didn't press forward with it.
I say it again, approving something and enforcing something are two different things.
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