The Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD skirmish is getting all the press, but another HDTV standard--one that could greatly enhance how you view high-definition content--appears to be dying a quiet death. This week the New York Times posted a solid piece on the apparent demise of the CableCard standard, and it's a thought provoking--and frustrating--read.
The standard, which promised to deliver HD cable content to your TV without the need of a big, dumb set-top box, made a lot of sense. After all, what's the point of a sleek, sexy flat-panel television if you have to tether it to an ugly black box?
The Times article blames the two-year-old technology's failure on "conflicting business interests, manufacturing costs, and a lack of consumer response." The article goes on to note that many TV manufacturers have stopped including the Cable Card slots in the majority of their newer sets.
So what happened?
In the article, the TV vendors blame the cable companies for not promoting CableCard, while the cable companies suggest consumers simply aren't interested. The article points out that cable companies actually profit from renting out their set top boxes, so it's hard to see why they'd push CableCard.
And frankly, the current version of the CableCard standard is weak, offering only one-way communication. That means you can't access features people have come expect, including interactive program guides and video on demand. There's a two-way standard in the works, but it's far from final, which means TVs that support the pending standard could be years away.
Worse there's already another technology set to take over for CableCard. According to entries in the Wikipedia definition of CableCard a new standard--called OpenCable--could supersede the two-way CableCard before it is even final.
So is this yet another example of a promising technology doomed to fail because of corporate greed and short sightedness? Or was CableCard just a technology nobody wanted?
Whats cable card?
I think the CableCard idea is a really good one, if they will come up with a card for other types of signals, such as DISH and Direct TV. Those require a receiver box, but it sure would be nice to ditch the box.
I've been waiting to upgrade my big projection HDTV to a flat panel because I've been waiting on the CableCard2 standard...looks like I'll be waiting even longer...
No, the cable companies don't support the card. The one-way feature is a drawback, but we tried nevertheless. What a frustrating experience.
Charter Communications has only very few technicians who know how to set up the card and it worked for a day, but not the next day. Charter blamed it on Toshiba and I had to get an updated BIOS. At that point we had finally be given up, because Charter charged us for each extra package (like HBO, Cinemax, etc) separately and not as a single package price. Thus our bill was about $ 30 higher than before.
Needless to say, we are back to the ugly black box with its own remote control.
I can withstand the black/gray box. My Magnavox 32" TV doesn't have a CableCard so doesn't seem to be a problem.
Cablecard is vital if you plan to use a HTPC to record HDTV. Currently in the HTPC arena you may only record SDTV specifically because of the lack of 'cablecard' compatible capture cards.
In my own opinion, I'll echo one viewpoint the author states: why the heck should cable companies support digital cable ready (DCR) TVs via the cable card slot when they can make money renting the set-top boxes? In my den I have one large screen projection HDTV for which I shell out for the cable box...a mototrola DVR, but for my LCD in the bedyroom (HD capable) I watch only analog cable TV or DVDs because I refuse to shell out another $10 for a second cable box. I've been waiting for the prices on DCR to drop low enough, and now it looks like I'll never get the chance and am doomed to being a slave of the cable company's monopoly on boxes.
I was going to buy a flat panel that was cable card ready. After talking to the sales guy about the fact that it is only one way communication which eliminates practiacally all of the digital cable features and the fact that you still have to rent it, it no longer became a selling point on the TV. Most of the new TV's dont even bother with this uselesss technology.
I have a Samsung DLP HDTV, and it came with a CableCard slot. Luckily, my cable provider (Adelphia) has CableCards. So I rent one from them for something like $3/month, instead of the $10 or $15 for the box. Plus, you can see an ugly box.
The downsides are no on-demand features (one-way communication), and no program guide. But I dont use those features much anyway, so the money savings is worth it for me
We as consumers have always had a choice. We can accept whatever is thrown before us or we can unite and demand the services in which we are justly deserved. I work too hard for my money and don?t like to see it used unwisely. I wonder what would happen if we drop our cable company for six months, half a year, and go without any paid television services. I wonder what kind of attention this will draw. I bet the CEO of these big cable companies would then reconsider the CUSTOMERS. I am all for new technology which would enhance my life and make things a little better. I say lets unite and make a stand for the cable card. Go Cable Card, it can only get better. . .
The Cable Guy that is a wonderful idea, but you will never get enough people to do that because they will complain about being unable to watch enough shows. I cancelled my service do to price inflation and have gone without the programs for a while. It would be wonderful if we could pick our stations and then pay for only what we watch not the useless extra channels.