Death to the cable set-top box
Finally there is some movement to make those cable set-top boxes a thing of the past. Currently, if you want to be able to receive digital channels from a cable operator in addition to other digital services you are required to have a cable set-top box. There has been some movement on the elimination of set-top boxes in the past, but the solution offered has only allowed for one-way communication meaning that you still needed a set-top box for services such as on-demand movies.
Luckily, there has been an agreement reached between Sony Electronics and major U.S. cable operators to offer a “two-way” plug and play solution. The agreement means that Sony will be able to produce digital television and other devices which have the ability to send and receive digital cable signals without the need for a set-top box. Though the agreement currently only includes Sony, other electronic manufacturers have also been invited to join the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enable them to produce similar electronics which don’t require a separate cable set-top box.
The standard solution being adopted is Java-based and is called “tru2way”. The tru2way technology was developed at Cable Television Laboratories (CableLabs) which is a research and development consortium for the cable industry. The company companies included in the MOU include Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House Networks. The six cable companies included in the agreement cover more than 82% of the current U.S. cable subscriber base.
Brian’s Opinion
Though I’m excited that an agreement like this has finally taking place I think it shouldn’t have taking this long. I’m not a big fan of the government stepping into the private business sector, but I was beginning to get the impression that perhaps cable operators and electronic manufacturers might have needed a little prodding to come to an agreement. After all, it took a mandate of the government to get television stations to finally switch over to digital television next year.
I absolutely hate the cable set-top box. This is particularly true when you are charged for every box you have in your home. Gone are the days when you can just plug the coax cable into your television and get all the channels you pay for. Now it’s good to know that set-top boxes will be a thing of the past and customers won’t be gouged over the cost of them anymore.
Now I’m not naive enough to think that cable companies won’t simply charge customers more for the loss of revenue due to the elimination of set-top boxes, but at least I won’t have to make a decision on whether or not to have one more set-top box in my house because of the additional $5-$10 I may be charged a month. I can only hope we’ll begin to see some of these new televisions with the “tru2way” technology very soon. I have a feeling they will be extremely popular.
Tags: hdtv, players, gear, camera
