AllVid Alliance Formed – Founding Members Include Sony, Best Buy & SageTV
Now here’s an interesting story pertaining to you CableCARD fans, as the AllVid Alliance includes some interesting members. Still a loooong way to go til this sees the light of day, but it’s a good start having such a diverse membership.
The AllVid Tech Company Alliance was formed to provide a unified voice for the consumer electronic companies to ensure the NCTA doesn’t try to cripple AllVid to the point they did with CableCard. The alliance has seven founding members including Google, Sony Electronics, TiVo, Best Buy, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics, Nagravision and SageTV. The alliance supports the “gateway” approach to providing TV & video service across the network.
This would be a lot more
This would be a lot more interesting if there were any MSOs on board. At least Tivo is there as they are the only company of the bunch which has demonstrated any ability to work with MSOs to deploy an alternate STB experience for consumers.
Why would a MSO get on board
Why would a MSO get on board with an aliance of CE companies? The MSO’s are on the NCTA’s side just as they were when they mucked up CableCard back in the day.
Because it is called the
Because it is called the AllVid alliance not the CE AllVid alliance.
And I should add that while
And I should add that while the goal is understandable of the companies forming the alliance, it also seems to be one of confrontation with the MSOs. This will probably only serve to make the MSOs even less-inclined to open up. These companies really need to convince the MSOs that they will also win by opening up, if they can’t do that, there is absolutely no incentive for the MSOs to do anything other than maintain status quo.
I do see what you’re saying.
I do see what you’re saying. Just understand that this isn’t and won’t be a dialog between the two parties (MSO’s included). It will be a me vs. you lobbying effort focused on the FCC. If the FCC agrees with your side, you win. Anything else is pointless at this stage in the game. So getting two sides to the same table won’t be happening until (or if) the FCC lays down the rules
That’s right. With the
That’s right. With the confrontation approach, it seems most likely that the FCC will throw bones to each side so it will be a compromise solution that nobody will be completely happy with.
Will this have any effect on
Will this have any effect on current cable card devices, e.g the Ceton Tuner. I’d hate to drop money on a tuner to have Comcast abandon it 2 years later.
CableCARD technology will be
CableCARD technology will be with us for some time to come. All current cable STBs have CableCARDs themselves.
Anything with the initials
Anything with the initials FCC in it take quite a bit of time. So I don’t see CableCard going away in the near future at least. As long as you have products that support them (MC & TiVo) at least.