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You know how you effect change? Get off your ass and DO something!
The FCC needs to stop playing in the sidelines and step into the limelight. The big cable providers are going to remain resistant to CableCARDs when they can lease out set-top boxes to consumers and make their money that way. Require cable companies to open their networks to more standards, give a nice big "fuck you" to the MPAA and the like and require ClearQAM on all channels.
Cable companies don't want it because it won't make them as much money. Consumers don't want it because they don't know about it. Who else do you think is gonna bump the status quo Mr. FCC?
Now can we tell "IPTV" providers like AT&T to please open up their U-verse boxen to non-AT&T areas?
I'm stuck in a Verizon serviced area - no FIOS at all up here - and I'd die for U-verse TV. All it is is one @#%#@% Internet connection out to the world, how hard can it be to open it up so us non-AT&T U-Verse areas can have some of the TV love?
Everyone knows the CableCARD situation for retail-purchased devices is a mess. Nothing new or astounding out of the FCC on this. HAD the Cable Industry made this proclamation, then it'd really be something noteworthy.
The government needs to step in a regulate the f out of cell phones, internet and tv providers. These industries exhibit so many oligopolistic characteristics, that you can almost call them monopolies.
I have Comcast and when I first bought my 40" Samsung LCD I decided to get the cableCARD for it instead of having a set top box. (hey its got the slot for it, why not, right?)
But it sucked so bad I got rid of it within a week, it never synced to the guide to display the upcoming shows or info about the show, completely incompatible with PIP, no ON-Demand service, it didn't even have all the HD channels available that I was paying for. I called Comcast and they blamed it on the TV, which may be partly true, I guess. Or they gimped it on purpose so I would have to rent the more expensive set-top box.
One other thing they could do to fix it is take away the power of Cable Labs to decide who can and can't have Cable Card devices and leave that up to the FCC. There's no shortage of bootleg HDTV shows making it onto torrent sites in spite of Cable Labs' draconian protections on Cable Card technology. If anything Cable Lab's death-grip on Cable Card technology has promoted piracy than done anything to prevent it. If I could have a Cable Card tuner for my PC right now I'd probably re-up my CATV subscription and not torrent any shows I watch on a regular basis.
Its either that or do to the Cable companies what they did to Ma Bell not too long ago. Remember the old acoustic coupler modems and fax machines of yore? That was because you couldn't connect anything but Bell's equipment to the telephone lines and you had to "rent" the phones from them. The Government put the kibosh on that, the same as they should with the cable companies.
@MrEvil: It's kinda moving in that direction now. With Win 7 you can just buy a CC tuner for a PC and install it yourself. Tivo can use the cards as well. What they should do in addition to your idea is to require cable companies to allow people to install cards themselves instead of requiring a truck roll.
@MrEvil: So your answer to not being able to steal a program through your cable company because they try to make it so you can't steal it is to steal it another way?
I guess you fail to see the fact that you're stealing something that isn't yours huh?
@screemname: I'm just saying all these airtight restrictions on cable card equipment has done absolutely nothing to curb piracy. Go to any Torrent site and you can download High Def TV of any program, Even those from premium cable without restriction. I mean the fact that this stuff even exists proves that all of the DRM on CableCard equipment has failed.
@EBone: Yes, and they actually work well, once the *sshole CableCo monkeys install the cards. CableCard was a failure because the CableCos hated it and managed to give it the death of a thousand cuts.
Correction: You did not need to have a CableCard installed by the OEM. You had to buy a CableCard TUNER with a new PC. You get the CableCard from your cable provider. Second you don't have to have this to use your computer as a DVR. You can have install OTA tuners yourself and there are some cable tuners that will tune all non encrypted cable shows.
Dr. Evil Genius has learned that MILF stands for Moro Islamic Liberation Front was starred
Dr. Evil Genius has learned that MILF stands for Moro Islamic Liberation Front was unstarred
@HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H.: That's like putting a looping audio clip on the back of a STB that plays when you turn it on that says "YAR HAR, PIRATE ME!"
Edited by HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. at 12/04/09 5:30 PM
HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. was starred
HeartBurnKid: Agent of R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
Whereas I do like the concept, I think I would prefer to do it in real blood because they've got the color wrong. Dried blood is darker and more brown (due to oxidation).
@OMG! Ponies!: dried blood also evaporates a bit, so it wouldn't be as effective as this is. This mod is meant to look like a bloody hand just brushed the front of your xbox, and the blood is so wet that it's dripping
something something Bacon, The Arcade Fire something, eh?
But seriously, if they're going to toss an exclusive 360 pack to Canada, I'm surprised it's not an NHL 10 combo, since I think Canada makes up about 94% of that market.
12/04/09
The FCC needs to stop playing in the sidelines and step into the limelight. The big cable providers are going to remain resistant to CableCARDs when they can lease out set-top boxes to consumers and make their money that way. Require cable companies to open their networks to more standards, give a nice big "fuck you" to the MPAA and the like and require ClearQAM on all channels.
Cable companies don't want it because it won't make them as much money. Consumers don't want it because they don't know about it. Who else do you think is gonna bump the status quo Mr. FCC?
12/04/09
I'm stuck in a Verizon serviced area - no FIOS at all up here - and I'd die for U-verse TV. All it is is one @#%#@% Internet connection out to the world, how hard can it be to open it up so us non-AT&T U-Verse areas can have some of the TV love?
12/04/09
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They need way more regulation.
12/04/09
But it sucked so bad I got rid of it within a week, it never synced to the guide to display the upcoming shows or info about the show, completely incompatible with PIP, no ON-Demand service, it didn't even have all the HD channels available that I was paying for. I called Comcast and they blamed it on the TV, which may be partly true, I guess. Or they gimped it on purpose so I would have to rent the more expensive set-top box.
Utter Junk.
12/04/09
Its either that or do to the Cable companies what they did to Ma Bell not too long ago. Remember the old acoustic coupler modems and fax machines of yore? That was because you couldn't connect anything but Bell's equipment to the telephone lines and you had to "rent" the phones from them. The Government put the kibosh on that, the same as they should with the cable companies.
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I guess you fail to see the fact that you're stealing something that isn't yours huh?
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Wait, screw grandma. I have no idea what you're talking about either.
12/04/09
OTA=over the air(using an antenna).
12/04/09
That's what's wrong with the CableCARD - hand models with horrible hands.
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Require all cable boxes to output unencrypted video of all subscribed channels via FireWire.
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[www.youtube.com]
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But seriously, if they're going to toss an exclusive 360 pack to Canada, I'm surprised it's not an NHL 10 combo, since I think Canada makes up about 94% of that market.
12/03/09
Actually I believe we'd rather get out on the rink and play the game in real life rather than simulating it in a game...
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