Apple TV and the future of television

After seeing the dismal failure of CableCard first hand, all I can say for OC(r)AP is good luck! Technology is changing too much to alleviate the need for the set-top box, as no one wants to replace their $3000 TV every year or two just because some new slew of features comes around (unless someone would build an upgradeable TV). A ~$300 STB is much more appealing (or rent it from the provider). What most people seem to be looking for is a specialized computer connected to their TV, optimized for audio/video; but without all the fuss of noise, operating systems, etc, and doesn’t cost 5+ grand. I think we are many years away from that.

Who cares about “set top boxes or Mcards”? Until Cable MSO’s and the Networks allow the programs via On Demand customer’s will want their DVR’s, which only come in a set top box format so far.

All of this means little to me as we’re all paying way too much for programming that we don’t want. When will the American public be able to choose the channels it wants?

Sony failed miserably with Cablevision. Customers were complaining about quality of the set-top boxes made by Sony. Cablevision decided to replace all Sony boxes years ago. What makes people think Sony would succeed?
AppleTV is a long way to be the device that replace the cable box. Not even if Apple put in a QAM tuner with cable card. IPTV will not work for Apple either without partners like AT&T. But why would AT&T would want to partner with Apple? Nothing to gain from.
The death of set-top boxes are exaggerated just like decades ago when some idiots predict the death of hard disk drive being replaced by CD and/or DVD.

I ditched my land-line phone for cellular about ten years ago and have never gone back. Now, just in the last few month’s I’ve ditched my land-line cable box for a DLink media player that links to the computer. The computer replaces the need for a DVR, and allows for thousands of movies and TV from the Internet. At first I thought it would be hard, and I’d miss my shows. However, after three months of no cable… I would never go back to cable. I save over $100 per month!

Cable box? What’s that? In 2006, I disconnected my TV and relagated it to a place it truly deserves: a storage area in the basement. Movies? It has been three years since I saw a film in a theater; even longer since I rented one. I find the Internet much more interesting. I admit, I miss PBS. If they would stream in my area, I would watch it. The future of entertainment is already in my home. It is called Internet access on my notebook computer.

Typical cable company scam. Why do I need a box when HDTVs have built in tuners? Because the cable company scrambles the HD channels and the only way to unscramble is to rent the box. It ought to be illegal! I don’t mind paying for the signal, but putting a 20th century box out in front of my 21st century TV make NO SENSE.

Content from cable providers ideally should be provided without the need for a box. Content from the internet should also ideally be provided without a box – but realistically that’s a stretch to happen anytime soon. That said; a box for stuff off the net is acceptable, but it has to be universal to get acceptance. By that I mean able to get IPTV content from any source on the web. This would allow niche content to be provided and collectively would amount to a new and large market for upstart content providers, targeted ads, etc.

I work in the cable industry and can tell you that this idea of removing the cable box is nothing new. The latest cable boxes from the two big players, Motorola and Cisco (formerly Scientific Atlanta) require an MCARD to operate. The cable box is mostly useless without the card. All Sony is doing here is creating TVs that will use the MCARDs and Docsis 3. Docsis 3 will supply up to 100 Mb/s over hybrid fiber coax networks, which is what most cities in the US have. One thing you will see though is a cable modem that controls internet, VoIP phone, and TV. The Open Cable Application Platform is what all future TV applications will be written for, thus OCAP + DOCSIS + MCARD + future TV = True interactive tv or as Sony calls it True2Way.

Like all things Mac this former PC guy loves the Apple TV, however it needs more content, and newer movies.

My dream machine would basically be an AppleTV with DVR and a Blu-ray disk player/recorder that replaces the cable box.
Such a device would allow you to surf TV, record TV/cable content (DVR), download for rent or purchase AppleTV content, move/copy content back and forth to your desktop, copy/record to Blu-ray disk (digital rights would have to be solved–I just want to save my alma mater’s bowl game), play DVD or music CDs, play iTunes content, and surf the net. Naturally I’d like an Apple-designed interface for TV navigation. I’ve always resented spending $2000-$25000 on a home entertainment system and then having to go through a $19.95 piece of junk cable box with a 1970’s interface. I can’t believe the cable companies aren’t beating down Apple’s door to cooperate on such a box.

Sounds like a good Idea, at best it will revolutionize the way we view entertainment today. If this concept takes root the possibilities are unlimited. At worst it will give cable providers run for there (Our) money. Competition is always good for consumers. Bandwidth should not be an issue as technology is catching up in terms of over the air / fiber optic lines for internet. Medium of transmissions is an ever growing arena.

I went to my cable outlet last week to get a HD Cable box to use with my new HD LCD TV that is all of 3 inches from the wall – first thing I wonder is why so much money for a box – 15$ per month, why so big of box, where do I put it (wonder how long it will survive dangling from the cable) and why do I really need it? I have no answers, but I am so ready to buy a cableboxless TV now.

If one has to rely on the internet to download entertainment content it then it most likely will flop. The reasons are two fold; the internet is too slow as it is; and the ISPs will not stand for that much content being sent over their pipes (albeit for free). High speed access is expensive as it stands now, and any significant price increase would be intolerable. Both of these are non-starters for me and probably a lot of other folks as well.