Cablevision and 5 others sign deal with Sony to Kill Cable Box

[chek_ya_self]

Saw this on
Cable Rant

Looks like we won't need Cable Boxes in a few years.
Then everyone can stop complaining about be forced to have a Cable Box.


Click here for Posted Thread

Sony Announced a Deal with the National Cable and Telecommunications Association to develop TVs that have Digital Cable Box Technology embedded directly into their TVs. This would create the first true Digital Cable Ready Television. These TVs would be able to handle advanced features such as Video OnDemand and Switched Video; features that only Digital Cable Boxes can support. They will be embedding the TVs with the Cable Industry's "
Tru2Way


" technology, which will enable anyone to create devices that work your Cable Providers as long as they are a Tru2Way partner. Tru2Way used to be known as OCAP. Sony signed the deal with the 6 Cable Providers (Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cox, Cablevision and BrightHouse). These providers account for 82% of the market. Although Sony is leading the drive, other providers such as
Samsung


,
Panasonic


and
LG


have also signed on.

Cable Rant thinks this will not cause any immediate changes for the Cable Industry as it will take a few years for these products to come to the market and it will only be useful for customers with new TVs. The Cable Industry will still make money from the Cable Cards required to get the service. Even though the Cards costs on average about $2.00 versus $7.00 for boxes, the Cards are a lot cheaper and represent a higher profit margin for the Cable Industry. You have to remember the Cable Industry would not invest into this technology unless they thought they would make more money. This is a great plan, because the Customer would be spending the money for the Cable Box to be embedded into the Television, not the Cable Industry.

The only industry that has something to fear are the electronic stores such as Best Buy or Circuit City. If the TV comes with the Box embedded, customers won't need to purchase an HDMI wire for their Cable Box. Attachments at the purchase represent a good amount of profit for these guys. Granted Customers will still buy HDMI wires for other devices, the loss of the HDMI wires for the Cable Box will represent millions less HDMI wires sold each year. Fortunately, for the electronic companies, they have a few years to think of a new way to gain that money.

[mkm4]

this on the loss of the HDMI wires for the Cable Box will represent millions less HDMI wires sold each year

Millions sold per year? I highly doubt that number.

[RemyM]

Looks like we won't need Cable Boxes in a few years. Then everyone can stop complaining about be forced to have a Cable Box.

You'll need to rent the Cable Cards from them though.

[cforrest]

OCAP, I will believe it when I see it. Glad one manufacturer has come to some agreement with the cable companies, but it would be nice if more than one was onboard with the cable companies. Now the card fees will rise to the level of the cable boxes if this takes off.

[RemyM]

Glad one manufacturer has come to some agreement with the cable companies, but it would be nice if more than one was onboard with the cable companies.

Ah, this makes 4, the big 4. Samsung, Panasonic, LG & Sony.

[nonrev]

But DVR is the new VCR and most people aren't going to want to give that up. So the cablecos will for the foreseeable future have boxes in house.

[Stargazer]

Maybe the cable companies will start giving out televisions with this device as a promotion to sign up (or switch off satellite or competetor) (roll eyes).

[cforrest]

Ah, this makes 4, the big 4. Samsung, Panasonic, LG & Sony.

Well looks like 5 now with Sony.

Found this from CES, just hope it actually happens and is not something that never comes to the marketplace.

Four of the world's leading consumer electronics companies, representing more than 28 percent of global television sales (iSuppli Corp., 9/07), demonstrated tru2way-based products at CES 2008:

Panasonic – Displayed 42" and 50" tru2way plasma televisions, part of their Viera line that will operate without a set-top box from a single remote and that will be in the marketplace by the 2008 holiday season.

Samsung – Demonstrated a tru2way HD set-top box that was running the Comcast/TV Guide program guide, model DCB-H670C.

LG Electronics – Showed its Model 42LG51 - LCD television with tru2way functionality.

Thomson – Exhibited a tru2way set-top box, the "9000 Series – HD MPEG-2/4 Interactive Cable Decoder for the North American market".

At the show, Panasonic and Comcast also teamed to announce a new portable digital video recorder (P-DVR) that uses tru2way technology. The device, called AnyPlay™ P-DVR, allows customers to record programming at home and take it with them for viewing wherever they go.


Tru2way™ Technology a Hit at 2008 CES

So Panasonic TVs this fall/winter will perhaps have OCAP, which is great, if it happens. Now when do the others onboard with OCAP deliver products to the marketplace or offer a timeline. Looks like 2009 onward for this stuff to hit the marketplace in a big way.

[Sean Mota]

what will happen when the device stops working inside your TV and your TV has no warranty? Who do you complaint to?

[nonrev]

Good point, I've swapped out cable boxes more time then I can remember.