only 200k CableCARDs installed in the country

[cwoody222]

Wonder why cable techs really don't get this yet? Because it's still very much an 'early adapter' technology.

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/78429?brk=2

Some thinks there about the Series3 users :)

[redandgray]

Ya know, $200K CableCARDs are just waaaay too expensive to ever gain much popularity. Maybe if they lowered the price... :p

[tunnelengineer]

It's not an "Early Adopter" thing at all. They have been out for about 2 years now (I think). I've had one since last June.

The problem is the cable companies don't offer them up as an option and really hide any info about them on their websites. It's really kinda slimy the way they deal with cablecards.

[cwoody222]

Ya know, $200K CableCARDs are just waaaay too expensive to ever gain much popularity. Maybe if they lowered the price... :p

oops :)

changed.

i must have needed my morning coffee

[Ken7]

The fact is that most people would not put up with the lack of programming information and guide data on a TV equipped with CC. I've known a few very techy people who tried it and then felt it just wasn't worth giving up the nicieties.

[vman41]

The fact is that most people would not put up with the lack of programming information and guide data on a TV equipped with CC. I've known a few very techy people who tried it and then felt it just wasn't worth giving up the nicieties.

Most wouldn't, but a significant percentage would if it saved them money, especially for things like second and third TV's.

[tunnelengineer]

I gave up the guide in an instant in order not to have to use (and pay for) the $9/month cable box. I really have no clue why people will watch the on demand crap either. Pay per view I can understand.

It was no loss to me as I had the guide from tivo all along.

[jfh3]

No, the biggest inhibitor to the use of CableCARDs has been that most people who have high-end TV sets with CableCARD support also want DVR function, so a card in the TV provides little value.

The Sony DHG box showed that to some extent and I'm sure we'll see a significant increase in CableCARD use directly attributable to the Tivo Series 3 when the 3Q and 4Q industry reports on CableCARD status are filed with the FCC.

[CCourtney]

I see this as decent growth.

Some numbers I pulled from NCTA's website

100K CC users at EO 4Q05 (Actually pre Xmas numbers)
141K CC users at EO 1Q06
170K CC users at EO 2Q06
200K CC users at EO 3Q06

The next two quarters numbers are going to show the real data. We have S3 sales, pre-Holiday sales and post-Holiday sales of equipment that are going to be CC ready.

I would not be surprised if by EO 1Q07 the numbers are ~350K CC users.

CCourtney

[Gregor]

Considering there are 100million TV homes, IIRC, 200k is a drop in the bucket.

[classicX]

I really have no clue why people will watch the on demand crap either. Pay per view I can understand.

You do realize that PPV is on-demand??

[Menarion]

The problem is the cable companies don't offer them up as an option and really hide any info about them on their websites. It's really kinda slimy the way they deal with cablecards.

When I ordered my cablecards for my S3 the customer service person basically tried to convince me not to get them, tried to convince me I didn't know what I was losing by getting them and getting rid of the cable box, and then tried to convince me how stupid I was for getting them.

[CCourtney]

You do realize that PPV is on-demand??

PPV is not necessarily an on-demand service. On demand implies that you can start stop pause what you're or viewing w/o the use of a DVR in your house (i.e. it's on a server and you're manipulating what gets sent with bi-direction communication of a STB.) Many cable providers offer an On-Demand service for $5 where you can watch 'cached' versions of popular shows at any time and this is not PPV it a pay for the service.

PPV only means it's something you've Paid to watch. It was here before On Demand services but can include on-demand capabilities. Many systems you can still call up via the phone and order a PPV movie and watch it on a STB w/o any bi-direction communication involved, this includes watching it on a TV w/ CableCARD and no STB, and watching it on an S3 or other CableCARD based DVR.

CCourtney

[SeanTivo]

I really have no clue why people will watch the on demand crap either.

We used it all the time. We get a couple of Pay cable channels and it was nice to be able to scan all their movies available when we wanted to watch a movie. No need to pick it out to record it or wait for it to appear on the schedule.

It helped to catch up on series like Entourage too.

Lots of non-pay channel movies available too.

[DocSavag]

We used it all the time. We get a couple of Pay cable channels and it was nice to be able to scan all their movies available when we wanted to watch a movie. No need to pick it out to record it or wait for it to appear on the schedule.

It helped to catch up on series like Entourage too.

Lots of non-pay channel movies available too.

Yea we used it the same way. I think we purchased maybe 2 PPV movies in the past 5 years but we watched free movies and series episodes On Demand all the time. We will still do this we'll just have to do it from one of the other rooms where I still have Cable Boxes.

I'm a big fan of On Demand television though I think the current implementation of it is still too limited. I am still waiting for entertainment content companies to really understand that they benefit from not trying to force their customers to view programming on their schedule.

[bferrell]

Well, now that I have 5 at home, that number will be going up a bit....

Brett

[tunnelengineer]

On Demand is just not my cup of tea I guess. The cable companies advertise it as the next best thing to sliced bread, but with Tivo you basically have on demand as well. Only it has shows you actually want to watch.

The on demand movies I saw were horrible quality and cost the same as if you went out and rented the movie. It just never made sense to me.

[davecramer74]

On Demand is just not my cup of tea I guess.

hehe, why not? They arent horrible quality. Have you even seen On-Demand? They are the same quality as when you watch it on tv. They have HD, Wide screen, etc. Its like having a movie store in your house. I find it funny you trying to bash something thats made watching movies easier and more convenient. On demand includes PPV, Your movie channels, Network Primetime shows, Concerts, etc. You dont have to look at the guide and see what time something comes on to record it. You go to the on demand, click on it and start watching. To say thats not your cup of tea, well, what the hell is? heheh, sheesh.

[DancnDude]

tunnelengineer,
Keep in mind that if you subscribe to HBO or Showtime, almost all of their content is available "On Demand" for free. So you really aren't paying extra to use it in this case. If I want to watch a movie, I can just go into HBO On Demand, see a listing of all the movies that are running on the channel this week, and watch it right away. I don't have to pre-record it on my TiVo even or wait for it to be broadcast.

[cmaasfamily]

hehe, why not? They arent horrible quality. Have you even seen On-Demand? They are the same quality as when you watch it on tv. They have HD, Wide screen, etc. Its like having a movie store in your house. I find it funny you trying to bash something thats made watching movies easier and more convenient. On demand includes PPV, Your movie channels, Network Primetime shows, Concerts, etc. You dont have to look at the guide and see what time something comes on to record it. You go to the on demand, click on it and start watching. To say thats not your cup of tea, well, what the hell is? heheh, sheesh.

I've seen On-Demand and I agree with the previous poster: inferior quality; not my cup of tea either. I didn't use it much but when I did the color saturation was poor, detail was lost, and I got pixalation or dropouts at least once everytime I used it. Like the idea - I think eventually it will be THE way to watch television; but so far I'm not impressed. My solution was to get a MovieBeam box - about the same movie selection and outstanding 720p (native on a few movies, nicely upscaled on the rest). IMHO, blows away the On-Demand I've seen and DVD's too.

[infinitespecter]

hehe, why not? They arent horrible quality. Have you even seen On-Demand? They are the same quality as when you watch it on tv.


At least out here there is very little, if any HD content on OnDemand, so that does not lead to a whole lot of desire to keep it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that TiVo and Amazon or Netflix can get something done.

[SeanC]

I don't know how anyone can claim that ondemand content is the same quality as Tivo nevermind broadcast. I've seen bad pixelation every time I've used it at my sisters place. And the FF/RW controls are a joke, hell, calling them controls is an overstatement. Oh and I love the when ondemand times so to actually finish watching your show you have to navigate their craptacular menu system to find your show. Then you have to use the crappy FF to get to where you left off because ondemand doesn't have a resume function.

Yep, ondemand is awesome all right.

[HDTiVo]

Well, at least someone's growth rate is better than TiVo's. :p

[Nwick]

I would bet the 200k number is way low. I have 10 in my home. I am glad they are free in my area. Heck, the cable company lets you pick them up at their office.

[HDTiVo]

I would bet the 200k number is way low. I have 10 in my home. I am glad they are free in my area. Heck, the cable company lets you pick them up at their office.
This is about Cable Cards, not wives. :o

[Nwick]

10 cable cards free (in Utah)
1 wife very expensive. I didn't pick her up at the cable company.

[balboa dave]

I would bet the 200k number is way low. I have 10 in my home. I am glad they are free in my area. Heck, the cable company lets you pick them up at their office.You'd lose that bet, based on the latest FCC figures. Here's (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060928-7856.html) a great article on how the Series 3 has stirred the pot of the mess that is CableCard.

[classicX]

PPV is not necessarily an on-demand service. On demand implies that you can start stop pause what you're or viewing w/o the use of a DVR in your house (i.e. it's on a server and you're manipulating what gets sent with bi-direction communication of a STB.) Many cable providers offer an On-Demand service for $5 where you can watch 'cached' versions of popular shows at any time and this is not PPV it a pay for the service.

PPV only means it's something you've Paid to watch. It was here before On Demand services but can include on-demand capabilities. Many systems you can still call up via the phone and order a PPV movie and watch it on a STB w/o any bi-direction communication involved, this includes watching it on a TV w/ CableCARD and no STB, and watching it on an S3 or other CableCARD based DVR.

CCourtney

True, but in every major market I've seen, PPV is now part of On-Demand. Also true that there are "free" shows on On-Demand, but that has nothing to do with my post.

[tunnelengineer]

hehe, why not? They arent horrible quality. Have you even seen On-Demand? They are the same quality as when you watch it on tv. They have HD, Wide screen, etc. Its like having a movie store in your house. I find it funny you trying to bash something thats made watching movies easier and more convenient. On demand includes PPV, Your movie channels, Network Primetime shows, Concerts, etc. You dont have to look at the guide and see what time something comes on to record it. You go to the on demand, click on it and start watching. To say thats not your cup of tea, well, what the hell is? heheh, sheesh.

I am stating my opinion. I tried them out 2 years ago and there was NO HD shows, the pixelization was horrible, and the interface was a nightmare. I didn't like it. Simple as that.

I was paying $10/month to have the crappy cable box and when I had the chance to switch to a cablecard I jumped on it and haven't looked back. The guide and on-demand was a waste of over $100 a year to me.

My tivo is my "on demand" service. I record sports, dramas, comedy central, concerts on HDNet, all in hd and 5.1 surround. I do not need any crappy service from a cable company to provide this.

[bicker]

So you're saying your comments are no longer relevant? Okay, thanks for that clarification. :)

[tunnelengineer]

nope. my opinion is very relevant. The on demand stuff is not worth $8 a month to me. It's only a method for cable companies to make more money. Simple as that.

[bicker]

I meant about the bad PQ stuff.

[gwsat]

True, but in every major market I've seen, PPV is now part of On-Demand. Also true that there are "free" shows on On-Demand, but that has nothing to do with my post.
It depends upon which PPV program you want to watch. If it’s a movie, then it is, indeed, part of the On Demand service and available only with a digital box furnished by the cable company. But some PPV offerings are not movies. For example, Cox OKC offered Last Saturday’s Oklahoma’s football game on a PPV basis. It was carried on digital channel 610, so all a CableCARD subscriber who wanted to see the game had to do was call Cox, order the program, and watch it on channel 610. That, of course would not have been possible for a movie because PPV movies are part of the interactive On Demand package that CableCARD subscribers can’t use.

[CCourtney]

I meant about the bad PQ stuff.

That's relative. Depending on your provider, and even what region your in with your provider. TWC in Houston is a different entity than TWC NYC for example, WRT features they provide, how and what On Demand is delivered, etc.

CCourtney

[cwoody222]

This whole Series3 thing is really interesting.

Before the Series3 the vast majority (if not all) CableCARD consumer products were TVs. The only advantage to using a CC in a TV was $$ saved from lack of a cable box. But the tradeoffs were great... loss of Guide, loss of VOD and PPV.

But now with the Series3 the tradeoffs are lessened and there are significant things you can get with TiVo that you can't get with a STB. So suddenly, in many cases, the loss of VOD and PPV is outweighed by many advantages.

Up until there was wasn't really any advantages.

I can see why no one has wanted CableCARDs until now. The S3 really has 'stirred the pot' and I think that's a good thing!

[HDTiVo]

I can see why no one has wanted CableCARDs until now. The S3 really has 'stirred the pot' and I think that's a good thing!
So now its just a matter of getting past 'no one wants an S3...'
;)

[davecramer74]

The on demand stuff is not worth $8 a month to me.

Do you mean 8 bucks for the box? or 8 bucks for on demand? On demand is just part of your service, its not an extra charge on the bill.

My main issue with the S3 is pretty cut and dry. Its 800 bucks. For me to have the same setup i have at home now, i would need 3 s3's. Thats 2400 bucks. Spend 2400 bucks to knock 8 bucks a month off my bill? What would that take me to recoop that money to make it worth it? 25 years? Even after my "credit" from the cable company runs out after a year and they start charging me for the other 2 boxes, im still looking at 8 years or some shat. These s3's will be antiques then.