CableCARD is dead
An interesting article in ARS technica summarizing the FCC’s recent request notice for set top box innovation.
I have some experience here. While at Comcast I oversaw certification and evaluation of all network devices, including next-gen set top boxes like the DOCSIS STB, which uses IP as a control channel instead of the proprietary Moto & Scientific Atlanta back-channel protocols. IP provides the foundation for interactive middleware. Add a CPU and hard drive (DVR) and you have the makings of a real media center.
My company tried (and failed) to introduce a new middleware stack for just such cable boxes. After much effort and burned cash my company learned a few things the hard way:
- Cable companies are like the post office: they deliver someone else’s material and collect a fee for the service.
- Cable technology (especially STBs) are designed to protect content first, distribute it second, and make it convenient to watch third.
- Adding features to a set top box is like adding features to an airplane – the testing and certification requirements alone make it nearly impossible to inovate.
In summary:
If the FCC really wants to crack this nut, and foster innovation in media distribution and consumption, the platform is not relevant. Instead, they must focus on satisfying content protection requirements. Until they satisfy the content owners, innovation in distirbution and consumption is neither relevant nor possible.
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