Google, Best Buy, Sony, Intel And Others Still Pushing For "AllVid"

Google, Best Buy, Sony, Intel And Others Still Pushing For 'AllVid' - 2012-08-08 19:16:51 | Multichannel News (click for full article)

"By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 8/8/2012 3:16:51 PM


The AllVid Tech Company Alliance, whose members include Best Buy, Google, Sony Electronics, Intel and TiVo, urged the FCC to establish rules forcing all pay-TV service providers to deliver video to third-party devices via a standard IP interface -- rather than allowing a "short-term," cable-specific exemption to the commission's basic-tier encryption ban.


The Federal Communications Commission issued the AllVid proposed rulemaking in April 2010 as a successor to CableCard, which all parties agree has failed to achieve its objectives of fostering a market for retail cable-ready TV devices. AllVid, as proposed, would require all pay-TV providers to conform to a standard technical way of making video programming available to third-party devices.


The National Cable & Telecommunications Association last month submitted a proposal to the FCC to let third-party devices access encrypted basic-tier programming, as the industry wants the agency to lift the 18-year-old ban on encrypting basic cable to cut theft of service by broadband-only subscribers and dramatically reduce truck rolls.


But the AllVid companies said such a short-term "fix" would be inadequate."

 

The Cable companies are all pushing to have the basic tier encrypted. The proposal has been submitted to the FCC (which must make the final ruling on the matter). The FCC hasn't officially ruled yet - however the reports are saying that the FCC is looking at the proposal favorably and it's likely to be approved.


I don't like it at all. Currently I can get the basic tier (from Comcast) without a cable box or DTA box (digital-to analog converter box) - I just plug the Comcast cable from the wall directly into my TV and use the QAM tuner on my HDTV. I also get all the major OTA channels in HD this way (with my basic cable subscription).


When the basic tier becomes encrypted - I will no longer be able to use my QAM tuner to pull in the channels - but instead I'll have to use a DTA box provided by Comcast. There are numerous threads on the Comcast forums with customers complaining about these DTA boxes. Apparently the video quality is not very good and the currently available models don't pull in HD signals. Thus If I want the HD then I'll have to pay a monthly fee to rent a cable box.


Comcast claims that encrypting the basic tier will save them all the trouble (and expense) of sending out reps in trucks (when customers stop or change service) - because if basic cable is encrypted (through the DTA box) it can all be done remotely from the central office.


Here are a couple threads from the Comcast forums about this issue:

Loss of HD channels to Baisc Cable Customers - Comcast Help and Support Forums


http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Channels-and-Programming/Comcast-encrypting-Limited-Basic/td-p/1305863