[mythtv-users] Cable Programmers versus the FCC

[R. G. Newbury]

David Brodbeck wrote:
> Brian Wood wrote:
>> R. G. Newbury wrote:
>>> For US (and Canadian) myth users, The Blog of the Legal Times (*BLT*) 
>>> reports on a scrap between cable channel progam providers and the FCC 
>>> regarding carriage rules.... which impact what *we* receive over cable.
>>>
>>> http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2008/09/cable-programme.html
>> Then there is this part:
>>
>> "And Kavanaugh noted that boxes to allow analog subscribers to receive
>> digital signals would ensure that the programmers’ First Amendment
>> rights were not violated."
>>
>> This is not necessarily the case. The boxes I've seen receive ATSC, not
>> QAM, and would thus be useless on a CATV system.
> 
> Maybe they mean cable boxes.  Surely your cable company will be happy to 
> supply you with a box that can accept a QAM signal and display it on 
> your analog TV -- for a nominal monthly fee, of course, just like they 
> do now with their "digital tier."
> 
> How this plays out on any given system will depend a lot on the 
> franchise agreement the cable company signed, since those agreements 
> often require an inexpensive "basic" tier of service.  If you're 
> concerned about this, consider writing a letter to your city councilman 
> explaining the issue to him/her.

It is really the basic tier we are talking about. The FCC 'must carry' 
rules require all cablecos to provide the 'must carry' channels on the 
'basic tier'. BUT so far, there is no clarity as to whether a cableco 
can move its basic tier entirely to digital...even if it offers to 
provide a 'cable box' to everyone. My sinking suspicion is that the 
cablecos will a) want to move to all digital, so as to gain the power 
and bandwidth advantages, and b) will blame the FCC for "requiring" them 
to do so, but c) will offer to provide a set top box "for a small 
monthly fee"....and which box will d) probably not have a digital output 
  unless you raise hell so that the cableco actually provides what the 
FCC mandates, but which the CRTC knows nothing about, never having ever 
heard of a set top box....

And I just thought of a really nasty Freedom of Information request to 
be levied on the Commissioners of the CRTC.. (Yes they call each other 
Commissioner, tovarisch!). Which cableco provider do they use, what 
services, and HOW MUCH DO THEY PAY>


Geoff