[mythtv-users] FCC proposal

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 07:56, Brian J. Murrell <brian at interlinx.bc.ca> wrote:
...
> Programming is just the vehicle to sell STB rentals.  :-)

Actually, the STBs are a way to enable people to purchase
more services (i.e. on-demand, or HBO).

If I recall correctly, in Canada, where you can buy your
STB, the cost of one of a HDTV box is $200-300, and
a DVR is between $400 and $700 (depending on size
of the disk).

With the presumption that those would be approximately
the same costs to the consumer in the US to purchase
a full feature STB, I would conjecture that some high
percentage of the customers would prefer to pay the
cableco a monthly fee rather than the upfront cost
and then have to deal with failed units themselves.
That customers do not have the option to choose is
a problem, but ignoring the self selected group on this
mail list, how many people would go spend $700
on a STB (how many people purchase the iPhone
unlocked, rather than subsidized?)