[mythtv-users] Switching away from comcast to online streams

[Stephen P. Villano]

On 1/26/14, 12:05 PM, Gary Buhrmaster wrote:
> On Sun, Jan 26, 2014 at 4:21 PM, Eric Sharkey <eric at lisaneric.org> wrote:
> .....
>> In nearly all cases, set top boxes and cable cards remain property of
>> the cable company.  If you want to buy a cable card and own it
>> outright without a monthly fee, you can't.  If you want a generic STB
>> and find one one ebay or from some other source, they generally won't
>> let you hook it up.
> I believe what you intended to say was that no MSO
> will enable/authorize equipment that they do not lease,
> because (from their POV) no such legitimate equipment
> (certified by the CableLabs cartel) exists in the US.
>
> Note that in the US, there are about zero legitimate
> STBs for sale (there was, about a decade ago, a
> smallish MSO that sold STBs to their consumers,
> but the numbers are very low).  All other STBs for sale
> in the US are considered as "stolen" (on the 'bay, most
> still show Comcast, or TimeWarner, or ..., in the pictures).
> Devices imported from other jurisdictions (aka CA) are
> considered to not have been certified for use in the
> US (they weren't) and are therefore not activated.
> Per policy on this list, it is not condoned to discuss
> obtaining content, or equipment, that is not obtained
> legally.
>
> There is absolutely nothing technical which prevents
> a STB company from entering the US market to the
> consumer.  If such boxes were sold direct to the
> customer, those boxes *would* have to be activated
> per FCC rules.  But such boxes do not exist.
>
> The reason such boxes do not exist (or the
> Cisco/Arris/Pace's of the world do not sell direct)
> is that the box manufacturers look at where their
> profit is.  They make their money by selling to the
> MSOs in bulk (rather then a few to the consumers),
> and the MSOs usually have non-compete agreements
> that say they will only purchase your STB if you agree
> not to sell direct to the consumer in their market
> area.
>
> So, if you want, blame the STB manufacturers for
> looking at their best interest.
>
> Or, rather than complaining, if you think the market
> for customer owned STBs is significant, follow the
> usual rule
>  Step 1: Create a new company
>  Step 2: ????
>  Step 3: PROFIT!
>
> I will note that in CA, a typical box costs about
> $200-300 for a HD STB, and $400-700 for a HD PVR.
> For most people in the US, they would rather pay
> a monthly fee than an upfront $400 as demonstrated
> with mobile phone contracts.  Your market may not
> be as big as you think it should be.
>
> Gary
> _______________________________________________
>
An upside to leasing the box is, if it fails, it is replaced. If you
purchase a box and it fails, you either have to have it repaired at your
own expense or you have to replace it at your own expense.

I do wonder though, would Cisco sell a box to a CCIE? As I understand
it, their entire product line is available to a CCIE holder, at a discount.
That would be an interesting, if expensive experiment.