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

[Gary Buhrmaster]

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