iTV, cablecard, .n

[Dave Schroeder]

On Dec 10, 2006, at 5:39 PM, Kevin Callahan wrote:

> Friends and family are asking me about using a Mac like the MS  
> media center.  I'm not familiar with the media center, but someone  
> mentioned that Vista and the new media center will use "CableCARD"  
> so that it can decrypt digital cable signal.
>
> Does anyone expect iTV to sport such a card?
>
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD>
>
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenCable>
>
> or is it expected that Apple will have us stick with TiVO or EyeTV  
> and in some way get those files into Front Row?

iTV will definitely not have CableCARD or any kind of TV recording  
capability.

Apple's model is iTMS downloads. TV recording is a nightmare,  
specifically because of the tuning aspect. And even if you get  
CableCARD, CableCARD 1.x sucks completely and doesn't even have a  
program guide (granted, this could be done online), and even if you  
go CableCARD 2.x, what do you do about Dish Network and DirecTV? And  
that's only the US marketplace. I believe Apple doesn't even want to  
wade into this, and Jobs himself said in a CNBC interview something  
to the effect that tuning cable and satellite TV the world over was a  
rat's nest.

Microsoft is trying to go the DVR route, and frankly, it hasn't been  
that successful thus far.

> We all realize that the point of iTV is for any Mac user on the  
> network to vend their digital media to the big screen.  But, it's  
> clear a lot of folks want their recorded shows (not just iTMS  
> downloads) to seamlessly integrate with Front Row.
>
> also,  is 802.11n a factor in the delay of iTV?  it's odd that  
> Apple showed iTV so far ahead of schedule.

If it does indeed feature 802.11n, perhaps. It is odd that Apple  
showed it in advance, but I think it was really required for analysts  
to be able to see how Apple was planning on pulling together this  
iTMS strategy with the living room.

- Dave
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