
FCC Eliminates CableCARD Support and Reporting Requirements [pdf] - tech234a
https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/0904136726879/FCC-20-124A1.pdf
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edude03
Wow I remember CableCARD from back in the days when TiVos were popular and
Cable TV was transitioning to digital only service.

I always felt that CableCARD was an over-engineed solution to what feels like
a simple problem - essentially it ships a cablebox inside a card that can be
inserted into another cablebox type thing - all to support the massive DRM
based empire cable companies have built.

To me it seems like there are simpler and more cost effective solutions, and
from what I've heard from people who've used CableCARDs - probably more
reliable solutions.

I'm not surprised that they didn't catch on, but I am a little disapointed,
because for all their faults, there was at least an attempt to make digital
cable services interoperable.

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2bluesc
> To me it seems like there are simpler and more cost effective solutions, and
> from what I've heard from people who've used CableCARDs - probably more
> reliable solutions.

Would be curious if you name any. Until content is available outside of cable
networks (i.e. OTT streaming) I'm unaware of anything short of a power hungry
Comcast like cable box that one would also have to rent.

The FCC PDF also mentions other devices, but doesn't elaborate.

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hbcondo714
I purchased an ATI-TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner[1] in 2010 and hooked it up
to my HTPC which was connected to TV so I can use my Windows 8 PC Media Center
edition as a DVR. I watched TV like that for 8 years and enjoyed every minute
of it.

[1] [https://www.cnet.com/products/ati-tv-wonder-digital-cable-
tu...](https://www.cnet.com/products/ati-tv-wonder-digital-cable-tuner-
digital-analog-tv-tuner-video-capture-adapter-usb-2-0/)

~~~
rektide
I wrote a big massive Wikipedia article on cablecard & it's our standards,
spent days writing it, then had it deleted as not relevant. Lol.

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acomjean
A former coworker had a cable card. It was a pain to get set up and only
through stuborn persistence was he able to get it set up and working. I think
he filed and fcc complaint to get the cable company to talk to him about it
(this was years ago) Eventually it stopped again and he gave up.

Great idea, terrible implementation.

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sixothree
I have a Tivo Bolt. Getting the cablecard was a nightmare. I had 4 technicians
come to my house (yes to install a cablecard). I got placed on hold for 90
minutes. I told them they were acting in bad faith and things started to turn
around.

What this suggested to me was my box rental (small increase over the cable
card rental) and my viewing history were worth the price of those technician
visits and tech support time. For me it was certainly worth it.

For the record, Tivo is one of the best television experiences. I did return
the cablecard a year or two ago and use it OTA only.

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josuepeq
Alternate opinion based document title:

Cable TV industry successfully lobbies Republican controlled FCC in an effort
to kill an antiquated standard that did not allow for the collection and
monetization of users’ viewing habits.

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tracker1
The support was largely a joke in the US... Devices/cards were incompatible,
some content was completely unavailable via cableCARD boxes and I gave up... I
only have "TV Streaming" through Hulu because of my fiance, and I feel guilty
downloading the stuff without having a sub... but I tend to lean towards
downloads anyway.

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scarface74
I’m actually okay with this, unlike most of the other FCC regulations.
Technology marches on. With OTT streaming solutions like Hulu Live TV, Sling
TV, and Youtube Live, you’re not stuck with your cable provider and they all
offer “cloud DVR”. Besides, for almost being everything but sports, you can
watch On Demand.

Now they just need to get rid of data caps - AT&T doesn’t have them with their
gigabit plans ($70/month), but most people with cable plans aren’t so lucky.

