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Are cable cards going away?

Are cable cards going away?

Last Friday, the Federal Communications Commission finally gave up on trying to mandate more alternatives to clunky and expensive cable boxes. In a unanimous decision, the agency eliminated rules requiring cable providers to support CableCARD devices, which are used today in third-party DVRs such as TiVo.

How does a CableCARD work?

The physical CableCARD is inserted into a slot in the host (typically a digital television set or a set-top box) in order to identify and authorize the customer, and to provide proprietary decoding of the encrypted digital cable signal without the need for a proprietary set-top box.

Does cable fall under FCC?

Q: Does the FCC regulate all cable television rates? A: No. This authority is shared between the FCC and your local franchising authority, which is the local city, county, or other government organization that regulates your cable television service.

What devices support CableCARD?

Retail CableCARD-Compatible Devices

  • TiVo: Series 3, HD and HD XL, Premiere and Premiere XL, and Roamio.
  • Ceton InfiniTV 4 and 6 Multi-Tuner PC Card.
  • SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime.
  • ATI TV Wonder.
  • HDHomeRun Prime.
  • Hauppauge.
  • Samsung GX-SM530CF.

Why did the FCC terminate the CableCARD proceeding?

From the FCCyesterday: we terminate a proceeding in which we sought comment on the adoption of new regulations for “navigation devices”—devices that consumers use to access multichannel video programming and other services offered over multichannel video programming networks— and eliminate outdated CableCARD support and reporting requirements.

How many cable cards are currently in use?

The FCC report: “(11) NCTA also asserts that since there are tens of millions of CableCARDs currently deployed in cable operator-provided devices, “[c]able operators have strong business incentives to ensure that CableCARDs continue to function properly.”

Why do cable operators continue to support CableCARD?

If not, this would be the sign to do so despite the Commission’s report suggesting that “cable operators have strong business incentives to continue to support retail CableCARD devices” — because CableCARD support is a significant and poorly understood drain on cableco resources.

When do cable operators have to notify you of free equipment?

Your cable operator must notify you 30 to 60 days before the end of the free equipment period. The notice must include the lease fee your cable operator will charge going forward for the equipment. What if I subscribe to cable service after an all digital cable operator has commenced encrypting their service?