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Posted by: Dan Ackerman
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The industry has been dragging its feet on CableCard for a long time, but today Microsoft announced a deal with Cable Television Laboratories to allow PCs to use CableCard with Windows Media Center by this time next year.
What does this mean for Joe Consumer? The press release sums it up by saying, "Media Center PCs, capable of supporting a CableCard module, will allow consumers to enjoy one-way cable programming, including premium high-definition cable content, on their personal computer and throughout the home on compliant network-connected devices, such as the Xbox 360."
So this means we can all record HD cable content on our PCs, burn it to DVD, move it to portable devices, and so on, right? Of course not! While not letting the cat out of the bag completely, there will be a Windows DRM system implemented for "protecting cable operators' investments in high-value content in a digital environment." This could very possibly include tagging certain programs to prevent you even recording them in the first place or placing restrictions on how long you can keep a recording.
Another potential downside is that they're referring to this as "one-way" communication, which on its face means that services such as pay-per-view or on-demand programming won't be available. The same probably goes for the cable company's program guide info, although MCE will have its own EPG data.
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Microsoft wields its ANTI-Trust Stick at consumers
Well, round 7, here we go again! What exactly is it that they fear? LOSS OF MONEY!
We are talking about some of the wealthiest companies and industries in the world and they act like the greedy old boss that takes the last little dried pea from the the orphans mouth.
STOP WASTING YOUR TIME AND OUR PRODUCTIVITY! The content you own, the airwaves you BORROW FROM US, the people. You want the airwaves, you allow us to use the content as we choose; ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
We buy your products and sit through your destructive fast food, processed food products that are making us fatter & fatter & sicker and sicker....WE HAVE PAID FOR THIS CONTENT TWICE OVER AND A LITTLE BIT MORE! WE WILL ALWAYS WIN< against an ANTI TRUST WEILDING COMPANY. Because if you really had the best products the ones with the best operation, best productivity, best SECURITY...you wouldn't need strong arm tacticts...because you'd already have the smartest of the smart within your fold.
STOP FEARING THE LOSS OF YOUR ALMIGHTY DOLLAR AND SPEND ALL THAT WASTED TIME & MONEY BUILDING A BETTER PRODUCT. START WITH CHINA...85% PIRACY RATES...WHILE AMERICANS ARE LESS THAN 15%...YET YOU CHARGE US AND TREAT US LIKE THE 85%.
IT WILL BE FREE!
You can either find a way to work with us and profit from things in innovative ways or you can try and hunker down and become naively paranoid and protectionist... to go down like all who hold power by manipulation and ill-gotten means.
by Bdubslawman (See profile) - April 22, 2007 7:22 PM PDT
