[opendtv] Re: Cable, MIPS missing in GoogleTV picture
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 23 May 2010 08:07:09 -0400
At 6:39 PM -0400 5/22/10, Albert Manfredi wrote:
"Given competing advertising models, cable operators are not likely
to back the Google initiative anytime soon, potentially cutting the
Google service out of the brunt of its market."
I'm not sure what this means, exactly. That cable operators would
limit their broadband bandwidth deliberately? Or that they will
block Internet TV except the TV they distribute over the Internet to
their paying TV subscribers?
Nothing so dire Bert.
It all comes down to the level of integration among the devices that
seek to provide the navigation tools that the viewer will use to
control their TV viewing experience.
For most cable subscribers that interface is a remote and the "Time
and Channel" program guide that drives virtually all cable boxes.
This is strictly a walled garden approach, and the cable companies
are not too excited about embracing a new Internet search based model
that lets the viewer search beyond that walled garden.
Microsoft tried to develop a smart cable box a few years back and
fell on their face. At best, sets that support Google TV will likely
need to switch between the cable box and the internal or external
"Google Box" that supports the Google TV interface. This is exactly
the same as hooking up a PS3, Xbox or Apple TV to your big screen.
It is feasible for Google TV to search your cable system and
integrate the content that is available with content from the
Internet. But it looks like they will need to do this WITHOUT help
from the cable industry.
The concern is that most cable subscribers will keep using the cable
box interface - perhaps with a smart remote like an iPAD, rather than
adding another box and GUI, "potentially cutting the Google service
out of the brunt of its market."
I tend to agree with the author of the article Bert posted. Google
faces an uphill battle to wrestle control of the TV in the family
room from the entrenched players.
Regards
Craig
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