http://www.sun-sentinel.com/busines...,0,2270828.story?coll=sfla-business-headlines
Thinking outside cable box
Cablevision and Time Warner Cable are preparing to offer DVR-like services without the DVR box, executives of the two cable TV companies said yesterday.
The two services would have somewhat different features, although both would allow viewers to store programs on centrally located cable servers rather than on hard drives in each home, which is how a digital video recorder works.
Both services could be in some homes by the end of this year, the executives said in separate sessions at a Banc of America Securities media conference in Manhattan. They did not describe how the services would be priced, although the cost of the DVR box would be eliminated.
"We did consumer testing and it tests off the charts," said Time Warner Cable chief executive Glenn Britt.
Cablevision Systems would allow viewers to pick which programs to store on the server in separate storage areas called "condominiums," with a limited amount of storage space for each home, said Cablevision chief operating officer Tom Rutledge. Viewers could call up the shows any time.
Time Warner Cable would allow viewers to start an individual TV show over from the beginning, as long as the viewer presses a "start over" button before the program is over, Britt said. The company expects to test the service in Columbia, S.C., later this year.
Time Warner Cable's service would disable the fast-forward feature so viewers could not skip past commercials. That's partly to avoid complaints from the TV channels on which the programs air, Britt said. The service would work only for programs that programmers have agreed to include, because copyright laws are involved, he said.
"Our lawyers think the condo approach is not the right solution," because of copyright questions, Britt said of Cablevision's proposed service.
But Rutledge said Cablevision lawyers have reviewed copyright laws and don't see a problem, because the service would be similar to that of DVRs and so would not need permission from programmers.
One of the problems with DVR boxes, in addition to the initial cost, is that "hard drives fail," and have to be replaced eventually, Britt said.
Time Warner Cable charges $8.95 per month for DVR boxes, compared with $6.75 for a regular set-top box.
Cablevision's new DVR-like service would be somewhat like video on demand, which allows consumers to pick programs - from limited menus - and start them at any time.
Rutledge said that in-home DVRs are not as "elegant" a method of storing programs as central storage would be. He said DVRs have caught on partly because satellite TV services have pushed them and cable services have responded defensively by offering them as well.
Cablevision has offered them quietly, mostly to customers who are considering defecting to satellite TV.
Time Warner Cable has signed up more than 862,000 DVR box customers.
Thinking outside cable box
Cablevision and Time Warner Cable are preparing to offer DVR-like services without the DVR box, executives of the two cable TV companies said yesterday.
The two services would have somewhat different features, although both would allow viewers to store programs on centrally located cable servers rather than on hard drives in each home, which is how a digital video recorder works.
Both services could be in some homes by the end of this year, the executives said in separate sessions at a Banc of America Securities media conference in Manhattan. They did not describe how the services would be priced, although the cost of the DVR box would be eliminated.
"We did consumer testing and it tests off the charts," said Time Warner Cable chief executive Glenn Britt.
Cablevision Systems would allow viewers to pick which programs to store on the server in separate storage areas called "condominiums," with a limited amount of storage space for each home, said Cablevision chief operating officer Tom Rutledge. Viewers could call up the shows any time.
Time Warner Cable would allow viewers to start an individual TV show over from the beginning, as long as the viewer presses a "start over" button before the program is over, Britt said. The company expects to test the service in Columbia, S.C., later this year.
Time Warner Cable's service would disable the fast-forward feature so viewers could not skip past commercials. That's partly to avoid complaints from the TV channels on which the programs air, Britt said. The service would work only for programs that programmers have agreed to include, because copyright laws are involved, he said.
"Our lawyers think the condo approach is not the right solution," because of copyright questions, Britt said of Cablevision's proposed service.
But Rutledge said Cablevision lawyers have reviewed copyright laws and don't see a problem, because the service would be similar to that of DVRs and so would not need permission from programmers.
One of the problems with DVR boxes, in addition to the initial cost, is that "hard drives fail," and have to be replaced eventually, Britt said.
Time Warner Cable charges $8.95 per month for DVR boxes, compared with $6.75 for a regular set-top box.
Cablevision's new DVR-like service would be somewhat like video on demand, which allows consumers to pick programs - from limited menus - and start them at any time.
Rutledge said that in-home DVRs are not as "elegant" a method of storing programs as central storage would be. He said DVRs have caught on partly because satellite TV services have pushed them and cable services have responded defensively by offering them as well.
Cablevision has offered them quietly, mostly to customers who are considering defecting to satellite TV.
Time Warner Cable has signed up more than 862,000 DVR box customers.
