What is the value of integrated tuner?

[ricks]

I'm waiting on the new Sammy's. Appears that the Tantus models to come out in Sept/Oct. will have integrated tuners. Given the way most everyone currently receives sat/ota signals, i.e. through a proprietary STB, is there a current value to the FCC mandated incorporation of integrated tuners? Or is the gov just making us pay for a markup we don't need?

Is there some future value even if not a current one? Is this where the cable card fits in? Meaning if all sets had integrated tuners and generic cable card inputs, then the various providers could just provide the cable card that would fit your set and work with their signals and dispense with the STB?

Guess I'm looking for a little education.

 

[Lobstah]

Hard to say which way it will go at this point...at least, that's my take on it. I have an intergrated tuner in my Tosh, and love it, since my local cable company (Charter) has minimal HD content, and what they DO have suffers in PQ compared to OTA stuff.
So this way I get all my local's digital/HD content. Lots of folks either can't get sat service, have to pay through the nose for cable/HD stuff, so an internal tuner makes sense in that regard.

Lob