Audio/Video, Computers, Advice, Editor's Picks, TV
Say Good-Bye to the Ugly Cable Set-Top Box
So it looks like cable companies are set to raise their set-top box rental rates another $2 or $3 in the coming weeks. This price increase is a result of the July 1st FCC mandate that ordered all cable operators to start providing set-top boxes with CableCARDs, which are literally credit-card sized modules that go in the back of a set-top box or TV. The advantage of CableCARDs is that they're all-digital and offer a better picture, particularly for standard TV. For now, anyway, cable companies charge a significantly-lower monthly rental fee for CableCARDs than they do for set-top boxes (about $3 for cards versus $8-$15 for set-top boxes). But in order to take advantage of the savings, you'll need CableCARD-ready equipment that will let you by-pass your cable company's set-top box. Even if you don't have the right equipment, you can still take advantage of the other alternatives to the traditional cable-set-top-box, all of which can save you money in the long run (not to mention look nicer on your media rack). Here are some of the current options to the traditional cable set-top box:
Your Own Set-top Box, PC or TV with a CableCARD: This option is worth pursuing if you're in the market for a new TV, Vista-enabled PC, or DVR, since many new models are CableCARD compatible, which means you can add skip the cable set-top box (and its rental fee) altogether and insert the cards directly into devices you own. Some cable operators offer CableCARDs for free, while others charge a nominal $2 or $3 fee. Prices for CableCARDs may also go up when the prices for set-top boxes go up, but this so far has not been confirmed (regardless, they will still be cheaper than a set-top box).
The advantages of this option are less clutter on your media rack, as well as more user-friendly and responsive interfaces and program guides. We got an advance preview of the new Moxi DVR that Digeo will sell in September – it not only looks sexier than the average cable-company set top box on the outside, but also boasts a fast and easy-to-scan onscreen program guide (pictured) and user-interface. CableCARD-enabled televisions also have built-in program guides.
Disadvantages of this route include substandard interfaces (the Tivo Series 3 is great for maneuvering around recorded content, but slow and hard to read for scrolling through 200 channels) and the lack of on-demand capability (so you'll have to record all your favorite shows, the old fashioned-way). Windows Vista Ultimate PCs with CableCARD compatibility also offer some unique options, which we detail in the next entry.
Stream Your TV to another TV for free: The best way to get live TV on several televisions your house (without using cable set-top boxes) is to stream them from your Windows Vista Ultimate Media Center PC to up to five different Xbox 360s in your house. Of course, you'll need to shell out around $300 for an Xbox 360 and around $2,000 for a Windows Vista Ultimate computer that can take CableCARDs (right now, they're only made by Dell, Niveus, and Velocity Micro), but if you're a gamer and a media hound, this is a fantastic, smooth solution that works like a charm. If you're an iTunes user, you can use the sexy-looking and easy-to-use Apple TV, though it's essentially an on-demand-style option that requires purchasing episodes of TV shows for $2 a pop, so you might not save any money in the end. You can also try try media streamers such as Buffalo Wireless's LinkTheater, but these won't do live TV. For a decent overview of streaming media options, check out Lincoln Spector's piece in PC World.
Satellite: The prices are close, but, on average, satellite TV is a better bargain than cable TV in general, particularly if you compare pricing for basic and extended basic cable offerings, as well as for premium channels. On average, the basic extended type package – all your local network affiliates plus cable stalwarts such as CNN, E, MTV, and the like – costs about $45 on average from a cable company, and about $80 for 200-channel premium packages, versus $40 from DISH (which offers 200 channels for that price, and 100 channels for $20). Of course, prices vary depending on how much your state taxes cable TV and satellite, respectively (some states don't tax satellite at all). It's worth noting that cable systems are increasingly upping their offerings, which include more varied on-demand options than satellite operators, so it all depends on how many interactive features you want.
Verizon FiOS TV: Because it uses a fiber optic connection directly to the home, the phone company's television offering purportedly has the capacity to offer thousands of HD channels, but right now has about 200, including 28 HD channels. FiOS TV is comparable to satellite on pricing (around $42 for 200 channels), and a better value than cable. In addition, you can get better pricing if you order FiOS Internet, which is one of the fastest Internet services around (30Mbps download speed versus the 5Mbps of most broadband providers).
Any of these alternatives to the cable set-top box appeal to you? If you have any experience using any of the above options, please share your thoughts below.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
duckwan said 4:56PM on 7-06-2007
As one who has lived with the Moxi onscreen program guide for over a year, I must disagree with your description of it as "easy-to-scan onscreen program guide." Unlike the "tvguide" style grid, the Moxi grid does not allow the user to view the listings on multiple channels simultaneously, except for the current time slot. Thus, if it is 7:57, you have to scroll to each channel individually to see what will be on that channel at 8:00. Very inefficient and frustrating, especially if you have several hundred channels. The Moxi usergroup rumor on this is that Moxi doesn't want to pay the fees necessary to use the grid style, which has to be licensed (allegedly from fox as the owner of TVguide). Not sure if this is true, but when I purchased a flatscreen HDTV, I also picked up a DVD recorded with hard drive and built in TV guide. Alas, the TV guide can't pick up listings through our cable. My next step is going back to DirecTV, which we had at our old house, and which used the grid style program guide. By the way, I am a VERY loyal Motorola consumer, with a strong family tie to that Company, but I have had it with the Moxi program guide.
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duckwan said 5:03PM on 7-06-2007
Additional note: I saw that the screenshot you have includes a feature to change time slot - that will be an improvement, but will still not make the Moxi guide as efficient as the grid, in my opinion. I hope the new version includes an option for recording a series with new episodes AND repeats, but only in the same time slot / same channel. Our old DVR service from Comcast (in another state) had this option, but the current Moxi through Charter does not. If you want to record missed episodes of the Simpsons in its regular time slot, you're also stuck recording EVERY Simpsons rerun on Fox...which fills up your DVR pretty quickly.
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shellie said 7:46PM on 7-06-2007
sprint sucks i hope they fire us we lose calls all the time and talk to air they suck azz
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switch 2 dish said 2:59AM on 7-10-2007
You made a good point by mentioning the fact that the entertainment rack would look better..I think it is worth the increase..
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Taylor said 8:38AM on 7-10-2007
My city was recently forced us to switch from Time-Warner for all cable services to Comcast. Comcast hit us with an 18% across the board rate increase for everything above basic cable. So I'm not happy about additional increases for the cable box.
Then Comcast promptly took away many favorite channels and replaced them with cheap interations of MTV and shopping channels. They also took away our western feeds on all the premium channels in favor of their lame "on-demand service). Many of the movies on that service are 15-20 years old. Then add incessant annoying local advertising, and as many as 8-10 ads per hour for Comcast services on top the other issues.
We need more competition in the cable industry, as we are being held hostage at present by a real group of pirates. Those of us in appartments can't get satellite dishes, so come on with the Verizon system !
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Tech Untangled said 6:12PM on 7-10-2007
Another advantage of separating the set-top box from the security mechanisms to descramble the cable content (i.e. cablecard) is that now the set-top box is free to add new video streams, much like Apple TV includes YouTube. See an interesting article at http://TechUntangled.com/ushering-a-new-era-of-consumer-choice-in-set-top-boxes
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James Hatter said 10:34AM on 2-04-2008
I recently recently had Verizon FIOS installed for Internet, TV's, and telephone. Everything works as advertised, however, my DVD's and VCR's no longer record as they did in the past. Also the Verizon DVR, which the installer indicated will record on one TV for playback on any other on the home network, does not work unless you pay an additional fee for multi-room DVR.
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James Hatter said 10:41AM on 2-04-2008
Another comment regarding Verizon, their Customer Service is the worst I've had and after my 2 year contract is up, I'll likely return to Dishnet which provided excellent customer service.
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Mark said 11:37AM on 2-04-2008
I recently changed from Time Warner to Verizon FIOS and I am very unhappy. Although I was told I would save lots of money, the monthly price ended up the same. Unless you rent a box for every television, your "boxless" televisions will get only 7 stations to view. Also, the built in TV gulde is confusing to use, as is the other controls on the remote. I was also told Fiber Optic would be far superior for viewing, but I am unable to tell the difference! Think twice before you change!
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Angry at Fios said 12:12PM on 2-04-2008
Fios gives free 19" TV to new subscribers and couldnt care less that its 1st group of customers who signed on early get nothing. Nice attitude. At least offer it at a discount. Nope -we got you and dont value you. Bad choice. Consider switching back to satellite.
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Vivi said 1:08PM on 2-04-2008
After reading all the comments and what's right and what's wrong, I'm going back to radio.
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HENRY KIMBLE said 2:17PM on 2-04-2008
Sean Hannity never served in the armed forces. But he talks a good game.
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jeff18250 said 7:20PM on 2-04-2008
I have a Bright House box on one set and a cable card on a wall mounted LCD TV. The card goes out several times a month. I have had eight of them in 7 months. Sometimes I can reset it by unplugging the set and removing the card. Other times I have to get them to bring me a new card. Each person I talk to gives me a different story. They do not know what they are doing. I am now told that the Television industry is no longer making sets that accomodate the cards because they are so much trouble. What am I missing in your story? My experience is a nightmare. It takes an hour or more just to get someone to answer the phone at Bright House. I would dump the cable but it is forced on us through association dues!
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Carl Groves said 7:20PM on 2-04-2008
Cable and satalite are rip offs. The FCC could improve the customer's position if only they would demand that the cable/satalite companies offer a choice of the chanells the customer wants to pay for. All of those channels that have low viewership such as cooking, religion, selling and spanish speaking channels would go bankrupt! Our elected officials do not have the stones to force the cable companies to do what is right.
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