I just can't fathom how this can be considered competition. If the cable company determines what software is run on your box, then they, de facto, determine the hardware. Want firewire? Too bad, our software doesn't so that. Muti-room viewing. Sorry, not that either. Fast forward through commercials? Bummer for you. Rent movies online from [insert company here]? Nope. We give you PPV instead.
With OCAP I guess my competitive choices amount to the size of the hard drive and the color of the box. Maybe. I guess the cable companies could even say their software only supports drives up to a certain size.
The only way I see OCAP working is if the cable companies are required to carry any OCAP compliant software (kind of like compulsory licensing of music). So I buy the box, call the cable company, and tell them which software I want. The cable company charges me for the software, keeps some for themselves, and passes the rest on to the vendor of the software.
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I just can't fathom how this can be considered competition. If the cable company determines what software is run on your box, then they, de facto, determine the hardware. Want firewire? Too bad, our software doesn't so that. Muti-room viewing. Sorry, not that either. Fast forward through commercials? Bummer for you. Rent movies online from [insert company here]? Nope. We give you PPV instead.
With OCAP I guess my competitive choices amount to the size of the hard drive and the color of the box. Maybe. I guess the cable companies could even say their software only supports drives up to a certain size.
The only way I see OCAP working is if the cable companies are required to carry any OCAP compliant software (kind of like compulsory licensing of music). So I buy the box, call the cable company, and tell them which software I want. The cable company charges me for the software, keeps some for themselves, and passes the rest on to the vendor of the software.