Poll: Are you planning to get tru2way?
By Darren Murph 
posted Oct 18th 2008 12:00PM
posted Oct 18th 2008 12:00PM
posted Oct 18th 2008 12:00PM
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If TIVO HD gets this right i would seriously consider buying it and switching out my Comcast STB. Being a TIVO fan for years it was a hard transition to the Comcast HD STB - which works and is adequate but just not what I like and was used to. I still have my TIVO Series II hooked up though I now use it only as my Slinbox connection when my kids are watching something of no interest to me (which most times is true - teenagers) on the Comcast box. I can watch my sports and other stuff on my computer.
Yes there probably will be a tru2way Tivo. It will likely have a Tivo mode and a cable mode. The Tivo mode would let you have all the tivo features including SDV which is the only 2 way service tivo mode will support. That way you won't need a tuning resolver. There will also be a Cable mode for VOD, PPV, and any other 2 way service that's not SDV. Tru2way Tivo may be out next year or 2010. Maybe CES will show off the new Tivo. Then again they have to release the new MPEG-4 compatible Directivo which will could just be a software update to existing Directv hardware. Or Directv will launch a new DVR with Tivo software. Tivo will be optional with the NDS guide being standard. Maybe Directv will move everybody to Tivo.
Will I buy into Tru2way?
No.
What cable box? CableCARD...don't care about on demand so much. No replacing my TV.
Fios won't support tru-2-way, thus I won't be getting it.
What standalone t2w STB's are there anyway?
Would anyone actually pay large sums up front for a set top box that isn't Tivo? Still need to pay the Cable Card fee to boot.
I will never go for cable nor anything from CableLabs. They are greedy and demand too much control that I'll never let them have over me.
They are planning an HTPC tru2way system. Intel is even looking at certifying Larabee and their next gen chipset so people can build a DIY tru2way HTPC. BOCR and MOCUR are the standards for 2 way PC's. So it's possible to have an HTPC with Windows Media for TV including SDV and then have a cableco guide for VOD, or any non SDV 2 way service. Of course the content will have DRM. It will probably need a special bios and the special tuner. Maybe they will make dual tuner M-Card tuners that would only need 1 cable card for up to 6 tuners.
Just some rumors about HTPC.
considering AMD & Intel have licenses for this then I wouldnt doubt its coming soon......hopefully it will be capable of recording 3+ channels at a time tho per card.......
I won't buy a tru2way TV at this price premium, but I am putting off additional TV purchases until tru2way TVs are out in full force at lower prices. I bought a HD RPTV in 2005 and I pay $8/month to rent a STB from my cable co. I have four other SD CRT TVs in my house. No way in h*ll am I paying an additional $32/mo in STB rental fees! 5x8x12 = $480/year in rental fees!
So, I'm waiting for tru2way to become prevailant and then I'll purchase more HDTVs.
Another nit- I have two small 13-15 inch SD CRT TVs in my house. The cheapest 15 inch LCD TVs are $300. A 17 LCD monitor can be had for $125. I don't understand why a 17 inch LCD TV isn't about $50 more than the monitor- a remote, DTV tuner and speakers shouldn't cost more than $50. Something isn't right in the pricing of small LCD TVs... Perhaps the market isn't large enough yet. Also, it seems as if only weird no name brands are going after the small LCD TV market right now.
By then DCAS should be a reality. There will still be extra monthly fees per tru2way device. The cards though are quite cheap. Most cableco's are leasing them for under 3 USD a month. They now have M-cards so you can do PIP with just 1 cablecard. Tru2way will come down in price. DCAS should lower that price even further. DCAS still has it's flaws. Cableco's will probably add some BS fees to tru2way per device. With DCAS you can have a true plug and play TV. All it has to do is download the security. Cablecards are an interim solution for tru2way until DCAS comes out. Tru2way is the future though.
Its not offered in my area. Heck, my cable franchise is still living 10-years back in time. They are catering to the hillbillies that need to pay with cash at the counter. And then someone is trying to offer chickens instead of cash.
Dont see this being offered in Greensboro, NC for a LONG time......but hopefully by the time it does there will be a PC card that I can throw in my Media Server........
Knowing CableLabs they will force you to buy a certified PC for tru2way.
I hope not.......
I dont see why they wouldnt allow for add-on cards.........
that would suck
Thats how CableLabs works. You have to buy their special PC. Thats if Intel's new Larabee and future chipsets have the speical bios. It might require a new motherboard with the special bios and a tru2way OS. OEM cablecard PC use a special version of Vista with cablecard code or perhaps the major OEM version has cablecard eg Dell. Larabee will probably allow for 3rd party video cards. Said to be quite good.
Maybe Larabee is tru2way for OEM's.
Tru2way PC's could happen by Next year.
A good roadmap is this: 2009 is the beginning year, 2010 is the mainstream year, and 2011 is the discount year. Tru2way premiums should fall to 100 to 200 USD by 2011. Maybe they could get it down even more with DCAS.
I have a TiVo Series3. Whenever TiVo does a 'Series4' with tru2way I'll probably upgrade.
I could see next year or 2010. CES 09 could have a prototype of it with sales coming later next year. The rumored UI that tivo is working on will probably be on it. Your Cableco UI will be used for tru2way services like VOD. SDV however will work in Tivo Mode. Cable Mode doesn't have DVR abilities.
I have a Series3, and I don't think I'll be in any hurry when TiVo gets around to doing a tru2way box. Really, the only thing I'll care about is when my cableco deploys SDV - and then I'll just tell them "TUNING ADAPTER PLEASE". Don't care about PPV or VOD - and those really the only things tru2way's going to get you that you don't have now or can't get soon-ish.
My hole is sore from all the fencing sitting I've been doing lately. When I can actually buy it or get it from one source or more maybe then I'll decided. Too soon to tell.
Next year is when they will slowly start offering purchasable hardware.
The 3 year plan.
2009 is the acceptance year, 2010 is the mainstream year, and 2011 is the discount year. By 2011 tru2way will be much cheaper to integrate. That same year tru2way may use DCAS instead of CableCards. That way you won't need a cablecard. It will do the same thing but just off the network. The network will then download the right security module. Then it can be done in software. DCAS still has it's work cut out. CableCards are a good interim solution. Next year more tru2way TV's will come out. Digeo and Tivo will have tru2way boxes.
Also next year Intel will release a tru2way compatible Chipset. ATI/AMD could release something in 2009. Larabee is expected to support tru2way/OCAP. Maybe it's for the OEM's though. CableLabs thinks that Digital Cable PC's can't be assembled at home. Maybe they can compromise and approve the motherboards and components. Therefore you can build a Media Center tru2way PC. Can't just use your existing PC. Motherboards aren't too expensive. The tuners though will Like all Digital Cable compatible PC's they will put some sort of DRM on all the recorded files. Some info on tru2way PC's.