FCC Postpones Vote on TV Set-Top Box Plan

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

FCC Postpones Vote on TV Set-Top Box Plan

Chairman Wheeler had struggled to get backing from other commissioners

By John D. McKinnon

[e-mail]
http://twitter.com/johndmckinnon

Sept. 29, 2016 10:55 a.m. ET

Federal regulators on Thursday delayed a vote on a proposal to overhaul the market for TV set-top boxes, dealing a major setback to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler on one of his top priorities for the year. ... The delay, coming so close to an election that will usher in a new administration, could prove a major blow to the proposal.

Mr. Wheeler’s planned overhaul is aimed at opening up the market for set-top boxes, now dominated by cable TV companies. He would require these companies to make their television feeds available as apps to other potential device manufacturers, such as Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc. ’s Google, as well as smart-TV makers.

Cable TV companies as well as media companies have waged a major fight to defeat the plan or scale it back significantly. Many of their objections were legal and technical, but underlying those concerns was a basic fear that Mr. Wheeler’s proposal could disrupt their longstanding, lucrative business models.
....

Some public-interest groups continue to believe a compromise can be struck on the plan. But in practice, Thursday’s delay could push off the matter until after the November election, when the transition to a new administration could further sap momentum for Mr. Wheeler’s plan.

Read more: http://www.wsj.com/articles/fcc-postpones-vote-on-tv-set-top-box-plan-1475160910

[truthisfreedom]

1. Which part of a flat screen is the "set top"?

Outdated term folks!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. The part where I balance the rabbit ears. NT

[LanternWaste]

3. You should write a memo

You should write a memo and make sure the relevant parties receive it...

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

4. Or just get a Roku unit...

... and go wifi TV, going for as little as $49 in retail stores now. Just plug it into your flat panel's HDMI socket, get the Sling TV deal, tell cable TV to stick the rest of it you know where. All you need is wifi access.

[aggiesal]

6. But all the major programming ...

require an account with a satellite or cable source to log into.

HBOGo requires a satellite or cable account with HGO activated.
HBONow doesn't but you'll have to pay i think $11.99 per month.
All other premium channels requires a satellite or cable account to activate.

ESPN requires a satellite or cable account to view.
ABC doesn't, but sports are pushed over to ESPN.
NBC doesn't with sports on NBCSports.
CBS requires a monthly payment.
I can't remember how FOX works.

No local programming unless it's news.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

7. Sling TV...

...$20-$40? a month via wifi, I have the $25 package, it includes the medium cable package. Check it out, https://www.sling.com/?mkwid=sjSb9hn0Q%7Cpcrid%7C103271954777%7Cpkw%7Csling%20tv%7Cpmt%7Ce%7Cpdv%7Cc&cvosrc=ppc.google.D_B_COM_General%20Terms_Brand_Alpha_sling&cvo_crid=103271954777&matchtype=e&campaign=D_B_COM_General%20Terms_Brand_Alpha_sling&group=sling%20tv&cvo_keyword=sling%20tv&gclid=Cj0KEQjwmri_BRCZpaHkuIH75_IBEiQAIG0rIXInFBNYSHaJyeauMRMtB2Bp67kl9QzXU7bUDflWYdoaAuc_8P8HAQ


I had signed up for the free 7 day trial, and loved it on my laptop (AMD/ATI dual graphics chips) and it is available on the Roku. Still, there are about 3,000 (or so they say) streaming channels that are free, from all over the world (true mind expansion). It is the shape of things to come, which is why cable is milking out as much money as they can from their obsolete system.

For locals, a UHF loop antenna, especially if the TV is on second floor or higher, does the trick. It does for me, and I am on the "southside", of the house and the broadcasts are from my north. The HD picture is fantastic on the UHF.

I care!

[ananda]

5. The FCC truly sucks as of late.

Something needs to change in favor of the consumer, for sure!