3 ms·

"will applications on the Google TV set-top-box be able to access the tuner and EPG function" Only of the TV and this would only work with "Over the air" tv.

"will applications on the Google TV set-top-box be able to access the tuner and EPG function" Only of the TV and this would only work with "Over the air" tv. In the US most of us receive our TV and guide via our cable or satellite box and tune via that mechanism. Google TV and competing products have no easy way of accessing that data (the guide data and tuning). There's some hacky ways of doing it but nothing really integrated.

Jun8 16y ago
I know :-) I work on developing new TV experiences for STBs for one of the two major STB manufacturers in the US. What I meant was: currently the Google TV box is just a means to get Internet content, called "over the top" in Cable TV parlance (because it's not controlled by the cable companies). If Google TV just does this, it'll be doomed like other systems because it will not be able to compete with cable STBs. An interesting thing can happen if Google does partner with a cable provider to also add cable TV functionality to the box. I heard they've already partnered with Time-Warner for trials. That would be another TiVo-like system, but, of course, much more open. I see little chance of them persuading the cable guys to let their apps fiddle with the content, though. But who knows, it's Google.
- MattF 16y ago
  Dish Network is listed as a partner and will be releasing a STB with this technology. If that goes well it won't take long for other providers to jump on board too.
  - mikeryan 16y ago
    That's just not really the case. There's almost no way this makes it into a terrestrial cable box outside of a few trial markets. Or with a few small cable providers. I say this as someone who spent 4 years working for a large cable co building software that runs on cable boxes. There's a bunch of reasons but here's two. 1. The large cable co's aren't generally going to deploy software controlled by a 3rd party. Microsoft has spent years banging their head against the wall that is the large telco with little success. 2. Cable already has a mature cable box focused software stack standard called tru2way which is already getting more traction then Android likely ever will in cable STB space. The cable space is not normal and they don't make what appear to be rational sw decisions to the internet crowd. Dish is an outlier and doing everything they can to compete but I wounldn't even count on them going into wide deployment with this. This will live on CE devices, not cable and satellite STBs.
utexaspunk 16y ago
I have a Hauppauge WinTV HVR-2250 and Windows 7, which I use with the cheapest basic cable package Comcast has -no STB, basically just analog and HD Clear QAM of the local channels. Upon installation, Windows scans your signal and asks your ZIP code and service provider, and that's it- the EPG is set up and works great. Hardly what I'd call 'hacky'. If Microsoft can maintain a database and have it work flawlessly, I don't see why Google couldn't...
- Jun8 16y ago
  Getting EPG data is not a big deal, but may be costly if you plan to sell services based off it, e.g. a single Tribune (EPG data monopoly in the US) EPG data access costs around $10K. However, if you are developing apps for non-commercial purposes, e.g. open source, you can get this data for $20/year at http://www.schedulesdirect.org/ http://www.schedulesdirect.org/. The real problem is to access the video stream. Currently this is viewed to be illegal (see the lawsuit in 2001 that pretty much sank ReplayTV, http://www.eff.org/cases/newmark-v-turner http://www.eff.org/cases/newmark-v-turner).
  - utexaspunk 16y ago
    I'm guessing Microsoft has gotten a licensing deal with Tribune to get and share the EPG data for Windows Media Center. As far as the video stream, I wonder then how Microsoft/Hauppauge get away with it?
    - mikeryan 16y ago
      You're only getting access to the unencrypted channels. (and generally I believe only SD?) The vast majority of Comcast's channels and content can't be accessed without a cable card or cable box.
      - utexaspunk 16y ago
        Yes- I'm getting SD analog channels + HD Local Channels (which the FCC mandates they carry in the clear), although there are CableCard PC tuners out there, and from what I've heard, CableCards are available from Comcast (I just refuse to pay $50/mo, or whatever it is, to get the digital package). I also use my Xbox 360 as a Media Center Extender to watch stuff I've DVR'd in the bedroom. I don't see how this is really doing anything different than what ReplayTV was doing. Maybe it's just that there aren't enough people doing it to have drawn the ire of the media companies...

Jun8 16y ago

I know :-) I work on developing new TV experiences for STBs for one of the two major STB manufacturers in the US. What I meant was: currently the Google TV box is just a means to get Internet content, called "over the top" in Cable TV parlance (because it's not controlled by the cable companies). If Google TV just does this, it'll be doomed like other systems because it will not be able to compete with cable STBs. An interesting thing can happen if Google does partner with a cable provider to also add cable TV functionality to the box. I heard they've already partnered with Time-Warner for trials. That would be another TiVo-like system, but, of course, much more open. I see little chance of them persuading the cable guys to let their apps fiddle with the content, though. But who knows, it's Google.

MattF 16y ago
Dish Network is listed as a partner and will be releasing a STB with this technology. If that goes well it won't take long for other providers to jump on board too.
- mikeryan 16y ago
  That's just not really the case. There's almost no way this makes it into a terrestrial cable box outside of a few trial markets. Or with a few small cable providers. I say this as someone who spent 4 years working for a large cable co building software that runs on cable boxes. There's a bunch of reasons but here's two. 1. The large cable co's aren't generally going to deploy software controlled by a 3rd party. Microsoft has spent years banging their head against the wall that is the large telco with little success. 2. Cable already has a mature cable box focused software stack standard called tru2way which is already getting more traction then Android likely ever will in cable STB space. The cable space is not normal and they don't make what appear to be rational sw decisions to the internet crowd. Dish is an outlier and doing everything they can to compete but I wounldn't even count on them going into wide deployment with this. This will live on CE devices, not cable and satellite STBs.

utexaspunk 16y ago

I have a Hauppauge WinTV HVR-2250 and Windows 7, which I use with the cheapest basic cable package Comcast has -no STB, basically just analog and HD Clear QAM of the local channels. Upon installation, Windows scans your signal and asks your ZIP code and service provider, and that's it- the EPG is set up and works great. Hardly what I'd call 'hacky'. If Microsoft can maintain a database and have it work flawlessly, I don't see why Google couldn't...

Jun8 16y ago
Getting EPG data is not a big deal, but may be costly if you plan to sell services based off it, e.g. a single Tribune (EPG data monopoly in the US) EPG data access costs around $10K. However, if you are developing apps for non-commercial purposes, e.g. open source, you can get this data for $20/year at http://www.schedulesdirect.org/ http://www.schedulesdirect.org/. The real problem is to access the video stream. Currently this is viewed to be illegal (see the lawsuit in 2001 that pretty much sank ReplayTV, http://www.eff.org/cases/newmark-v-turner http://www.eff.org/cases/newmark-v-turner).
- utexaspunk 16y ago
  I'm guessing Microsoft has gotten a licensing deal with Tribune to get and share the EPG data for Windows Media Center. As far as the video stream, I wonder then how Microsoft/Hauppauge get away with it?
  - mikeryan 16y ago
    You're only getting access to the unencrypted channels. (and generally I believe only SD?) The vast majority of Comcast's channels and content can't be accessed without a cable card or cable box.
    - utexaspunk 16y ago
      Yes- I'm getting SD analog channels + HD Local Channels (which the FCC mandates they carry in the clear), although there are CableCard PC tuners out there, and from what I've heard, CableCards are available from Comcast (I just refuse to pay $50/mo, or whatever it is, to get the digital package). I also use my Xbox 360 as a Media Center Extender to watch stuff I've DVR'd in the bedroom. I don't see how this is really doing anything different than what ReplayTV was doing. Maybe it's just that there aren't enough people doing it to have drawn the ire of the media companies...