Google Wants to Kill the Traditional, Clunky Cable Box Google's eager to get into the cable set top box business, the company reiterated today. Milo Medin, vice president of access services at Google, tells The Washington Post that the company will "eventually build something" to try and replace the traditional cable box. The problem so far is that Google's efforts on this front haven't been all that interesting, like the company's Google TV brand it discarded a few years back. More modest adventures, like the Chromecast, have proven more successful.

Strangely, Google tells the Post it has "no immediate plans to develop a cable box," yet numerous reports indicate the company has been inviting lawmakers to Google's DC offices to tinker with a traditional cable box alternative Google's been calling a new "competitive video solution." "When you see what's possible in set-top boxes, people go 'Well, why can't I have that?' That's very powerful. And I think the answer is, there's no reason why you can't have that," Medin said. Well, yeah, there is a reason. And it's the fact that for decades the cable industry has locked down set top box competition, forcing consumers to pay $20 billion in fees annually for cable set top boxes that, more often than not, just aren't very good. That's why Google's one of many companies pushing the FCC to embrace new rules that require cable operators deliver content to third party devices without the use of a cumbersome CableCARD. With $20 billion at stake, the cable industry has reacted poorly to the FCC's proposal. In fact, the industry created a group called the Future of TV coalition to specifically deride any attempt to disassemble the industry's stranglehold on the cable box. "The AllVid scheme being flogged by Google and the FCC is unfair and destructive to values held far too dearly on Capitol Hill — undermining free market competition and putting a government thumb on the scale for powerful incumbents like Google, and making it harder for those serving communities of color and providing diverse and independent programming to make the video ecosystem work," the group insists. Of course Google may not want to build new set top boxes themselves, they may just want other companies to do it -- and of course include Google interface and ad delivery software. Still, more open platforms would still mean more choices for consumers, who could buy the cable box of their choice and avoid rental fees, just like many broadband customers currently do with modems. Of course Google may not want to build new set top boxes themselves, they may just want other companies to do it -- and of course include Google interface and ad delivery software. Still, more open platforms would still mean more choices for consumers, who could buy the cable box of their choice and avoid rental fees, just like many broadband customers currently do with modems.







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Most recommended from 24 comments

neufuse

join:2006-12-06

James Creek, PA 949.2 41.1

25 recommendations neufuse Member IP cable providers I wish TV providers were IP based, that way if you don't like Comcast's lineup you could subscribe to COX or Charter or TWC or even DirectTV / DISH's IP service and get your lineup from them via your local franchise provider over the internet... omg actual video competition for once! ontop of that all video services are non-data capped so no local cable ISP tinkering to make money off a 3rd party provider...

WHT

join:2010-03-26

Rosston, TX 6 recommendations WHT Member Play the Race Card quote: making it harder for those serving communities of color and providing diverse and independent programming to make the video ecosystem

Flyonthewall

@teksavvy.com 4 recommendations Flyonthewall Anon Free market statements Those area a laugh, in a free market customers have choices. Most people have none for who provides their tv or internet, and also have little choice in the equipment used to receive it. That's called capture, not freedom. No wonder they want to protect that income. Rolla

join:2012-08-03 3 recommendations Rolla Member Missing the point Google is not interested in killing the set top box market, Google is interested in getting into the cable business without having to buy the content. Google wants to take the content that you buy from your cable and satellite company and repackage it. By doing so, they can track your viewing habits, imbed their ads and make tons of money all while avoiding the payment of fees to the content owners. Google is the richest, most powerful company in the world, yet they get a free pass when it comes to their money making schemes. It is truly amazing. JordanN

join:2015-12-31

Maryland ARRIS SB6183

Linksys WRT1900ACS

3 recommendations JordanN Member Open Protocol Needed I would like to see Google develop an open protocol for video content listing, similar to RSS.



The setup would query each provider the user is subscribed to, and get a list of all content that is available for the user, allowing the user to have a single interface for all of his content.



We would need to assign a unique number to each show, similar to an ISBN/UPC so that that redundant programs are listed correctly.