1. --TommesJay--'s Avatar
    Right, that's a proprietary set-top box with a proprietary encryption/authentication system. It isn't universal by any means. You can't plug a satellite signal into a cable box (or vice versa) and get anything out of it. (My previous job was "Commercial Satellite TV System Integrator", FWIW.)



    The big deal is that technology changes WAY too fast, and that all of the TV services use completely different standards and methods. DirecTV equipment is not compatible with Dish Network, and Comcast equipment is not compatible with Time Warner. Uverse equipment is not compatible with FioS, and in each of these cases, I'm comparing the closest technologies. Plus, the services themselves are updating their equipment on a regular basis, so in any given year, there might be new boxes with new capabilities released from 1/3 of the TV vendors. Do you want to be locked out of those capabilities until you replace your entire TV set?

    Imagine having to buy a TV that was specifically Comcast Cable compatible, vs. a DirecTV model. And then DirecTV comes out with an awesome new service that you want, while Comcast has no new services but raises their rate 30%. You want to switch to DirecTV, but to do so, you have to replace your entire TV (and maybe multiple TVs in the house) to do so, along with whatever else it would cost. Makes no sense, right?

    That's why all of these systems use external set-top boxes. Maybe one day in the future, all TV will be IP streams delivered over the Internet. But until that, or something like that, happens, get used to external boxes, because they won't be going anywhere.
    Thanks for sharing this inside view. I live in Germany and actually don't know how far it is comparable to the US, but I think it's fairly comparable. Now, honestly, I don't even care if the TV is smart or it's the set top box that's smart. What I want is my cable company's services and the smart stuff in ONE device. But as it stands, cable boxes are sluggish and Smart TVs are sluggish. It's pretty messed up.

    Posted via CB10
    01-15-14 05:34 AM
  2. glamrlama's Avatar
    I just recently bought a new TV and DUMB is the way to go. Any current SMART TV is going to be "out spec'ed" in less than a year. Keep the TV brains external and you can upgrade them at any time for way less than the price of a new TV.
    Troy Tiscareno likes this.
    01-21-14 02:20 PM
  3. --TommesJay--'s Avatar
    I just discovered this Western Digital Apple TV like thing. BUY.

    Posted via CB10
    01-22-14 05:59 PM
  4. Gator99's Avatar
    The entire idea of a "SmartTV" is idiotic IMO.

    How long do you plan on owning and using a TV you buy today? 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? IMO, a TV should last at least 20 years, but let's just say 10 years, for the sake of argument.

    Are you using the same computer as you were 10 years ago? The same phone? Why not? Because your demands from those devices have gone WAY up in that time. The same will be true of the computer and software in your TV - in 3 years, it will be out of date and nearly obsolete. So, why build it into the TV in the first place? Why not just have a small box, like a Roku/AppleTV/GoogleTV that can be replaced every 3-5 years as technology evolves? This modularity means that the display, which won't change nearly as often, will remain useful while the "smart" capabilities improve greatly over the years. It's really not a big deal to plug in power and HDMI, is it? And wouldn't it be easier for a smaller company like BB to make a $99 Roku-like device vs. trying to sell an entire TV?

    IMO, all a TV needs is plenty of HDMI inputs, and 1 or 2 sets of analog inputs for legacy devices. Beyond that, give me a "dumb" TV and I'll be perfectly happy to provide my own "smarts."


    Sent from the future on my ? Z10
    01-24-14 08:46 PM
  5. Gator99's Avatar
    I don't always agree with you Troy, but I think you are bang on here. All thats needed is a display....any display, anywhere. The real smart TV is what we carry around with us, easily replaced every couple of years, as opposed to a huge chunk of plastic that hangs on the wall.

    Sent from the future on my ? Z10
    01-24-14 08:51 PM
  6. blackberriquero's Avatar
    And I want to be a pony!
    Ok no!

    Posted via CB10
    01-24-14 10:11 PM
31 12

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