Bright House Flicks On Switched Video

[Bschneider]

Bright House Flicks On Switched Video

Deployments Bring BigBand's System to More Than 16 Million Households Passed

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 9/16/2008 7:00:00 AM

Bright House Networks has completed the first phase of rolling out BigBand Networks' switched digital video system in Orlando, and the operator also has begun deploying the technology in Tampa, Fla., and Indianapolis.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Switched digital video allows a cable operator to deliver more programming in the same amount of bandwidth, by sending linear TV channels only when requested by an individual viewer.

With the Bright House rollouts, BigBand's SDV solution has been deployed or is in the process of being deployed across 28 cable systems that pass more than 16 million households. Cable companies using BigBand switched digital video include Time Warner Cable, Cablevision Systems, Cox Communications and Charter Communications.

Bright House senior vice president of advanced technologies Jeff Chen said in a statement that the operator selected BigBand's switched digital video platform "not only because the company has a proven SDV solution but because BigBand has the ability to deploy SDV rapidly."

BigBand claims its professional services team can deploy a switched digital video system within 90 days.

The two biggest technology suppliers to the cable industry, Cisco Systems and Motorola, also sell SDV systems.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6596383.html (http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6596383.html)

[FTBoomerIII]

So what does this mean to me? Will I notice a difference in anything?

[SomeRandomIdiot]

So what does this mean to me? Will I notice a difference in anything?


if it parallels other markets, it will mean you will get "channel not available" when going to certain channels, reduced bandwidth on many HD channels so more breakups and macroblocking and the lack to use a cablecard device on many HD Channels.

[bdraw]

Until the tuning adapter is available anyways -- assuming your CableCARD host device supports it.

[DSquare]

if it parallels other markets, it will mean you will get "channel not available" when going to certain channels, reduced bandwidth on many HD channels so more breakups and macroblocking and the lack to use a cablecard device on many HD Channels.

Why would using switch video cause a decrease in bandwidth? I thought the whole idea was to get more channels to the subscriber without having to increase their bandwidth but only send the channel the subscriber is requesting.

[AmelFl]

Why would using switch video cause a decrease in bandwidth? I thought the whole idea was to get more channels to the subscriber without having to increase their bandwidth but only send the channel the subscriber is requesting.

thats what I thought....

[SomeRandomIdiot]

1) You need to first clear up QAMs to use for the "pool" of which to pull from

2) If you have a 38.81 Mbps 256 QAM, do you think they will send out 3 HD Channels to 3 people at 12Mbps each or 5 people at 8Mbps each (or maybe even 6 people at 6.5 Mbps each?).

[skottey]

if it parallels other markets, it will mean you will get "channel not available" when going to certain channels, reduced bandwidth on many HD channels so more breakups and macroblocking and the lack to use a cablecard device on many HD Channels.

Sounds like somebody isn't a fan of SDV? Put your Tivo in the closet and use the crappy BHN DVR until a working 2-way cablecard is put in place (assuming the Tivo will be forward compatible with the newer cablecards). BHN NEEDS SDV to compete. Verizon and the satellite companies have WAY more HD and it would only get worse for BHN if they kept the current technology in place. They need SDV to add the dozens of HD channels that consumers demand. Either that or they can run fiber all the way to your house like Verizon FIOS and increase bandwidth that way. But they decided to go with SDV.

Also, I received a notice on my latest BHN RR bill that they are going to begin charging $39.95 if a separate visit is required to install your cablecard. They don't charge installation for much of anything. They are more than happy to send a tech out when something is wrong at no charge, but they are charging for installing the cablecard. They are clearly trying to get people to use their boxes instead of cablecard. That is obvious.

[skottey]

Why would using switch video cause a decrease in bandwidth? I thought the whole idea was to get more channels to the subscriber without having to increase their bandwidth but only send the channel the subscriber is requesting.

That is what it does. He is sour about the whole thing because he is using cablecard and the cablecard doesn't play nice with SDV since cablecard is currently 1-way. He doesn't have a BHN rented DVR or digital box.

[bdraw]

The CableCARD is two way, just not the TiVo (don't believe me? then how else could the new BHN DVRs with CableCARDs work with VOD etc?)

Anyways, BHN decides to use SDV in lieu of dropping analogs like FiOS did. Of course this really isn't a fair comparison as FiOS didn't have nearly as many customers to force to STBs. The fiber really has little to do with it when it comes to static channel offerings, as both BHN and FiOS use QAM to deliver regular programming.

I mean, I haven't had BHN in a long time, but when I did they had like 80 analog channels, that amounts to about 240 HD channels the way BHN rolls, or 160 for a provider who decides not to recompress.

I don't blame BHN for using SDV instead of trying to get people on to digital adapters, just saying.

As for TiVos and SDV, the tuning adapter release is imminent, so TiVo owners who don't accept mediocrity shouldn't have too long to wait for new HD channels.

[skottey]

The CableCARD is two way, just not the TiVo (don't believe me? then how else could the new BHN DVRs with CableCARDs work with VOD etc?)

Anyways, BHN decides to use SDV in lieu of dropping analogs like FiOS did. Of course this really isn't a fair comparison as FiOS didn't have nearly as many customers to force to STBs. The fiber really has little to do with it when it comes to static channel offerings, as both BHN and FiOS use QAM to deliver regular programming.

I mean, I haven't had BHN in a long time, but when I did they had like 80 analog channels, that amounts to about 240 HD channels the way BHN rolls, or 160 for a provider who decides not to recompress.

I don't blame BHN for using SDV instead of trying to get people on to digital adapters, just saying.

As for TiVos and SDV, the tuning adapter release is imminent, so TiVo owners who don't accept mediocrity shouldn't have too long to wait for new HD channels.

I agree with you 100000000000000000% that BHN should drop the analogs. I have been preaching that for a few years. But there are a lot of low income and elderly people that still use BHN's service without a digital box. I say offer them the cheap $2 digital box that would give them access to the same 80 channels they get now. There is such a device, as it is being used by all the complainers that got mad when they moved the government channels to digital. They could just as easily watch TBS with one of these devices and ditch the analog band or at least part of it.

I do agree with you on that.

[bdraw]

But even at $2 per box, customers would complain, and I'd be willing to bet that all those DA converters will cost more than the SDV equipment BHN just bought.

[pilotbob]

But even at $2 per box, customers would complain, and I'd be willing to bet that all those DA converters will cost more than the SDV equipment BHN just bought.

FIoS just told people that if they had a TV with an analog tuner to call and get a free digital adapter box. BHN could do the same thing. Then, they could drop all the analogs and have alot more band with for digital and HD stuff.

BOb

[bdraw]

The install base is no where near the same. I don't know how many more customers BHN has then FiOS on basic cable, but I'd bet is well over 15 to 1.

Also, FiOS committed to the FCC long ago that they'd switch to all digital, it was part of the deal they signed to get the integrated security ban waiver.

Either way, giving out a few thousand converter boxes is nothing like giving out the number BHN would.

What is more realistic is to see BHN slowly ween them off by one by one, cutting analog channels and telling customers they'll have to go to digital to get them. This is what they did with the public access channels, and it's only a matter of time. Personally I think it'll happen in 2011, because that is when the FCC said cable co's could drop analogs without offering free converter boxes.

[Jason]

Can they drop all analogs except for local networks, or would the FCC have a problem with that?

[bdraw]

That's a good question, I suspect the answer is yes, but even so it'd piss off most of their customers. I don't know for sure, but I'd bet that digital subscribers are still the minority.

[SomeRandomIdiot]

That is what it does. He is sour about the whole thing because he is using cablecard and the cablecard doesn't play nice with SDV since cablecard is currently 1-way. He doesn't have a BHN rented DVR or digital box.

Totally off base.

BHN had no open QAMs.

#1 The needed to clear up QAMs to deploy SDV. That means current non-SDV HD channels are compressed more as stated to clear up QAMs for SDV.

#2 If you think that you get the full bitrate on SDV channels that you get if the channel was fulltime in a permanant position, you are very wrong. SDV averages in single digits, much like the HD on Demand, not double digit as most of the HD Channels do.

So I stand by exactly what I posted. I am not sure where you think BHN is magically coming up with more QAM channels. If they are this infinite supply, one would not have needed SDV to begin with.

[rossinfl]

i gotta have more hd channels