The end of the HTPC?

[pcostanza]

Some interesting reading here. I guess OTA is going to be the best way to go in the states as our options are less and less with our price choice higher and higher.

[reven]

seriously? cos a HTPC is only about recording tv.

i record one show with my htpc, only one, i dont watch any other tv except for that one show. everything i watch is digital videos. with things like hulu, the htpc is getting more appealing, not less.

[pcostanza]

I have the tv on most of the time for the 'noise' mostly. But I also do a lot of online watching but it's only a matter of time before they start charging for Hulu (who said they'd take another look at it's cost in Sept. 09) and even start charging for internet usage. Some companies already have plans for 2011 to charge for info. I think if that does take off, it might snowball as so many people are addicted, they'll pay for it.
That one tv show must be a doozie. :p

[whurlston]

First, they cannot enable Privacy Mode without approval of the FCC. Second, I give it 2 months for the Privacy Mode cypher to be broken. Third, people will simply move to other services like OTA/Dish/DirecTv since cable will have lost it's only advantage: the ability to not need a box for every TV.

[johnsonx42]

First, they cannot enable Privacy Mode without approval of the FCC.

That's the point of the Anandtech blog article: the FCC has already granted the waiver to allow Privacy Mode.

[whurlston]

Ah, I missed that. I just skimmed it.

[carpeVideo]

What I am hoping, is that with the sudden availability of extra OTA channels (ie nbc2, nbc3) instead of weather which is a complete waste of time , the broadcasters will add some of the most widely watched cable channels to OTA (ie USA, probably not BBCA and SciFi :o( then I can watch the few programs I want and netflix the rest and ditch the STB and cable entirely. One can only hope :0)

[fla]

I'm still using an SD TV with analog cable. The switch to HD will not mean the end of my HTPC for playing/streaming online content but will probably mean the end of my gbpvr use. OTA is just not very prevalent in Canada.

[pBS]

yea, it'll be hacked in no time...
clearQAM is already encrypted..[QAM64 or QAM256]
or i should say 'scrambled' really...
i bet they are just going to output on another type of 'scrambling' and not use real encryption...which should make it easier to get around...
oops, nope, real encryption..[DES 56bit]

i wish they'd get it straight, they force cable co's to give us firewire, then allow them to deny us using it,
then they mandate clearQAM, then allow it to be 'privatized'...??
i smell a bribe...

i knew something was up by the funky remotes on those DTA's..they don't even want us being able to control it! [needed for even analog output from these boxes]

sounds like congress needs to spank the industry again....:mad:

[Deusxmachina]

I guess OTA is going to be the best way to go in the states as our options are less and less with our price choice higher and higher.

It already is the best choice!

OTA HDTV is the main reason I put my HTPC together. Most cable companies, you can rent a DVR for as low as a couple bucks, maybe even free. My brother pays $5 a month for his.

Meanwhile, if I wanted to record OTA HD, Tivo is $10+ a month, and there haven't been a whole lot of alternatives. My HTPC will have paid for itself within three years, (parts are also now faster And cheaper from when I put mine together), and that's while also being able to do A LOT more, which includes being an actual computer when needed.