Michael's Insight

MSNBC putting a single show's video on their iPad app

MSNBC Announces iPad App…Sort of [Silicon Alley Insider]

In a panel on Tuesday night, Mark Marvel, the video sales chief for MSNBC, provided an interesting note about his company’s upcoming iPad app: it will feature video, but from only one network show.

Marvel said that instead of posting episodes of more shows on MSNBC's regular lineup, it will focus on this one show and provide new features that encourage user interaction with the show’s host.

Marvel was silent about which MSNBC show would be featured on the iPad app, and he also did not share when the app would be available.

Hardball? Rachel Maddow? Morning Joe? Your guess is as good as mine as to which show will get the nod.

FCC chairman addresses retransmission consent with broadcasters

FCC Chief Worried Over Retrans Aftershocks [Multichannel News]

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski spoke to the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas this week. Among the topics he discussed with the broadcasters - the FCC's recent moves to reform retransmission consent, the process by which cable providers are required to negotiate with broadcasters for carriage of their over-the-air television signals on a cable system. Right now, the process is broken. Huge increases in fees are being demanded by broadcasters, forcing cable operators to pass along those fees to customers, even though the broadcaster is given public spectrum to distribute their signals for free. 

Every now and then, negotiations break down over the significant demands, resulting in broadcasters pulling their channels off of cable and cable customers not being able to watch many of their favorite shows and events. Just last month, Cablevision customers in the New York metropolitan area lost ABC for 20 hours, including the first 15 minutes of the Academy Awards

Genachowski explained to the audience of broadcasters that there are "legitimate questions" about the current regulations that govern the retransmission consent process - specifically concerns about the impact of broadcasters' retransmission demands on the price of cable subscriptions and the service interruptions that result when negotiations falter.

The FCC is currently conducting an inquiry into the issue, which could result in changes in the retransmission consent rules. While there are many options available to the FCC in making changes - including binding arbitration when negotiations fail - ultimately the Commission should make changes that best serve customers -- not broadcasters and not cable operators.

Free Preview of CBS College Sports available to Insight customers during March Madness

Whether you're cheering for the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the University of Louisville Cardinals, the Ohio State University Buckeyes or another team during the NCAA basketball tournament, Insight will be the place you can catch all the action. March Madness is here and to make sure Insight customers don’t miss a minute of the action Insight will be offering a free preview of the CBS College Sports Network this week through April 5th.

Insight digital customers can access the free preview on digital channel 531.

The CBS College Sports channel will have wall-to-wall coverage of the NCAA Tournament when it begins later this week. For the first round of the tournament, CBS College Sports will feature two out-of-market games plus 80 additional hours of tournament-related programming. The two main shows are “NCAA March Madness Central,” with in-progress game highlights and press conferences, and the “NCAA March Madness Highlights” at the end of the day’s games. For more times and dates, visit www.CBSCollegeSports.com.

For up to the minute NCAA game information, fans can check out www.SportsOnInsight.com. All tournament games with channel numbers and air times will be listed.

FCC approves five additional DTA models

FCC OKs Waivers For Huawei, Evolution DTAs [Multichannel News]

 Good news for cable customers looking for more HD channels and faster broadband from their cable provider. The FCC has given the green light to five additional digital transport adapters (DTAs) for cable companies that are upgrading customers to digital cable. Because digital cable channels require less bandwidth on a cable system, bandwidth that is reclaimed during a digital conversion can be used to increase the number of HD channels or improve broadband speeds using the DOCSIS 3.0 specification. DTAs provide a low cost option to connect a television to digital cable short of a full featured digital set-top.

Many cable providers, including Insight, are in the process moving to an expanded digital delivery system.  Part of that process will include providing DTAs to customers to enable them to connect their older televisions with analog tuners to the new digital network. The digital set-top waivers provided for these five DTA models by the FCC as well the other models the Commission has already approved will allow cable providers to complete digital conversions to free up bandwidth for more advanced services.

Nine new HD channels coming to Northern Kentucky

We know you want more HD. 

Earlier this week, I said that every Insight district will be getting new high definition channels in 2010, and I'm pleased to continue making good on that promise with the announcement of upcoming HD additions for our customers in Northern Kentucky.

Insight is making your HD experience in Northern Kentucky even better.

Insight will soon launch nine brand new HD channels, including Fox Sports Ohio HD, MSNBC HD, E! Entertainment HD, Cartoon Network HD, Golf Channel HD, Hallmark HD, and a new Pay Per View HD channel. We’ll also be rolling out two more HD channels that we hope to announce in the coming days as soon as we have a couple contract issues with the network hammered out.

This is a really exciting rollout for us because folks throughout Northern Kentucky will now get even more great sports programming in HD, including more than 100 Cincinnati Reds games this season in crystal clear high-def.

For years, Insight has brought you the fastest Internet around and the most reliable phone service you can get.  As we continue to make more bandwidth available on our networks, we're thrilled to add many new HD channels to our growing list of advanced services.

So as technology continues to change, you can be sure we will keep you on the cutting-edge.

And for those of you in other districts -- stay tuned!  We've been very busy in all of our districts getting ready to launch more advanced services.  2010 will be a very exciting year.

Ceton's Quad-Tuner provides support for four digital cable tuners on a PC

Ceton to Unveil CableCARD Quad-Tuner [Zatz Not Funny]

 Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is announcing a new product from Ceton at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas that has the ability to allow a PC to simultaneously tune in to four separate cable channels. Ceton's PCI Express “Quad-Tuner” card accepts a single multistream CableCARD. Installing the tuner in a desktop computer PCI bay gives a user the capacity to tune into four live channels of digital cable.

According to Light Reading's Jeff Baumgartner, Microsoft's Windows 7 OS has increased the number of tuners that a PC can recognize from two to four, hence the Ballmer introduction of Ceton's Quad-Tuner.

Convergence devices are popping up all over CES. While most involve moving IP-based video to the television screen, Ceton's Quad-Tuner indicates that there's still a demand for digital cable via a computer.

Motorola's set-top business going on the auction block

Motorola set-top box unit lures PE bids [Reuters]

 As a dominant player in the television set-top business, millions of Americans watch their television shows via Motorola's equipment. That business looks to be going on the auction block over the next few months. Reuters reports that several firms have expressed an interest in purchasing Motorola's set-top division. Those reportedly include several private equity firms along with equipment manufacturer Arris.

One source quoted in this article as calling the set-top business "yesterday's technology," but that statement doesn't capture the possibility of the business becoming the technology of tomorrow. Recently the FCC announced its interest in set-top manufacturers creating a cross-platform set-top capable of broadband access as part of the Commission's national broadband initiative. With their widespread deployment, the FCC believes that set-tops could be a vehicle for expanding broadband adoption.

It's unclear who will end up with the winning bid, though this article has a list of the likely bidders. Regardless of the outcome, its looking possible that many cable customers will be seeing a new company logo on their digital set-tops in the near future.

Satellite company refuses to participate in cross-platform set-top

DirecTV Says, 'Leave Our Box Out of It' [Multichannel News]

 As the FCC explores a process to determine whether a technical solution can be developed to allow television set-tops to operate on any cable or satellite provider, America's cable companies have joined in that effort, pledging their support in developing a cross-platform set-top. But at least one satellite company has gone on the record to state their opposition to their set-tops being part of the solution.

In comments to the FCC filed on December 15th, DirecTV indicates their unwillingness to allow their set-tops to become part of a cross-platform solution for customers. DirecTV maintains that such a solution would not foster technical innovation.

Todd Spangler writes that if consumers could access any multi-channel video provider from a single box, it would likely prove to be a very popular technology. But, it's only fair if all companies participate in the process. If the FCC develops rules for this technology, they should apply equally and fairly to cable and satellite alike.

Average American consumes 34 gigabytes of data each day

The American Diet: 34 Gigabytes a Day [Bits Blog]

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have attempted to quantify the amount of data the average person receives each day from various sources including the Internet, television, movies, books and over the phone, arriving at a fairly astounding number. Their estimate - 34 gigabytes of data is received by the average American each 24 hour period. Of course, not all that data is digital information that is contained in computer bits. The scientists determined the equivalent measure for each medium in terms of bytes consumed, arriving at 34 gigabytes. According to Bits, that's around 100,000 words of content that the average American encounters in a day.

The lion's share of data is television viewing, which would account for nearly 45 percent of all the data traffic consumed. The web comes in second consisting of almost 27 percent of Americans' data appetite. Other categories include radio, printed media, computer games, movies and recorded music.

Since 1980, the researchers estimate that Americans' data consumption has risen 6 percent each year. Over that time span, the amount of daily data consumed has increased 350 percent. For a yardstick of how large that daily stream is, compared to the hard drive in my current computer, 34 gigabytes a day would fill the drive up in about 5 days.

DVR viewing data indicates many viewers don't fast forward commercials

TV Execs Figure Out DVR Isn't The Death Of TV After All [Silicon Alley Insider]

A few years ago with digital video recorders coming into vogue, many broadcast television executives expressed a nervousness about how the future of ad-supported broadcast TV would be affected if viewers could simply record and fast-forward past the commercial breaks. But, as it turns out, they probably didn't have much to be concerned about. The New York Times reports that Nielsen data shows that DVR viewers are increasingly not fast-forwarding past the commercials (with the exception of my wife). And, the kicker is that DVR playback rates are increasing the ratings of some shows more than 20 percent over the live viewership.

Nielsen switched the way it measured television viewing a couple of years ago by tracking not only live views of commercials, but those watched in the next three days via DVR. Today, over one-third of American households have at least one DVR. Those in the network television business openly voiced concerns about the new measurements having a negative impact on show ratings - the yardstick for the cost of advertising on the shows - because viewers had the ability to skip the commercials with DVR technology.

But, it appears that many viewers are accustomed to simply watching television shows without going to the hassle of hitting the fast-forward button every time a commercial comes on. Nielsen reports that 46 percent of DVR television viewers 18 to 49 watch the recorded commercials, and it's that viewership that is helping shows that might otherwise have poor to middling ratings with live viewership report respectable if not great ratings via their recorded viewership.

Announcing the new Digital 5.0

Early last month, I wrote here about changes that are coming to Insight. I’ve already given you a first look at our new web site, MyInsight.com. Over the next couple of days, I’m going to give you a preview of the other innovative changes that are happening. Last year, we introduced our best TV service ever — and immediately began work on ways to make it better. Today, we’re announcing the next stage of that work.

Digital 5.0 is here.

We’ve made every channel 100% digital for incredible picture and sound quality. We’ve added exciting new DVR features and made our onscreen guide easier than ever to use. We’re bringing you more free HD channels. And we made the best On Demand in cable even better.

The new digital picture will change the way you look at your television, providing crisp, clear picture and sound. These changes will also have long-term impact for freeing up bandwidth on our network to provide additional services, like more HD channels and faster broadband.

We’ve made your DVR experience better with Digital 5.0, with overlap protection and live recording extension — so you don’t have to worry about recording conflicts if one recording runs long when another is starting.

Digital 5.0 introduces Total Home On Demand. You can start watching an On Demand movie or show in one room of your home and finish it in another, a great feature that works with all Insight Digital receivers. Another cool new feature is your ability to view some movies the same day as they’re released on DVD. And if you don’t have time to finish your On Demand selection, you’ve got more time with extended movie rentals —a number of movies are now available for 48 hours.

A word about HD

I know many of you are counting on more HD channels.  And I want you to know that we are totally committed to more HD -- much more.  Our Digital 5.0 release is not primarily about HD though.  It's about the features mentioned above, which I'm sure you will appreciate once you experience them, and a handful of more HD channels.  Even before we announce a new release of service, we're already long working on the next.  We're busily freeing up bandwidth and planning to reallocate it to advanced broadband and phone services, as well as lots more digital video services.  Stay tuned here for further announcements.

So, what the new HD channels you will get with Digital 5.0? Here’s the list for each area Insight serves.

Louisville, Kentucky and surrounding areas – Lifetime, WGN, and Speed.

Columbus, Ohio – MSNBC, Turner Classic Movies, TruTV HD, CNN HN HD.

Lexington, Kentucky – Lifetime, WGN, ABC Family.

Bowling Green, Kentucky – MSNBC, Turner Classic Movies, FSN South HD, Cartoon Network, Disney XD, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies and Speed.

Evansville, Indiana and surrounding areas – Lifetime and Fox Sports Midwest HD.

Northern Kentucky –  Big Ten, ESPN News, Bravo HD, CNBC HD, Fox Business, Speed, ABC Family, WGN, and Lifetime.

If we're missing your favorite channel in your district, let me know and I'll discuss your request with our video product folks.

Enjoy the new features, picture quality and HD channels that Digital 5.0 will bring to your television. And, remember that even though we’re proud to be rolling out these exciting changes today to our customers, we’re already at work on Digital 6.0’s offerings and features for a future roll-out that you can read about here first.

Change is coming, stay tuned for details

If you're an Insight customer, you may be seeing a series of new, short television spots over the coming days that feature the word change. As the first spot indicates, change can be full of the promise of new and wonderful or it can involve anxiety and doubt about the unknown. Here at Insight, we're planning some exciting changes for our customers that will be revealed in the next few weeks. We're working hard to make these new changes to provide more features and updates to our current products while making sure that these changes are simpler to use.

As the ad indicates, stay tuned for details about these changes that will be revealed soon. I'm going to make sure readers of my blog get the earliest scoop about the changes that will be taking place.