Comcast announces cloud-based set-top interface

Did the cloud just kill the set-top box? [NewTeeVee]

At the final day of this week's Cable Show, Comcast made an impressive product announcement that included showing off its new cloud-based set-top user interface -- Xcalibur. The main advantage is that cloud-based apps can rapidly be launched and updated with new features, one of the challenges that has slowed innovation in the set-top box current environment.

Putting the set-top interface on the cloud also will allow Comcast to easily provide feeds to multiple devices. Comcast plans to use Xcalibur to push the same user interface to multiple screens, connected TVs, and mobile devices both inside and outside of the home.

Cloud-based interfaces undoubtedly will be adopted by other providers in the future, as many of us are already looking into the technology.  Further, as homes increase the number of connected "screens" that they use to view video, this type of interface can someday eliminate the need for set-top boxes altogether by delivering the interface directly to new generation smart devices. 

Comcast is currently testing the technology in Augusta, Georgia and has plans to roll out more test areas in the near future.

We'll be keeping a watchful eye on this important advancement.

 

Comments

[Patsy]

Your television usenls it is really, really old should have multiple input source options, with different cabling options (coaxial, composite (red, white, and yellow jacks/plugs), S-Video, component maybe). If so, you would pick an appropriate output from the DVD/VCR player to match up and run the player in parallel to the DVR cable box. The TV remote would have a toggle switch to allow you go back and forth between input options.If you have one and only one input to the TV (or, possibly, for other reasons), you can run the DVD/VCR in series between the DVR and TV. Connect your DVR cable box output to a DVD/VCR input jack and the DVD/VCR output to the TV input. You end up playing your DVR/Cable through your DVD/VCR player a very common setup.So check your television set input options, and your DVD/VCR input and output options to get an idea about what will work.

[Salam]

LCD, plasma, and DLP prjicetoon HDTVs do not display analog or standard-definition content very well at all, because they must scale to their native resolution. Analog or standard-definition CRT televisions can display it perfectly so it won't look as bad on them.There is no purpose in getting an HDTV if there is no HD source being sent to it. So what you should do for better quality is upgrade your cable service to HD cable, or at the very least, to digital cable.