The system can determine why a cable TV box isn't working or why the Internet connection is down and fix the problem in minutes.
Here's the scoop: CableCard is literally a card that you pop into the back of your TV set so that you can get rid of your digital cable box and plug that coax directly into your digital TV (it's sort of like how you can use analog cable on a cable-ready analog TV without a cable box).
The typical American couch spud already has a number of "boxes" attached to his television set: A VCR, a cable-TV decoder box and perhaps a videogame console like a Sony PlayStation.
Unlike Time Warner Cable, which is offering an app that provides access to a limited array of live cable channels, Cablevision's app provides its customers with access to all the programming they receive on their TV through their cable box, including ESPN.
All three perform the same basic function -- they let you stream TV from your cable box (digital or analog), satellite receiver, or DVR to a computer or mobile device -- it's just that each is aimed at different segments of the market.
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If that occurs, digital cable could migrate from the box above the TV set to the inside, just as analog cable did.
At first I hooked up the cable box to the new TV via component video cables and the new DVD player via HDMI (with optical out to the sound system).
Selig wants to squeeze even more money out of the big boys -- from cable TV revenues, gate receipts and corporate box receipts.
But without a digital TV tuner, or a cable or satellite set-top box that can convert a digital signal, consumers won't get any TV at all by 2009.
Turn off their PlayStation or X-Box 360, (cable TV is already off) and see how your family likes that.
The Z-Base systems can be programmed to respond to most remote controls, so a TV remote...or cable box remote...or satellite receiver remote...can control volume, mute, power and input functions.
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Customers could buy a cheap digital video camera, plug it into their cable box, and engage in videoconferences using their TV.
And about 40% more will be able to view the digital signal through a digital cable or satellite set-top box on an analog TV they already own.
Digital video recorders--the cable industry's answer to TiVo (nasdaq: TIVO - news - people )--allow users to record programs on a hard drive inside the cable box, as well as to pause or rewind live TV.
The Cable or Satellite box can be used for VOD or be used to watch normal TV.
The Vybe works with any sound source such as a gaming console, TV, computer, or mobile phone using a standard audio cable (included in the box).
For instance, though the MX has its own TV tuner, it can't change the channels of a satellite dish or cable box.
Apple is in talks with some of the largest U.S. cable operators about letting consumers use an Apple device as a set-top box for live TV.
In the future, Microsoft could also license Kinect software to TVs and cable set-top box makers just like Google embeds its Android software in TVs to come out with Google TV.
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Next: Challenges from cable companies aside, Apple must make a settop box, and it will be far more important than the actual TV set, says Jeremy Allaire, chairman of the online video services provider Brightcove.
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