LG and Samsung Get Into the Cable Box Game

[CableDude101]

LG and Samsung Get Into the Cable Box Game Tru2Way is upon us.  What does that mean?  It means that one day the cable box may actually be a thing of the past. In the immediate future it means that 2 more players have entered the cable box game, Samsung and LG.  Today there are only a handful of televisions with Tru2Way built in.  This means that providers rolling out JCAS or Tru2Way still need to provide boxes.  The new technology has some advantages. For the cable providers the new technology allows for easier upgrades and customizable features.  For the customer it will mean one less piece of equipment, a lower bill, the possibility to own their own box and more hardware providers. Samsung and LG are major players in the television category, it only makes sense for them to start providing the hardware that your cable company uses.  They are a fresh face in the game and may give Cisco and Motorola a much needed kick in the pants.  I hope to see smaller, sleeker, faster cable boxes in the coming year. Time Warner Cable has already accepted delivery of 400,000 Samsung boxes.  Cablevision, Comcast and Cox have also placed orders.  Only time will tell if competition will breed advancements in the technology.

[standard]

Whats the model number for the Samsung boxes?  I'd like to look them up.

[rv65]

Samsung has already released a few cable boxes. TWC has already deployed some of them in a few areas.

Model numbers are

SMT-H3050 HD-STB
SMT-H3090 HD-DVR
SMT-H3260 HD-STB
SMT-H3270 HD-DVR

The 32xx boxes are newer than the 30xx units. The 3050 has been out for quite some time in some divisions while the 3090 just recently came out. The 32xx boxes will be out sometime later this year in San Diego

[rv65]

The Samsung SMT-H3260 HD-STB is now available in San Diego, CA.

[disgusted]

The Samsung SMT-H3260 HD-STB is now available in San Diego, CA.

Cool.  Cablevision has yet to officially announce anything regarding which Samsung Cable Boxes they plan to use.

[rv65]

Cablevision will be ordering Samsung boxes. They'll support tru2way but not CableCard. These boxes will have DCAS. CableVision is also looking at testing LG boxes as well.

No word if TWC San Diego will deploy the SMT-H3270 HD-DVR. I heard it has a 320 GB HDD though there could be 160 GB versions. I would love a 320 GB DVR.

[rv65]

Then again CableVision is also looking at deploying LG boxes with DCAS.

[rv65]

TWC San Diego might deploy the Samsung SMT-H3270 with a 320 GB HDD late this upcoming week. This is a maybe though.

[rv65]

TWC just recently deployed the Samsung SMT-H3270 HD-DVR. It has a 320 GB HDD but within a few days of deployment, they had to halt deployment. It had issues with accessing VOD. TWC San Diego is working with corporate to fix it. They say it's a temporary halt but I think it will be much longer than temporary. My 3260 HD-STB works just fine and it does get VOD. It's hardware is identical to the ones used in the 3270. The Software is identical to the 3270's so I have no idea why it wont get VOD. Once it gets fixed they'll start deploying them.

[Bullwinkle]

Are there any advantages to getting the Samsung DVR over a Scientific Atlanta DVR?

[rv65]

Cablevision is going to start testing new boxes this year but they won't use Cable Card's. They'll use a downloadable CAS system by NDS. NDS calls this system the keyladder. It will also use tru2way but just not use cablecards. Samsung or LG will be making these new boxes. They should deploy them next year. The Samsung boxes from TWC are nice. Some have bigger HDD's. They stretch the guide to 16:9 to fill the screen.

[rv65]

These boxes have been ordered but they haven't announced the vendor yet. They did get prepared for DCAS for phase 1 areas this July. Next year they'll complete Phase 2. These new boxes are going to be released later this year to a select group of individuals and then maybe early next year they'll get deployed.

[rv65]

Just got a Samsung SMT-H3270 and another SMT-H3260 a couple of days ago. I have a new TWC plan that saves me money since I now have a 2 year contract. I get all digital packs, all premiums, HD VIP, standard internet, 2 DVR's, 2 HD-STB's all for less that what I'm paying now. I get more channels and more boxes.

[rv65]

A little birdie told me a new Samsung box with DVD capabilities is on the drawing board. This box will be a retail product and thats all I know about it. It will of course have tru2way. No word if it's HD or not.

[rv65]

One of my Samsung 3260's said moCA on the first boot. That means multi room DVR is coming soon.

[buba_cv]

A little birdie told me a new Samsung box with DVD capabilities is on the drawing board. This box will be a retail product and thats all I know about it. It will of course have tru2way. No word if it's HD or not.

Thats cool.  Maybe they will add Blu-Ray at some point.  That would mean one less device for me in the living room.

[rv65]

LG will be making CV's STB though they mentioned others in a FCC filing. The FCC filing mentioned tru2way and their DCAS solution which they think is the best thing since sliced bread.

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020354515

It mentions LG, KAON, Arris, Funai, and Pace.

[rv65]

CVC is beta testing the Samsung SMT-C5320.