Roku

Time Warner Cable is preparing to solve one of its customers’ biggest annoyances — the expensive and unruly set-top box — by getting rid of them for customers who don’t want them.

CED reports Time Warner Cable provided insight into its “Boxless Home” project at the SCTE Rocky Mountain symposium held last week in Denver.

“One of the projects that I lead is called Boxless Homes where we can take a different device and use it instead of our set-top boxes,” said Time Warner’s Louis Williamson. “We’ve actually addressed the big screen with the Roku. We’ve launched it but we haven’t officially launched what we call our Boxless Homes because its missing a couple of the key Title 6 requirements. and the most important one we’re trying to get working right now is secondary audio. We have closed captioning and other things in it.”

The new project would let subscribers pack up and return their current set-top boxes (not DVRs just yet) and replace them with Internet-enabled Roku, Xbox, and Samsung Smart TVs, potentially saving customers close to $100 a year or more. It is part of the broad transition away from analog service cable companies are making as they gradually move towards IP distribution of content — creating one large broadband pipe across which cable television, Internet access, and phone service will travel.

“We describe things like the iPhones, and iPads and other stuff as companion devices,” Williamson added. “You can use them with your TV, they work as remotes and they’re good for looking at TV for a bit. When you go to something that fits on the big screen, the 10-foot experience like a Roku or the Xbox, or our work we’ve done as an app on Samsung TV that does [live TV and video-on-demand], that’s where we look at as Boxless Homes. You don’t have to have one our boxes; you can use one of those devices as outlets in your home. We’ve been driving heavily to get to that point where we can enable all of our services on a device that is theirs. In a couple of markets the channel lineup is pretty much there except for the transactional video on demand. It’s just getting all the Title 6 compliance in and a good marketing strategy around how you drive it.”

Time Warner management likes the initiative because set-top box equipment is costly to buy and support and many customers would prefer to do away with the frustration and cost of extra equipment, especially when many cable set-top boxes installed in homes before Jan. 1, 2014 use more electricity than a home refrigerator, consuming an average of 446kWh hours each (about $50 a year per box, depending on local energy costs).

Time Warner Cable customers looking to save money already have the option of returning their old energy vampire set-top boxes for one of several new models Time Warner has introduced this year. Contact your local office to find the Time Warner set-top boxes available for service in your area:

Feature Key

For now, Time Warner expects most of those going box-less will be in the under-30 age demographic. They already have game consoles or Internet-enabled set-top boxes like Roku and are comfortable switching in and out of the Time Warner Cable TV app.

“I think its to early to say how its going to impact the traditional world,” Williamson said in response to a question about whether Boxless Homes will replace traditional MPEG-2 services or augment them. “Currently we don’t even market it or tell anyone about it. The IP video stuff has rolled out word of month. These are the early adopters who are understanding that there’s a TWC app that goes on the Roku box. They decide to go down to their kid’s room or somewhere else and make that their secondary outlet. That’s how it’s evolving now. I think as it gets more and more prevalent and we get on more and more devices, which is going to take time, then its going to be more interesting. Our app on Samsung TV is much closer to our same look and feel as on our se-sop box. Unfortunately these are the real high-end Samsung TVs with the smart hub technology and things like that. There’s not enough of them to understand what the impact is on our footprint.”

Comcast is also working on a box-less approach, but only for college campuses. Its “XFINITY on Campus” project offers streaming cable TV over students’ laptops or portable devices exclusively while on campus. The service is now limited to Emerson College, Drexel University, University of New Hampshire, Lasell College, and MIT. Comcast currently has no plans to offer box-less service to residential subscribers.

[flv]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/BTIG Demo of New TWC TV App on Roku 12-23-13.flv[/flv]

Rich Greenfield at BTIG Research produced this hands-on demonstration and review of the TWC on Roku app. (6:23)

Netflix today announced a major overhaul of how its customers navigate the online service over Smart TVs or TV-connected devices like game consoles, set-top boxes and Blu-ray players.

“Today we are excited to unveil the biggest update in Netflix history to our TV experience,” said Chris Jaffe, vice president of product innovation. “This update improves the Netflix TV for Netflix members around the world and for the first time extends rich features to platforms such as Roku, Smart TV and Blu-ray players as well as PlayStation and Xbox 360.”

Most of the changes involve the on-screen interface, which becomes more animated and interactive. Improved graphics include three large images for each show more in context with a specific title. An improved synopsis gives you more detail about a show and why Netflix recommends you watch, based on your configured personal preferences. Social network interactivity is also prominent, allowing you to see if any friends have viewed a title before you.

A major improvement is an enhanced search engine, allowing searches by title, actor, or director. The search interface is more TV-screen friendly as well.

Other features:

• Support for Netflix Profiles across all devices
• Support for voice on Xbox 360
• Support for pointer-based navigation on Smart TVs
• A redesign of post-play, the feature that automatically starts the next episode of a TV show or shows recommendations after watching a movie

The updated Netflix TV experience rolls out globally beginning on Nov. 13 and will take about two weeks to reach all devices. The update will go to devices including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Roku 3, and new and future Smart TVs and Blu-Ray players. In addition, some recent Smart TVs and Blu-Ray players may receive this based on manufacturer’s update plans. Roku 2 will receive this update early next year.

[flv]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/Introducing A Brand New Netflix Experience On TVs 11-13-13.mp4[/flv]

Introducing a brand new Netflix experience on TVs and connected devices. [1:24]

Sen. Schumer

That new Internet-enabled television in your living room may be allowing virtual Peeping Toms to watch and listen to you because manufacturers never bothered with adequate security measures to keep unwanted guests out.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is calling on major television manufacturers to create a uniform security standard to stop the hacking before it becomes widespread.

A security research group recently highlighted security flaws in so-called “smart” TVs that make it simple for anyone to hack the television’s internal microphone and embedded camera originally designed for video chatting. The security group warned that almost anyone could begin eavesdropping within minutes of identifying a vulnerable television — most lacking any significant security measures to prevent unauthorized video spying.

“You expect to watch TV, but you don’t want the TV watching you,” said Schumer. “Many of these smart televisions are vulnerable to hackers who can spy on you while you’re watching television in your living room. Our computers have access to firewalls and other security blocks but these televisions do not and that’s why manufacturers should do everything possible to create a standard of security in their internet-connected products.”

The security vulnerability exists because many modern “smart” TVs are now connected to the Internet. To enhance the social experience, many of these televisions are equipped with microphones and unobtrusive video cameras similar to those found in a laptop. But many consumers do not realize these devices could allow anyone on the outside to activate the camera and microphone unbeknownst to the owner and quietly watch and listen in on what is happening inside a home.

Particularly vulnerable

Samsung televisions starting with the 2012 model year were called particularly vulnerable to hacking. Researchers found they could not only access cameras and microphones, they could also tap into the television’s web browser, steal user accounts and passwords, and redirect consumers to hacked websites designed to capture personal information including credit card numbers and bank account information.

Some manufacturers have not taken responsibility for the security flaws, suggesting worried consumers put black electrical tape over the camera or unplug the TV when not in use. Samsung has issued patches for many of the affected devices and promises more changes in future models.

Schumer called current measures inadequate and too often leave the burden solely on consumers. He wants an industry security standard implemented that includes a firewall and other security measures that keep unwanted visitors out without forcing consumers to disable features they paid to have on their television.

[flv width=”368″ height=”228″]http://www.phillipdampier.com/video/WTEN Albany Schumer Says TV Could Be Watching You 8-4-13.mp4[/flv]

Your Internet enabled television set may be vulnerable to hacking. WTEN in Albany reports Sen. Schumer wants manufacturers to create a uniform security standard to keep unwelcome visitors out of your living room. (2 minutes)