Chris Lanier’s Blog : Stop Ignoring Small OEMs, Microsoft Well as I reported earlier based on my dinner with Microsoft’s Jim Allchin in order for Vista Media Center PCs to include CableCARD support they will need to be certified as a final OEM product. Central to this certification is what Allchin referred to at our dinner as a “protective path.” At that meeting Jim shared in the frustration of this requirement that is certainly CableLabs mandate and not Microsoft’s. At the meeting Jim pledged that Microsoft would fight clawing and scratching for smaller OEMs to get certified boxes but did suggest that the first CableCARD Vista PCs out would most likely come from the big guys.
Chris has more detail out on the process of getting a final OEM PC approved by CableLabs and as I suggested earlier it is quite an expensive process:
From Chris’ blog:
“UDCP Testing Fees
Verification: $30,000
Practice Run: $20,000
Development Lab Use: $12,000/week or $2,500/day. Additional $1,500 per day for extended hrs (5-10 pm).
Digital Output and Recording Technology Review: $35,000
Digital Certificate and DFAST Licensing Fees
Device Certificates for Host: $20,000 annually; plus $0.07 per certificate
DFAST Patent/Secrets (DFAST): $5,000″
Chris says that Microsoft needs to be more responsive to their smaller OEMs. While I can certainly sympathize with smaller OEMs and can see Chris’ point, at the same time I do not think that it is as simple as that. I have been bitching at Microsoft for the last three years to give us premium HDTV content. I’m sure that no one would rather the most people possible have HDTV cheaply and easily on all PCs than Microsoft. They stand the most to gain by this. Unfortunately the content providers are not as eager for us all to get HDTV content on a PC which is generally much more open than a closed type of box like DirecTV’s HDTV TiVo or a set top box offered by the satellite and cable providers.
Bottom line is this. Hollywood does NOT want their HDTV content on your PC. Although Microsoft has convinced CableLabs at this point that Vista can in fact secure their content, this security is dependent on hardware as well and is why they feel they need a “protective path,” which includes a combination solution of both Vista software and hardware.
The ultimate fear is that someone will crack this software/hardware combo and the next thing you know high def copies of the Sopranos will be floating around BitTorrent. Do you know how much money is made selling Sopranos DVDs. DVDs represent the Holy Grail for Hollywood at the present time. They are already shaking in their boots over the non HDTV content that is floating around BitTorrent. Still though, many people don’t want to bother with BitTorrent because they don’t want to watch a crappy low res version of a great show on their computer. Give them an HD version though and this starts to eat into DVD sales.
As easy and convenient as it might be to blame Microsoft for this one, I do not. I blame Hollywood and CableLabs (really just an extension of Hollywood).
Now I’m not saying that Microsoft does not benefit economically from their DRM. They do. But I don’t think that is what is holding back the certification process. It would be nice to the cost to certify go down for smaller OEMs of course and to the extent that Microsoft can influence CableLabs on this I think this would be a good thing. Keep in mind though, this runs contrary to what Hollywood wants.
Another thing for smaller OEMs to keep in mind too is that CableCARD will not be the only path to HDTV on MCE. As Sean Alexander, from Microsoft, has previously blogged, DirecTV will at an unannounced time begin offering aftermarket HDTV support for Vista machines. Although this might not work for everyone (renters, those who can’t get a satellite signal, etc.) at least it is an option for some. If I were a small OEM I’d definitely be reminding people of the DirecTV concept. Personally, I hope we also see Echostar jump on this bandwagon as I think they have the strongest HDTV lineup at present after acquiring the licensing for some of Voom’s HD Content.
Chris says, “Microsoft needs to realize that they have over 130 PC manufacturers shelling out Media Center PCs and they can’t just give all the features and attention to the big 5.” I do think that Microsoft recognizes this and I do think that Allchin is sincere in his comment about wanting to help smaller OEMs through the process. But for my two cents I blame CableLabs on this one a heck of a lot more than Microsoft.