I also went to Arris International, the world’s largest provider of pay-TV set-top boxes, and knocked on their door. I inquired as to how much a package costs the corporation on average.
I got an email from Jeanne Russo, Arris’ senior director of global communications, a few days later, explaining that “we don’t provide specifics on margins, manufacturing sources, or average/median pricing paid by our clients publicly, so we won’t be able to help you with those inquiries.”
She also wanted me to know that “set-top boxes” are becoming “the digital nerve center of the ultra-connected home,” and that “set-top boxes are premium products.”
There’s a chance Alexa and Siri will have something to say about it. And the price of smart speakers continues to drop.
I find it fascinating that something as common as set-top boxes, which are found in almost every American home, is wrapped in mystery. The suggestion is that customers should not be concerned about the true cost of the boxes.
That’s usually an indication that someone in the executive suite is giggling at our expense.
I was also curious as to what happened to the Federal Communications Commission’s push to standardize set-top boxes and provide much-needed competition to the market.
In case you forgot, former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler estimated in 2016 that the average pay-TV subscriber paid $231 per year to lease a set-top box from their provider. The total cost of the scam was $20 billion every year.
Even after the pay-TV firm recouped its bulk-rate investment in the equipment, you had to keep paying.
Wheeler’s approach was to create a set of technical standards that would allow any electronics company to produce one-size-fits-all cable boxes. Subscribers would be able to view television on any device thanks to free apps provided by pay-TV firms.
On an op-ed in these pages, Wheeler wrote, “If you want to stream Comcast’s content through your Apple TV or Roku, you can.” “You can watch DirectTV’s programming on your Xbox if you want to. You can route Verizon’s service to your smart TV if you desire.”
“These guidelines will promote innovation, spawning new apps and devices, offering consumers even more choice and user control,” he continued.
However, as President Trump appointed his own nominee to the FCC, a more business-friendly mindset took hold. Wheeler’s plan was immediately discarded.
Wheeler’s proposal “is no longer pending before the commission, and I have no intention of resurrecting it,” according to Ajit Pai, the agency’s new chairman.
He didn’t really explain why, other than to remark that standardized boxes didn’t support “a clear, consumer-focused, fair, and competitive regulatory framework for video content distribution,” which is obviously bullshit.
Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked all of the major pay-TV service providers to shed some light on set-top boxes a few years back. They, like me, were curious about the true cost of a box.
The average monthly box charge paid by Charter customers is “confidential,” according to the company.
Similarly, the revenue earned by such fees is “secret information” for the corporation.
“Much of the information you have sought is proprietary, business sensitive, and highly secret,” according to DirecTV.
“We do not divulge the secret, proprietary, and competitively sensitive information requested,” Cox Communications said.
Comcast stated, “This information is not publicly available due to competitive sensitivity.”
I contacted many Wall Street analysts that follow Arris. They were unable to disclose how much it costs the corporation to build set-top boxes in low-cost facilities in other countries.
However, it was widely assumed that Arris offers basic boxes to pay-TV companies for around $150 each, and more advanced boxes for around $250.
If the FCC is correct about the average customer paying $231 per year (as of 2016), that means the typical pay-TV operator recoups its investment per box in roughly a year or less, and any fees paid after that are pure gravy, even if maintenance costs are factored in.
Box fees aren’t a major source of revenue for pay-TV companies, according to every analyst I spoke with, but they do mount up.
Charter, for example, still has over 16 million residential set-top box customers, many of whom have numerous units.
The Spectrum price will increase to $7.50 per month in a matter of days, bringing the total to at least $120 million. Monthly. Or, at the very least, $1.4 billion per year.
Comcast, on the other hand, charges $9.95 a month for a high-definition box. There are approximately 22 million TV subscribers. As a result, it expects to generate $2.6 billion in yearly income.
Is it possible for me to purchase my own cable TV box?
I’m assuming you’ve already tried connecting your TV to the raw cable stream to check what channels you can still get, right? Some of your cable channels, including local networks, may still be available in HD, albeit channel numbers may not match what you see on your cable box, and certain channels that are included in your bundle may be scrambled or unavailable.
To answer your question, cable providers are required by law to support consumer ownership of external set-top box hardware, but their support for this type of device is at best restricted. Most cable companies don’t allow you to buy your own box, and you won’t be able to buy cable boxes in stores that will operate with your local cable service. Also, be cautious about purchasing used cable boxes on eBay, since they are frequently stolen or “non-returned” cable boxes that are tied to a specific cable service and will almost certainly not function with your own local provider.
BUT HOLD ON! There is yet hope! The CableCARD standard was created to make it easier for customers to utilize their own cable tuners and DVRs. A CableCARD is a simple card that is programmed for your account and may be obtained from your local cable company. After that, you must enter the card into your own cable box in order to receive your channels. However, because CableCARD is a one-way (receive only) technology, it does not support video-on-demand or PPV (Pay Per View). In addition, CableCARD-based machines usually have limited access to the program guide. CableCARD has never truly taken off due to these factors, as well as the fact that most cable companies only support it half-heartedly. However, CableCARD-based HD cable boxes and HD DVRs that work with most local cable providers are still available. Just be aware that getting the CableCARD activated and functional with your account will need some effort (and be prepared to wait on hold with your local cable company… for a very long time).
Do you have to pay for each cable box separately?
One of the most compelling reasons to cut the cord has nothing to do with terminating your pay-TV subscription. It’s all about breaking free from the cable boxyou know, the one where you usually misplace the remote.
Most cable and satellite consumers in the United States rent set-top boxes from their TV providers on a monthly basis. Each month, it’s a minor line item on the cable billusually less than $10 per device. However, the prices mount up over the course of the year. Households that use more than one TV to access their service usually have to pay for numerous boxes as well.
Do I need a box for every cable television?
- If you have many TVs in your home and want each one to be able to watch basic cable channels independently, you’ll need to rent a box from your cable provider for each one.
- If your home has a combination of analog, HD, and 4K Ultra HD TVs, the box has both a standard-definition analog RF cable output and an HDMI output for connecting to higher-definition sets. You can connect the box’s RF output to an HD or Ultra HD TV, but that option will only provide a down-converted analog cable signal; you’ll need to utilize the HDMI output to access HD.
- Video recording lovers will find it more difficult to save cable TV programs using a DVD Recorder or VCR because digital cable signals are frequently copy protected. This inconvenient indicates that renting or purchasing a cable DVR or TIVO to record TV programmes from cable will be an additional cost. In most cases, you won’t be able to duplicate those recordings to DVD or VHS.
What does a Spectrum cable box cost?
Each HD-Box costs $8.99 per month from Spectrum (TV receiver). You can pay $4.99 per month to activate the built-in DVR in one HD-Box, or $9.99 per month for DVR service in two or more TV receivers.
While equipment fees can be a pain, it’s unusual to find such a good offer on DVR service. But Spectrum is going a step further: for $8.99 a month for 20 months or $180.00 upfront, you can replace your traditional HD-Box with an Apple TV 4K.
If you choose the Apple TV 4K, some of your Spectrum internet capacity will be used to watch live and on-demand TV. If you have many TVs at home, be sure your internet plan has enough speed to handle online streaming. We recommend Spectrum Internet Ultra at the very least.
For $4.99 a month, you can add the Spectrum Cloud DVR to your Apple TV 4K, which allows you to record up to 50 episodes and keep them for up to 90 days. Alternatively, you may pay $9.99 for Spectrum Cloud DVR Plus, which can record and save up to 100 shows for up to a year.
Is it possible to buy a digital box for cable instead of renting one?
may be the best choice for you. When it comes to acquiring your modem/router and Set Top Boxes, there are a few things to keep in mind. The FCC requires cable providers to allow consumers to purchase routers/modems and set-top boxes rather than renting them from them. When considering whether to buy or rent, you should consider how long you anticipate to use the equipment and what the company’s rental rates are. Purchase your satellite or cable equipment!
What can I do without a cable box?
You won’t need your cable box any more, but you will require a streaming device to access Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max. Perhaps the app is incorporated into your smart TV, or perhaps you’ll need to purchase a new streaming device like a Roku or Apple TV. In any case, such a device will need to be linked to each TV that is currently connected to a cable box.
Streaming devices are inexpensive ($25 and higher), and you don’t have to pay a monthly rental fee to the cable operator. Most services also allow you to watch on your phone, tablet, or computer.
What is the price of a set-top box?
There are 124 set top boxes for less than $4,898 on the market. Dish TV DishTV HD (1080 I Connection (Only Set top Box offer) with 1 Month Subscription of Hindi HD Pack, Installation & Warranty is the cheapest product in India, costing 990. The most costly option, on the other hand, is the Airtel Xstream Box with 1 Year Subscription to AMAZON PRIME, Xstream, ZEE5, and Hotstar VIP App, which costs $4,898. Shoppers can select from a variety of low-cost items, compare prices to make informed judgments, and purchase online. For online shopping, prices are valid in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, NCR, and other major cities.
Without a box, how can I get cable TV on a second television?
How Do I Get Cable TV Without a Box on a Second Television?
- Tighten the head after connecting the free end of the coaxial cable from the TV to one of the free threaded coaxial cable connectors on the two-side component of the cable splitter.
What is the price of a second cable box?
For Comcast, this isn’t really a novel technique. While users do not have to pay for their first cable box, it charges $9.95 per month for extra units and even $7.45 per month for premium channels “When you bring your own box, there is a “additional outlet” price.
(Technically, Comcast costs $9.95 and then applies a $2.50 bill credit; the distinction is somewhat inconsequential save for the fact that you can still obtain the $2.50 credit if you use your own device instead of Comcast’s.) “The initial cable box was “free.” In such case, Comcast would deduct $2.50 from your monthly rate each month. However, you’d just have one television.)
This is an excellent example of why cable companies have been so vocal in their opposition to the FCC’s efforts to reform the cable box market. The commission’s ideas would have stripped control of TV streams away from providers and given them to users to do with as they pleased, with the most recent version requiring a free Roku app.
Now that the Democrats have lost control of the FCC, the cable box redesign is almost probably not going to happen, which means Comcast is free to continue charging fees for using your own equipment.
Comcast does not charge clients a rental fee for their first cable box, as this item originally stated. This information has been updated, as well as more information on how Comcast’s bill credits work.
Is it possible to operate two TVs off of a single cable box?
HDMI cables are now standard on most televisions. If your TV uses an HDMI cable to connect to the STB, the first order of business is to get HDMI splitters. These are basic pieces of hardware that accept the HDMI cable from your STB as an input and have many HDMI cable output slots. Connect the input HDMI cable to the splitter, then the individual output HDMI cords to each TV. Don’t worry if you’re wondering how you’ll be able to reach so many TVs that are kept at a safe distance. HDMI cables can be purchased locally or online in lengths of 5, 10, or 15 yards. Splitters also exist in sizes ranging from 1×2 to 1×16, allowing you to link up to 16 screens at once.