Possibly More, Cheap Set Tops Coming

A FCC filing reveals some plans for a few more set top contenders, the catch being they may sell for under $50. Check it:

The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday granted a three-year waiver to Evolution Broadband for two low-cost set-top boxes that do not include CableCards — a blanket exemption to the so-called “integration ban” that could pave the way for cable operators to deploy much less expensive set-tops.

The sub-$50 devices from Evolution Broadband covered under the waiver are one-way “limited-capability devices” that provide integrated security, referred to in the industry as digital terminal adapters. The boxes convert digital signals to analog format and don’t provide advanced functions like digital video recording.

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“The FCC’s action will allow small cable operators to take their systems all-digital at a much faster pace because now they can deploy set-top boxes that will cost about $50 instead of several hundred dollars each,” Polka said in a statement. “Under this ruling, cable’s transition to digital — which the federal government is not subsidizing as it did for TV stations — will be far less costly for cable customers in this economically stressful time.”

Full story can be found at Multichannel.