DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Christopher Price — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:50:34 GMT

I think the deal-breaker for DirecTV was that TV Pack 2008 requires a clean install of Windows. Which, means that unless it's bundled with a new PC (a la CableCARD), it's not practical for existing computer users (until Windows 7).

I do agree with others that the project is not dead. I think that DirecTV is just going to let things sit until Windows 7 gets out the door. Microsoft will have all the hooks in Windows 7, so no reinstallation of Windows will be needed... and then they can spend 6-8 months after that to perfect the hardware, firmware, and drivers. And, all of that can be done on a stable version of Windows that isn't the mess that became TV Pack 2008.

Ergo, we can envision the HR-20 shipping in late 2009/early 2010. That's why it makes sense for DirecTV to suspend, rather than cancel the project. Consumers were promised something that just won't happen for another year at least. Smart move on DirecTV's part, though I'm sure Microsoft wasn't happy about how it was handled (not that they don't deserve it, this is the third consumer outrage from eHome this year alone... TV Pack 2008 and CableCARD DRM/issues were the other two).

DIRECTV and Microsoft-A loss for all media center enthusiasts « mceworld

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re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Donthb — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:45:57 GMT

Looking at the industry as a whole (CE, cable, satellite, broadcast and even radio) the question should be: why haven't they come up with a tuning protocol that would allow many different devices to communicate with tuners of all kinds and support the interactivity required?

Such a protocol already exists for the old Digital VHS and by using 1394a was simpler to install than CableCARD. This protocol also had a form of DRM which provided for moving media among devices. This was a fairly complete solution because while an IR remote was used with the display, the display forwarded commands to devices through the daisy chained 1394a cabling. Interactive services are not supported by the protocol, however, the protocol has been expanded to support USB and ethernet and is intended to support 1394 fiber.

With the consumer electronics industry moving to provide multi-brand component integration using HDMI, I think that fingers must be pointed at the satellite and cable industries. CEA and MS could be lobbying congress too to add to FCC mandates.

This explains in part, why AMD sold off their ATi media chipset group and why Microsoft is emphasizing the Internet delivery of content.

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

KJ — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:57:08 GMT

Nice comments and (Chris) good insight and review of the M$FT and HDPC-20. The comments and addtional conspiracy theories are also well thought out. (IMHO) It makes sense for DTV and M$FT to move and continue on current developments. On the media center showpodcaSt 180, charlie owen basically made comments that the H.264 integration was more diffcult than expected, one reason that h.264 and HDPC-20 was not included in the TV PACK. Also, somehwere there was mention that M$FT EHOME team was not given a support budget to support integration of the TV PACk so minimal testing was done. Anyways, in all I just hope that a headless unit or tuner that supports digital broadcast is available on DIY sytems because OEM's are still too expensive.

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Ray Casey (Arestar, LLC) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:20:06 GMT

Al... Well put.. It is so nice to hear a good take on reality vs. all the babble that comes out of us tech people about what is what (lol at myself). I think one of the reasons this industry has not taken off (PC centric A/V) is because us tech people cannot get out of their own way and do not have the business insight. Everything is always about technology/software and the fact is this is about big business. I agree with 100%, that msft should just keep pressing on, distribution will ultimately go through teleco, cable and local WiFi mesh and hopefully the PC people will not obfuscate the real issues and cause and effect :)

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Al — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:55:53 GMT

First of all, directv owns their distribution network. If you ran direcTV would you give away free access to that network to another business?

Cablecard happened, not because the cable companies wanted it, but because the fcc mandated open cable. The cable companies HATE cablecard... and not because of the technology.

Any business's job is to stay in business. They need a compelling reason to open up their systems to someone else.

My take is that MS didn't have enough leverage to make direcTV continue with this partnership. MS gets access to a large subscriber base, what does direcTV get?

MS should stick with back-door solutions (like HD-PVR) and up-and-coming options like online content until such time that DireTV and the CableCos HAVE to make a deal with them. That's called doing business.

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Griffon — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 05:12:34 GMT

Great summery. Personally I'm feeling pretty disenfranchised by direct tv over this (and other things).

..." and their own Multi-room Viewing features"

do you know somthing I don't? I don't think that there is any multi-room viewing right now. Shame to, having two of their dvr's on my network and having them to stupid to talk is just annoying.

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Davis Freeberg — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:29:31 GMT

Since we are discussing conspiracy theories, I'll throw one out there. When the DirectTV deal was in the works, DTV was owned by Murdoch. Now that Malone has taken control, perhaps he's had a change of heart.

Another possibility is that TiVo was able to score an exclusivity deal with DTV. We already know that a new TiVo/DTV unit should be out during the middle of next year and considering that DTV signed a patent agreement with TiVo, it would have possibly given them the muscle to work something like this into a contract. Considering how they were screwed by DTV's prior administration, it wouldn't be all that crazy of a request for them to make. Of course this is just wild speculation, so we don't know for sure, but it is possible that TiVo could have been the one to blame.

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

chrisl — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:12:23 GMT

Paul: I've been doing nothing but studying for 3 math finals for the past week, I think I'll live with my crappy grammar after just writing a 4 page essay on DIRECTV.

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

Paul K — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 02:01:32 GMT

Very interesting post, but for the love of God---PLEASE re-read your writing and do some basic editing ("there" vs. "their", etc.).

re: DIRECTV and Microsoft: What Went Wrong

digitalfreak — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:56:12 GMT

You're right. We may never know what happened, unless someone on the inside decides to talk.

However, considering that the HDPC-20 was really nothing more than a tuner (something DirecTV has quite a bit of experience with), I find it hard to believe that the delays were due to issues with the HDPC-20.

On the other hand, Microsoft has already stated that they had to roll the TV Pack out when they did to meet OEM deadlines. Considering that the beta application announcement for Fiji was made on TGB in the Ask Jessica forum around a year or more before it actually started, I think MS was having to make some major changes to the software. I'm thinking they had to cut H.264/DirecTV support because it wasn't ready in time.

As to why DirecTV decided to drop the HDPC-20 altogether? Who knows. I have a feeling that your assumption about MRV and DirecTV-PC are correct, though DirecTV-PC in it's current form is a resource hogging piece of s**t (it's written by Cyberlink, after all). They may have just gotten tired of waiting on Microsoft and decided to cut their losses. Although the drivers were in the Win 7 beta, MediaCenter may still not be ready for the job.

Finally, IIRC there was a similar announcement regarding Dish and MS working together on what sounded to be a similar project. Seems strange that we haven't heard any more about that project either.