theres far to many options and features VM need to get off the ground but heres a few.
you really Have to look and think far BIGGER and longer market place/share in all this, RIGHT NOW.
as with everything IT, this years market has moved on far past even what was available 3 years ago but the antiquated liberate middleware is still with us unfortunately.
dump the liberate firmware/middleware and backend and replace it with something/anything that can do the job for at least the next 5 years+, the tiny rebol 3 TCP:ip/UDP scripting can fill that need for major long term expandability far better than any current STB firmware/middleware and at a far better price too.
dump the antiquated TW forced V+ mpeg2 only STB and replace it with a real future proof MPeg2,AVC and even VC1 capable chipset STB with loads of ram and HD space if you like.
also,rather than buy off the shelf STB SOC based kit for the long term, they could even look into commissioning a real network wide DS3 based STB that has much improved expandability, and a include the must have seperate 3D chipset so as to play a major roll in future services.
its a simple fact that
your average generic mobile phone has far more power,memory and 2D/3D chip than any VM STB today, hell
the VM STBs dont even have a real 2D chip never mind a 3D chip to do simple Multi picture in picture video overlay that comes so easy for the chips below.
the Cell or its new offspring the "spursengine" are a perfect long term choice for STB inclusion, as its made for OEM to include them into the new DVB TVs and DVB STBs etc, its even inside the new laptops and PC-E cards now, so MORE than good enough for any long term Virgin Media mass market STB that could blow away anything sky have or are likely to manufacture (remember they have their own STB company now).
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9cn6KFnzSXo
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/20/t...process-video/
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/03/l...ng-pci-e-card/
stick that along side a PPC based dual CPU chipset SOC such as the "E600" chipset and a wireless 11n chipset
http://www.dailywireless.org/2008/10...4x4-on-a-chip/ and a gigabit router chip and 4 ports on there with 512Meg of ram and your pritty close to all you might need for the long term future after adding the usual Docsis tuners,internal hardrives,external ports and whatnot.
moving on, VM need to just sack the person resonsable for the TW forced accounting database that doesnt allow for more than a single Cable modem on your account for those people that have a fully provisioned and powered internal CM inside the STB and want to use it as a simple second broadband connection,perhaps slower 4Mbit/512kbit but more than good enough for most people.
while VM are piddling about with the old rebadged 11g routers to end users, and doing a very bad job of at that , the ISP infrastructure and related kit world is moving on ,the US cable companys have signed up to, and are working to incorporate wireless directly into their cable infrastructures with WiMax, and offering that to their end users.
and even the Uks BT with its Ethernet services
21CN Rethink http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=165691
knows that those that own the future wireless backhaul owns the massive customer base and its massive profits and services thats just around the corner.
BT and T-Mobile UK seem to be in the leader position right now, virgin mobile are finally making some microscopic and half assed moves based on these other peoples deals but its no were near enough as
they just dont get it it seems, and VM with its Uk wide core cable network isnt even in the race.
why do i want the US based Vigin Media executives to wake up and get started in this UK WiMax/11n race ?, because i want all these things above and far more ASAP , but with only one runner theres no race and no prospect of getting anything we want to pay for...
WiMax is directly Docsis Based in much of its infrastucture and networking, and so VM are and were in the perfect position to take massive advantage of it with less outlay , but BT will pass them by very soon ,its simple survival, and ntl/tw let their massive advantage pass them by, and now it looks like VM are going to do the same old executive stance and wait rather than lead the Uk markets, once again....
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Re: What features do you think Virgin Media should implement?
