CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

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Pete Baldwin 12/5/2012 | 5:16:09 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

This is a lot more ambitious than I was expecting. Basically Cisco wants to offer service providers a new type of pay TV package -- one that the service providers would run and control, but one that's bought entirely from Cisco.

It all really does come back to switches and routers. But it could change the public face of Cisco considerably.

So -- what's the verdict? Would this be a way for service providers to upend the TV model? And is it the right direction for Cisco?

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scottdTBR 12/5/2012 | 5:16:07 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Hey Craig - I'm curious as to how simple/complex the user interface is. Would there be a learning curve for customers upgrading to this over their current TV package?

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scottdTBR 12/5/2012 | 5:16:06 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Thanks. That's interesting about the advertising. I would expect to see service providers offer different pricing levels based on how many ads would get pushed to the consumer - i.e. consumer pays more per month to see less ads.

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Pete Baldwin 12/5/2012 | 5:16:06 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

The user interface looked really simple -- keeping in mind that this was just a demo. It's basically an expanded version of an on-screen guide. Cisco says the idea was to avoid any learning curve.

Now, the interface happens to do a lot of things automatically. They used an example where Chambers and his "cousin" were sending videos back and forth; the videos immediately show up in your on-screen TV guide. That's nice, but I've also found that the more things an interface does automatically, the more annoying it gets when you happen to try something out of the ordinary.

Then there's the big-brother aspect. One of the supposed strengths here is that the service provider can play off of all the billing and subscriber info it's already got from you, resulting in things like more targeted ads (meaning, ads that are more targeted, and more *of* them).  I'm not sure I like the sound of that.

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upand2theright 12/5/2012 | 5:16:04 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

At least 40 boxes ... if the picture in your story ... is correct.  Networks are complicated.   But that's a lot of moving parts, Craig.  Do carriers really need all that gear to run a video service?  More important, how much does a Cisco Videoscape solution cost?

Cutting through the clutter.  Cisco announced a video architecture, a home gateway, and a new hybrid set-top box.   Mostly powered by the same Cisco hardware from SA.

I thought the demo was good.   But I would like to hear more about the software.   That's differentiating piece going forward  Not the hardware.  How many people and what kind of investment is Cisco making in video software for cheaper, more cost-effective transport.  That's the more interesting question.

 

 

 

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ycurrent 12/5/2012 | 5:16:01 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Thus far, the real innovation from a technology perspective is in the software... and the critical piece - Cisco Conductor - won't be available for another year.

Meanwhile, Videoscape needs to overcome key roadblocks, such as 1) getting content owners to agree to new business models and storage/cache arrangements for their content, and 2) getting service providers to digest an all-Cisco solution.

Solving the business issues is always harder than solving the technology issues, and in this case the technology is not even fully baked.

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upand2theright 12/5/2012 | 5:16:00 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Heard Cisco Videoscape won't be productized for 1-2 years.

Cisco conductor ... 18 months out?   Damn ... that demo was sweet

 

 

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DCITDave 12/5/2012 | 5:16:00 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Actually, the answer is even more cloudly than that. Cisco is selling this through service provider partners, so it's up to those companies to customize the platform, make it their own, integrate it, and bring it to market.

In other words, most consumers in most of the world will never see this at all. But thousands, maybe millions, of service provider customers in different places will see Videoscape -- or something based on it -- within a year.

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DCITDave 12/5/2012 | 5:15:59 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Also, FYI, we posted a video demo here:

http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=202850&

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Pete Baldwin 12/5/2012 | 5:15:57 PM

re: CES: Cisco Unveils Master Plan for Video

Sorry, also meant to mention: Cisco says Conductor makes use of the ExtendMedia acquisition:

Cisco Buys Into TV Everywhere (Again)

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