Commercial Availability of Navigation Devices
FCC Comments
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
Richard Bennett
8/12/2010

Bennett discusses video navigation devices in his most recent reply comments to the FCC.  Navigation devices are more commonly known as personal video recorders (PVR) in these comments.  Bennett believes that the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on PVRs is based on technology of navigation devices in the late 1990′s.  He feels that ITIF can offer a different solution that both meets the FCC’s long term goals and will meet consumer needs.

In course of the Reply Comments, Bennett discusses the following:

• History of the Personal Video Recorder
• Current Claims
• Why the Retail PVR Hasn’t Prospered
• An Alternative Video Gateway

The NPRM suggests a device known as the All Vid gateway/adapter which would be a route between MVPD devices and retail PVRs.  “Programming and program guide data flows from the MVPD to the PVR over a standard interface, and tuning requests flow from the PVR through the gateway and on to the MVPD’s internal equipment.”

Bennett concludes that reconceptualizing this idea as a device that acts as a search of all your equipment and services for content would be a much better vision.  He compares it to having a “local version of Netflix” in your house.

You can find the comments here.