Sci/Tech DirecTV may try broadband on power lines

[The Helper]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Satellite television provider DirecTV Group Inc. may test delivering high-speed Internet service through power lines in a major U.S. city in the next year, its chief executive said on Monday.

DirecTV and others are talking to companies that specialize in providing broadband through the electrical grid, Chief Executive Chase Carey said at the Reuters Global Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit in New York.

"We're not the only ones talking to them," Carey said, in response to a question on whether DirecTV would consider a test in a major city. "I think you'll see some meaningful tests in this arena."

DirecTV may try broadband on power lines

Satellite television provider DirecTV Group Inc. may test delivering high-speed Internet service through power lines in a major U.S. city in the next year, its chief executive said on Monday.

www.reuters.com

 

[ThySpektre]

Big Brother looms

If you or anyone you know is in an area where BPL (Broadbnd over Power Lines) is being proposed, write your congressman and oppose it.

BPL is a bad idea technically and ethically. Technically, BPL is well known to cause so much interference on the radio AM band and serveral emergency frequencies as to make them unusable.

Ethically, you do not want your power and your information being lumped together at the same place. Imagine your home where every device plugged into an outlet has the ability to "phone home" information about your usage habits. Which TV programs or DVDs you like to watch? What temperature do you like your air conditioning set at? How many times a day do you visit the refrigerator? Perhaps someone with a bit of hacking skill would like to see what settings your home security system uses.

Keep BPL out!

ThySpektre

 

[sqrage]

What temperature do you like your air conditioning set at? How many times a day do you visit the refrigerator?

It's just internet through power lines, not installing a camera to spy on you.

 

[Rad]

If you or anyone you know is in an area where BPL (Broadbnd over Power Lines) is being proposed, write your congressman and oppose it.

BPL is a bad idea technically and ethically. Technically, BPL is well known to cause so much interference on the radio AM band and serveral emergency frequencies as to make them unusable.

Ethically, you do not want your power and your information being lumped together at the same place. Imagine your home where every device plugged into an outlet has the ability to "phone home" information about your usage habits. Which TV programs or DVDs you like to watch? What temperature do you like your air conditioning set at? How many times a day do you visit the refrigerator? Perhaps someone with a bit of hacking skill would like to see what settings your home security system uses.

Keep BPL out!

ThySpektre

You are paranoid... Even if they were using it to "watch us", why? Are they all of a sudden going to hire a million police, to go to each house and arrest a huge portion of the population for downloading programs illegally?

Is it the government? What the crap... The only reasonable solution I could come up with from doing that, would be for advertising... But google (and most others) already do something like that, they record what you search for, and then the google ads will be more relevant (Sort of why i get BF2142 ads on myspace...)

But, I dont see a bad side to it. Its nice not having massive amounts of "FREE AOL TRIAL!" ... Advertisements will always be there

lol, theres a certain amount of technology that would have to go in it also... It would cost to much to make refridgerators and common household items actually send data THROUGH THE POWER LINES.

Broadband uses a completely different system, and if im not mistaken Comcast (my BPL provider) actually rents the 'pole space' from EWEB, the electrical company who established it... They have no access to the power lines, just the poles to hold their own

 

[johnnyfire]

Actually the biggest problem with BPL is not that it can spy on you "it can't" even if it was possible there would be no advantage to it anyway... oh my god he opened the fridge 5 times today, turned on the AC, and watched tv for 8 hours... how does that help anyone, ethics my ass

it should however be opposed because it interrupts low level radio frequencies... AM, HAM, police radio, emergency radio, even some walkie talkies

if they find a solution to that then, great, no problem, i would get it

 

[ThySpektre]

It's just internet through power lines, not installing a camera to spy on you.

You are right...it's actually much more intrusive.

You are paranoid... Even if they were using it to "watch us", why?

The price for freedom is eternal vigilence.

it should however be opposed because it interrupts low level radio frequencies... AM, HAM, police radio, emergency radio, even some walkie talkies

Agreed!

if they find a solution to that then, great, no problem, i would get it

Perhaps you like the idea of someone knowing what show you are watching 24/7, how often you eat out (stove not being used), what your sleep/wake cycles are, etc. I'd prefer my power and my data are only brought together when I chose to, thank you.

ThySpektre

 

[emjlr3]

they can already spy on us with telescopes and see our every move, don't see you estatic over that

btw, your actions here have been noted and -repped, accordingly

 

[johnnyfire]

Perhaps you like the idea of someone knowing what show you are watching 24/7, how often you eat out (stove not being used), what your sleep/wake cycles are, etc. I'd prefer my power and my data are only brought together when I chose to, thank you.

my stove is a gas stove...
i don't see how they could successfully or completely moniter sleep cycles...
most of the stuff you fear is already being done on a more general scale (TV ratings) (cookies)

btw, your actions here have been noted and -repped, accordingly

i don't think you should be -repped for stating an opinion especially in the news zone because its just that an opinion
however irrational the thought process is he stated it in a logical manner

 

[ThySpektre]

my stove is a gas stove...
i don't see how they could successfully or completely moniter sleep cycles...
most of the stuff you fear is already being done on a more general scale (TV ratings) (cookies)



i don't think you should be -repped for stating an opinion especially in the news zone because its just that an opinion
however irrational the thought process is he stated it in a logical manner

Thanks,

All of my gas stoves have had electronic starters. Perhaps yours IS the old match or mechanical striker kind...

In most situations a good estimate of sleep/wake cycles could be achieved thru monitoring lighting situations.

Reps are an irrelavant "score".

ThySpektre

 

[emjlr3]

I was referring to his triple post...

 

[johnnyfire]

Why didn't you say that? I was thinking you just -repped him cuz you disagreed.

 

[The Helper]

We have good mods on this forum. They basically merged his triple post into one but this was after he was neg repped of course.

 

[ThySpektre]

We have good mods on this forum. They basically merged his triple post into one but this was after he was neg repped of course.

Of course...

 

[The Helper]

Don't worry I will handle that neg rep when I go on my monthly Bluesin neg rep purge

 

[johnnyfire]

lol... didn't bluesin say he'd stop... not likely