Comcast Ditching Microsoft TV Software

Cable operator Comcast is kicking Microsoft's software for set-top boxes to the curb, ending a high-profile deal that never went anywhere.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that cable operator Comcast plans to eliminate Microsoft software from its set-top cable boxes in Washington state, ending a two-and-a-half year partnership which was rolled out with significant fanfare but never went anywhere.

In late 2004, Comcast and Microsoft partnered to put the Redmond company’s TV Foundation Edition at the heart of Comcast set-top boxes, offering digital cable management, video-on-demand, and DVR capabilities. The agreement called for Comcast to roll out the “Microsoft Enhanced” digital cable boxes in Microsoft’s home turf of Seattle and Washington state; under the deal, Comcast had the option to roll out Microsoft’s set-top box solution to other markets.

However, Comcast never chose to offer the Microsoft platform in other markets, and has now decided to pull its GuideWorks platform into Washington. GuideWorks is a joint venture of Gemstar-TV Guide and Comcast, and is the set-top box platform Comcast is currently using in non-Washington markets. According to the Seattle PI, a Comcast spokesperson denied there have been any unusual problems with Microsoft’s system, and technical issues did not play a role in the company’s decision.

[Speaking from personal experience, it would be pretty sad if Comcast's GuideWorks isn't any more functional than Microsoft's glitch-filled, unpredictable platform.]

Comcast reportedly will begin rolling out GuideWorks beginning June 5 in Spokane, with staged deployments throughout the rest of the state running through September. The Seattle market should make the changeover at the end of June.