Five years ago this week… Comcast announced that it wanted to bring its X1 set top to a bigger broadband footprint, hinting that the product may switch from being an exclusive premium offering to one that is readily available. X1 was one of the first US hybrid set tops able to accept QAM-delivered TV as well as DOCSIS-delivered IP video, and merge them into a single UI. Four years later, Comcast announced in January 2023 that it would roll out a single global UI for all of its video properties – Xfinity, X1, Flex, Xumo, and Sky Glass, including licensing partners in the US and overseas. Today, Comcast counts Mediacom and Cox Communications in the US, and Shaw Communications, Rogers,…