Notes

CableCARD 2.0 is now Available

We have been trying to figure out the CableCARD confusion for the last week. We began by calling Motorola, which was great, but left more confusion. We decided to call CableLabs to get answers. Although we're not thrilled with the answers, we did learn that CableCARD 2.0 does exist and it's ready to launch. We also learned the reasons that are preventing TiVo and Microsoft from bringing our favorite features to their latest CableCARD host devices.We aren't certain why this is so complex, but right off the bat, lets be clear about something. CableCARDs have been able to support two-way communications for some time, 2.0 is the first time a two-way host device certification is being issued. gaming This is the certification that is required by any consumer electronics device that wants to utilize the two-way CableCARD capabilities. They also happen to be multi-stream cards, (up to 6 simultaneous) hence they are known as M-Cards. Earlier cards are called S-Cards, which refer to single-stream. SA and Motorola are already using new boxes that are certified for two-way communication. All newly installed digital cable STBs across the US will be CableCARD 2.0 certified starting July 1st, 2007. Some CE companies (LG, Panasonic and Samsung for example) are beginning to test their two-way devices with different cable companies around the US and with any luck we will see one in the wild by the end of the year or in the near future. You should now be asking yourself, "What is stopping TiVo and Microsoft from launching multi-stream, two-way CableCARD devices?" CableLabs' certification specification is not what many CE companies want. The OCAP requirement is the main source of contention as we have discussed. While CableLabs is a tech lab, and is not involved in the political machinations that govern these requirements, the members of CableLabs believe that, without OCAP disintermediation (their word , not ours) occurs. This will eliminate the middlemanwhich is your cable company. OCAP signified that TiVo could not deploy their software on a dual-channel host device without approval from the cable company. This means that the concept of purchasing an TiVo that is universally compatible could not be achieved unless every cable company agreed and supported TiVo's OCAP software. This is the way that the long-awaited Comcast-TiVo deal will operate. Vista Media Center might be the same. Microsoft would need to create an OCAP-based virtual machine within Vista Media Center and then collaborate with every cable company to make sure they've got their own user interface. This assumes that the OCAP platform is capable of providing the same rich user interface as Microsoft and TiVo. Otherwise, switching between functions and OCAP required functions could be an issue.



Another interesting fact we discovered was that features such as TiVoToGo Multi-Room Streaming, and even eSATA external hard drive support are not included in the CableCARD certification specification. These details are included in the license, which must be signed by the company in order to become certified. CableLabs can accept solutions from other companies to enable these features and will be added to the license. So , there is a good chance that these features will become an actuality, but once again the members of CableLabs -- which is just about every cable company in the US is the one who decides what's added to the license.



We certainly respect the desire of the cable companies to manage their networks, after all they do own it, and they do have a business to manage. Two-way CableCARD devices that are not authorized by the company could cause havoc. While CableLabs is complying with the law, we don't believe it's in line with the spirit of the law, since it doesn't provide a truly open platform. At some point, the cable companies must realize that what's good for their customers is also good for their business.



We're hoping that CableLabs will be required by the FCC to validate two-way devices that do not require OCAP.



Megazone is an honorary thank you for helping me comprehend all of this.


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