Cable to Offer Switched Digital Video to TiVo Subs

[dkennedy]

Cable to Offer Switched Digital Video to TiVo Subs

USB Devices Will Let DVRs Access Switched Digital Video
Channels Sans Set-Top Box

November 26, 2007

By Todd Spangler, Multichannel News

Major cable operators in the second quarter of 2008 expect to offer an adapter to customers of TiVo’s digital video recorders that will give the DVRs direct access to switched digital video channels, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association and TiVo announced Monday.

The NCTA committed to developing such a solution in August, after legislators raised concerns that switched digital video technology represented a cable industry initiative that would make certain programming inaccessible to third-party consumer electronics.

Switched digital video transmits linear TV channels only when customers request them. That lets an operator deliver more programming in the same amount of bandwidth with the assumption that fewer than half the channels being switched will be viewed simultaneously.

"Today's announcement is a major breakthrough resulting from marketplace discussions that provides benefits for consumers and cable operators," NCTA president and CEO Kyle McSlarrow said in a statement. "We very much appreciate TiVo's willingness to work on a marketplace solution that will enable TiVo users to enjoy innovative switched digital services without the need for a set-top box."

TiVo CEO Tom Rogers said in a statement the company was "gratified that the cable industry has agreed to work quickly to develop a solution” to allow its DVRs to access switched digital cable channels.

The specifications for the interface to the new adapter were developed in discussions among cable operators, CableLabs, TiVo, Motorola, Scientific Atlanta, BigBand Networks and C-COR.

The Universal Serial Bus-based adapter will let TiVo Series 3 HD DVRs and TiVo HD DVRs access switched digital cable channels without an operator-supplied set-top box. In addition, the NCTA and CableLabs said the adapter will work on any Unidirectional Digital Cable Ready Product that has a USB connector and necessary firmware.

The NCTA said cable operators and TiVo will work cooperatively to alert TiVo customers about availability of the new adapter.

[Skaggs]

The thread in the TiVo Community forum is loacted here.

[Skaggs]

The OpenCable Specifications: Tuning Resolver Interface Specification has been released to the public:

OpenCable Specifications: Tuning Resolver Interface Specification

[phunny]

If you go to www.tivo.com/switched there are some details for Tivo hd.

[Skaggs]

CableLabs Gets Tool to Test Switched Video for TiVos
Consulting Firm Solekai Delivers SDV Simulation Software
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 2/7/2008 5:41:00 PM

Link to article

CableLabs is ready to kick the tires on a "tuning resolver" the industry created to let TiVo digital video recorders and other one-way cable-ready consumer electronics access switched digital video channels.

Solekai Systems, an engineering services company specializing in digital video products, said Thursday it has delivered to CableLabs the first version of a PC-based tool to test out the devices.

The National Cable & Telecommunications Association committed to developing the tuning resolver in August, after legislators raised concerns that switched digital video would make programming inaccessible to TiVos and other third-party consumer electronics.

Last fall, major cable operators said they plan to offer the SDV tuning resolvers -- which are expected to be the size of a small digital set-top box -- to TiVo customers in the second quarter of 2008. Switched digital video allows operators to free up bandwidth, by delivering linear TV channels only when subscribers in a service group request them.

Engineers from Solekai's engineering center in Boulder, Colo., worked with CableLabs to develop the first version of the Tuning Resolver Interface Simulator (TRIS).

“We at CableLabs are encouraged by the flexibility this tool offers to allow us to validate the interfaces between UDCP [unidirectional digital cable products] and tuning resolver devices, and ultimately provide UDCP devices with the ability to access switched digital video services in the field,” CableLabs vice president of advanced media platforms So Vang said, in a prepared statement.

The TRIS tool is designed to test both the tuning resolver and advanced features of a DVR. CableLabs will use the software in its testing and will license it to any interested parties. Solekai will continue to support, modify or enhance the tool for licensees as requested.

Specifications for the tuning resolver were developed by cable operators in collaboration with CableLabs, TiVo, Motorola, Scientific Atlanta, BigBand Networks and C-COR (now part of Arris).

The NCTA and CableLabs have said the device will work with any one-way cable-ready product with a USB connector and has been updated with the necessary firmware.

---

Shown here is a photo of the proposed "tuning resolver", housed in what was a Motorola DCT700 cable box:

[hurnik]

It's hard to tell on the size of that sucker. It could be small, but it *looks* rather large for being a "usb dongle".

A few items though:

if you check the Tivo forums, it seems that each cable company will have to use a diff. unit. For example, our local TW uses SA equipment. Apparently SA has not even STARTED to build/test/assemble a tuning resolver yet.

If that's correct, those of us here, may be SOL for a lot longer than "Q2 2008".

But we can always hope that Verizon FIOS comes here before then (ha!)

[Skaggs]

CableLabs OK's Switched Video Tuners From Cisco, Motorola
Devices Designed to Let Third-Party Devices Like DVRs Access Switched Channels
By Todd Spangler, Multichannel News

CableLabs has certified the switched digital video tuning resolvers developed by Cisco Systems and Motorola that are designed to give third-party devices like TiVo DVRs access to switched TV channels.

In May, Cisco and Motorola submitted their adapters , which are the size of small set-top boxes, to CableLabs for qualification testing.

CableLabs senior vice president of communications Mike Schwartz on Thursday confirmed that the Cisco and Motorola devices have been qualified, noting that the research consortium does not typically announce certifications.

Currently TiVo DVRs and other consumer electronics can access linear cable programming through an operator-provided CableCard.

However, CE products based on the CableLabs-developed tru2way specification —which would allow them to access two-way services such as switched digital video—are not currently available. Nor do all cable systems support tru2way technology (formerly referred to as the OpenCable Application Platform).

Until then, another mechanism is required to let third-party devices access channels delivered through SDV systems, which transmit TV channels only when a subscriber requests them.

The Cisco STA1520 or Motorola MTR700 switched digital video tuning adapters would handle communication to and from the headend for SDV channels, communicating with a TiVo DVR via a USB connector.

The SDV adapters are expected to be offered by MSOs including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Cablevision Systems, to subscribers in areas where they are deploying switched digital video technology. The cable operators and TiVo have said they plan to work cooperatively to notify TiVo subscribers that they will need the new external adapter.

Initially, the cable industry had expected the SDV tuners to be ready to deploy in the second quarter of 2008.

[Skaggs]

Anyone call Albany TWC yet to see when we can get our hands on one?

[hurnik]

I spoke to Kris and he had no idea (hadn't even heard about it). Their other reps (normal CSR) were clueless as usual.