Most markets will be tru2way ready by July 1st

by Ben Drawbaugh posted Jan 14th 2009 at 9:08PM

Although you wouldn't know it from the big press events at CES, tru2way is still on track for mass deployment and July 1st is the big day. The six biggest MSOs, signed on to that date some time ago -- it should be noted that Verizon still hates the idea -- and both Time Warner Cable and Comcast are proud to re-iterate that it's actually going to happen. Ten of TWC's 22 divisions have already deployed tru2way boxes -- no 3rd party device support yet -- which is about half of its customers. Comcast has already started supporting 3rd party tru2way boxes in Chicago and Denver back in October and also expects to have every market ready by July. The MSOs also agreed -- in the same Memorandum of Understanding -- that by July, 20% of its own new boxes would be using tru2way as well. So while it appears the MSOs will be ready for tru2way in 2009, based on the announcements at CES, we'll all have to wait until 2010 before we really see the TV manufacturers fulfill their end of the deal.

Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Cable

Tags: BHN, Bright House, Bright House Networks, BrightHouse, BrightHouseNetworks, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, TimeWarnerCable, tru2way, TWC

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

chumley @ Jan 15th 2009 12:32AM

I find the following quote from the linked article very hard to believe:

The MSO is examining ways of getting Internet content to the TV .... “We’re looking at is, is there some way to get YouTube clips on our set-top? Or even have Netflix have access to our set-top boxes? That’s a device I would love to build for our customers, ...”

Why would cable operators want to open up their boxes to other content providers? Sounds crazy to me. That is why I'm optimistic about tru2way. It opens the door for other equipment manufacturers who do not have the conflict of interest of also being content providers.

Neutral

UnnDunn @ Jan 15th 2009 1:47AM

"...That is why I'm optimistic about tru2way. It opens the door for other equipment manufacturers who do not have the conflict of interest of also being content providers."

Except it doesn't. Tru2way devices are forced to run software provided by the cable company, and all Tru2way devices on a system will run the same software. You will be just as screwed whether you use a regular cable box or a Tru2way device.

Neutral

Mark @ Jan 15th 2009 8:00AM

tru2way is probably open in the same way as mobile phones are open. The phone is implemented to a standard and all phone providers use the same standard. However the provider may subsidize the phone and therefore lock it down to restrict functionality or customize the user experience to point to their services and sites. tru2way probably works the same. It might be possible to buy a subsidized box from a provider, or a unlocked box on your own dime. If you choose the former over the latter you may be subject to restrictions of the service. Maybe you can get an unlock code after a 24 month contract or something. Tru2way might also mean convergence of devices since it runs Java so there is huge potential for the kinds of apps it will run.

Highly Ranked

Le Big Mac @ Jan 15th 2009 9:28AM

Wake me up when TVs are being built with tru2way slots. Replacing a cable box with a cable box that has a tru2way card doesn't get me much of anywhere.

Highly Ranked

Aaron Smith @ Jan 15th 2009 11:10AM

Exactly. There's no reason cable providers can't send out all the HD channels the way we used to get analog cable - just plugging in the coax to the back of the tv. However they want us to buy their VOD crap so they scramble everything to force us into a box. I refuse that and is one reason why I don't have cable anymore. At least a tru2way slot in the tv is 'most' of the way it used to be...

Neutral

chumley @ Jan 15th 2009 3:40PM

I agree that a tru2way box is not very interesting if it is nothing more than a cable box, but what if it provides other functions? A tru2way box could potentially serve as a cable box, DVR, media streamer, bluray player, etc. This is where tru2way gets interesting.

To respond to UnnDunn above, just because the box has to be able to run the software from the cable company, that doesn't preclude the box from performing other functions.

Neutral

glenn s @ Jan 15th 2009 2:41PM

I think that I'll probably be able to drop cable and get all of my content OTA or directly from the internet before I see a tru2way device in my home. Not that I can't drop cable right now...it is just that the content of direct internet feeds isn't quite there yet. It is getting close though. If I could stream ESPN's live feed in anything close to 720P, I would drop cable like a bad habit. (oh wait, cable IS a bad habit).

Neutral

Fanfoot @ Jan 15th 2009 9:34PM

Psst...

The cable companies are L-Y-I-N-G.

You cite lots of reasons not to believe the July 1st date, but act as though because they announced they would make it we should still believe them. Have you not watched how slowly these guys move?

Like glenn s said, I'll be watching all this stuff over the top before tru2way gets deployed.

Neutral

DavidB @ Jan 17th 2009 2:14AM

*sigh* where do all you people so down on the cable industry think all the "cable" channels and programing you watch came from?

Seriously, let's just go back to the way it was and let's see how you like having just ABC CBS NBC. That's if your little podunk down is even big enough to have all three.

All the great programing you now have COMPLETELY sprang from the spending of your cable dollars. How about showing a little respect for an industry that came from nowhere to sell you what you want?

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