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CableLabs investigating possible 3D delivery standards

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 13th 2009 at 11:44AM

Count one more standards body trying to figure out how to bring the 3D experience home properly, now that CableLabs has begun investigating the best delivery system. the CableLabs VP of consumer video technology is the chair of the SCTE working group on 3D and claims there's as many as 30 different methods of multiplexing the video stream, so it could be a slow march towards a standard, including such problems as where the decoding happens, on a set-top box or in the display itself, but we should be able to expect experiments like the recent live BskyB trial here in the future, but your guess is as good as ours to precisely when.

CableLabs certifies first tru2way Panasonic HDTVs

by Richard Lawler posted Oct 1st 2008 at 9:51PM


Sure it hasn't always been smooth going, but it looks like Panasonic's tru2way HDTV has successfully navigated into a sector containing high quantities of win. That puts the 42- and 50-inch PZ80Q televisions seen at CEDIA on track to hit shelves before Christmas as promised, though official pricing information still eludes us. Still undergoing testing in the labs? A Panasonic tru2way STB, while previously certified hardware from Samsung and LG remains in limbo and ADB's tru2way-certified box waits in the wings. Those eagerly awaiting the second coming of CableCard, keep your wallets at the ready.

LG, Funai officially jump on the tru2way bandwagon

by Richard Lawler posted Jul 28th 2008 at 5:37PM


tru2way might not be entirely without issues, but add one more major ally to CableLabs' two-way technology, as LG (and Funai) both signed onto the same Memorandum of Understanding ratified by the six largest cable operators and a slew of consumer electronics manufacturers. Ideally, this means tru2way rollout will be speedy, and there will be plenty of hardware on shelves over the next year. LG prez Woo Paik expects HDTVs planned for '09 and beyond to include tru2way support, hopefully their compatibility testing will go a little bit better than Panasonic's.

Digeo settles with Gemstar, new Moxi DVR on the way

by Richard Lawler posted Apr 22nd 2008 at 9:45AM

The continuing saga of Digeo and its now you see it / now you don't DVRs at CES has taken another step, first by the company resolving a lawsuit with Gemstar-TV Guide. Courtesy of a multiyear licensing agreement, any problems with its "too similar" guide software should be in the past; a good thing since Light Reading noticed the Moxi HD DVD 3012, set to debut at next month's Cable Show with dual tuners, increased hard drive and CableCARD support. We'll keep an eye out for more details on the new hardware hidden among all that tru2way equipment.

[Via ZatznotFunny]

CableLabs and UpdateLogic to provide digital TV software updates via cable

by Richard Lawler posted Oct 17th 2006 at 1:17PM

Digital TVs are complex consumer electronics devices in their own right, and sometimes need software updates. UpdateLogic has had technology in place to deliver updates to TVs from manufacturers like Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp and Sony via PBS, but what about the many customers with only a cable box and no OTA antennas? Now the company has partnered with CableLabs to use the OpenCable specification to enable updates to set top boxes as well as connected digital TVs. This process doesn't need user intervention, so don't expect a call from your parents on how to install the latest update, but at the same time we can just see the first time someone comes home to a dead HDTV from an upgrade gone wrong. Those reservations aside the ability to hopefully add features and solve minor glitches is intriguing, although there's no word on a possible 1080p software update for that 13-inch TV/VCR combo in our basement.

CableLabs specs DOCSIS 3.0: IPv6, 160Mbps internet and more HDTV in 2008

by Richard Lawler posted Aug 7th 2006 at 9:36PM

CableLabs announced today that the Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) 3.0 has been drafted. The new standard will allow cable operators to more efficiently use their frequency and offer speeds as high as 160Mbps downstream and 120Mbps upstream. Whether or not we get speeds 10 times higher than cable modems and DSL currently offer anytime soon, the new standard will also allow operators to use their bandwidth for stuff we will definitely enjoy, like more HDTV channels and VOD.

Unfortunately because of the major hardware changes required, we probably won't see this rolled out until at least 2008, so cable companies may use pre-3.0 equipment to roll out higher speeds and features to compete with fiber and satellite television offerings. It's worth mentioning that this also affects Blu-ray and HD DVD, if neither is able to make significant impact on the market consumers may be able to download high definition movies just as easily as buying them in a store in just a few years.

[Via Cable Digital News]




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