You gotta love the cable industry sometimes. It takes an act of congress to get them to move towards an open standard for all, and then from the very beginning they drag their feet for twelve years. Now here we are, close to the dream of being able to access all the same services with any HDTV, as those with a STB, and the CableLabs CEO pretends to extend an olive branch to the telco industry by letting them know they can use the open standard tru2way too. Sure, the FCC didn't specifically mandate the deployment of tru2way, but it did require an open platform to be created and considering that FiOS (for example) has been required by the FCC to support CableCARD -- just like any other cable company -- we find it hilarious that CableLabs would pretend that the cable industry would do their competition any favors.

Uh oh -- it looks like early-adopter Panasonic has hit some choppy waters in its tru2way TV efforts. The first sets subjected to CableLabs testing showed several bugs in the implementation, and talk coming from insiders indicates that no-nos like disabling Emergency Alert System messages slipped through. For its part, CableLabs is being professional and not making any comments on the Panasonic results. Panasonic is also putting a brave face on things, and is not retreating from its goal of delivering tru2way TVs to retail shelves in time for the 2008 holiday season. We wouldn't rule it out, either -- Panasonic has some serious resources it can throw at the problem; but this does throw a major wrench into the works. We're still optimistic about tru2way, and are willing to wait a few more months to get things right. Introduction of new technology and/or standards is always challenging, so we hope this setback doesn't have a chilling effect on other tru2way players -- quite the contrary, it could spur more aggressive development to claim the "first tru2way TV" title.

This one probably goes without saying, but just in case you're inclined to waste a few gallons of precious regular unleaded searching for a tuning adapter, don't. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) and TiVo have jointly issued a release to inform the public that "several manufacturers of switched digital external tuning adapters have submitted products for formal testing at CableLabs." On the positive side, this means we're inching closer to seeing these devices hit store shelves, but sadly, it also means we're not done wading through red tape just yet. For those unfamiliar, these newfangled "tuning adapters" will enable TiVo Series3, TiVo HD and certain one-way set-top-boxes that utilize CableCARDs to "access digital cable channels delivered using switched digital (SDV) technology." Hit up the read link for all the details, and check out our hands-on galleries with a few of the boxes right here.

Despite the fact that Switched Digital Video will allow HD providers to bring us more HD goodness, it's been a bad word around here because it prevents TiVos in Vista Media Centers from access the new HD. But with the Cable Show and the first public display of the Tuning Adapter -- formerly known as the tuning resolver -- right around the corner, TiVo fans can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But at the same time, with no word from Microsoft or AMD, Vista Media Center users with ATI Digital Cable Tuners are on the edge of their seats. So we decided to hit up AMD and CableLabs for some answers, and while we didn't hear exactly what we wanted to, the response was promising. According to AMD it's "in discussions with all the relevant parties to address the issue of Switched Digital Video" and CableLabs was quick to respond by saying "the CableLabs specifications for the Tuning Adapter and the UDCP application extension do not technically prevent use with an OCUR." Of course all this really amounts to is a definite maybe, but we're optimistic we'll see this happen.

With the problems that CableCARD ran into, CE company reticence to adopt the new tru2way standard is understandable. But CableLabs has gone a ways toward not repeating past mistakes in its updated tru2way licensing agreement. First and foremost, CE companies will be able to "self-certify" their products. This is great news for manufacturers and consumers alike, and could solve issues stemming from the previous requirement that all gear must be submitted to CableLabs for certification. Altogether, the changes show a "kinder, gentler" face of CableLabs, which seems to get the hint that more cooperation with companies that actually make goods for consumers is a good thing. For its efforts, Samsung has put its name on the dotted line of the new agreement. We like what we're seeing with tru2way, and hope to get more hands-on impressions at The Cable Show later this month. Who knows, maybe roll-your-own tru2way HTPCs could be around the corner!

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]

Earlier this year, we got word that switched digital support for CableCARD was still on track for Q2, and now we're feeling a tad more confident in said assertion thanks to a recent update from Motorola. According to the company's Mari Silbey, its own tuning resolver -- which is meant to allow any third-party CableCARD device to access channels delivered via SDV -- will officially be christened MTR700. Additionally, we're told that it'll likely look just like the DCT700 set-top-box (pictured), and that the unit has just passed through a CableLabs interop "with flying colors." Next, we're expecting the device to be submitted for CableLabs' Cert Wave 60, and best of all, Moto assures us that the STB will be on display (and "functional" enough for demos) at next month's Cable Show in New Orleans. Huzzah!

[Via Light Reading]

Hi-def and DVRs go together like peanut butter and jelly, but even with all the great DVRs available today, none are perfect. TiVo offers the best overall user experience and features, but lacks a few fundamental features that most cable STBs have -- like VOD, for starters. Although this isn't TiVo's fault, when it comes down to figuring out what's right for your family, it really doesn't matter. During Tivo's earnings call yesterday, it was reaffirmed that TiVo is working one step closer to making the ultimate cable DVR by including two-way functionality using the latest CableLabs standard tru2way. For those who haven't been keeping track at home, tru2way has undergone an identity crisis, and if you go back long enough, you'll find that it was called CableCARD 2.0 -- by someone. The way this would work is that you'd have a way on a TiVo to access the cable company's UI, so good or bad, when you're accessing VOD content, you'd see the same thing as if you were using a Moto or SA Cisco box. What isn't known is if current HD TiVo owners, with the help of a tuning resolver and some software, would have access to the same features. We don't see why not, but this stuff is already way more complicated than it should be, and at this point we wouldn't put anything by CableLabs.

It's hard to believe the first quarter of '08 is almost half way over, but time can't pass fast enough when you're waiting on something. TiVo fans everywhere don't look like they'll have to wait too much longer for new HD channels -- that are already available to cable co' DVR users -- thanks to new testing equipment that CableLabs has received that is designed to allow 3rd party CableCARD devices to play nice with switched digital video. This new STB -- which is also known as a tunning resolver and is expected to look something the box pictured here -- will allow any 3rd party CableCARD device to access channels delivered using SDV -- assuming the device is compatible. At this point, this is all about TiVo owners, but many hope that Microsoft will get in on the action as well.

CableLabs' latest DRM scheme, DTCP-IP (Digital Transmission Copy Protection), got approval from a number of movie studios last week. This new streaming protocol is an extension of the DTCP protection on FireWire links, and is supposed to allow secured sharing of digital content within a home network. How secure? According to the CableLabs CEO, the new protocol allows for the "same level of protection, functionality, and treatment of content" as with AACS. Ahem. If that's true, count on a crack before the standard ever sees the light of day. Still, we're hoping that this will open up possibilities for TiVO functionality that has gone missing, like To-Go and Multi-Room Viewing. We also wonder what the real definition of a "home network" means to CableLabs -- could this spell trouble for place-shifting devices like the Slingbox?

In the past week we have been on a quest to make sense of this entire CableCARD mess. We started out by talking to Motorola which was great, but left us even more confused, so we decided to go straight to the source and give CableLabs a call. While we're not excited about the answers, we did learn that CableCARD 2.0 does exist and it's ready to go. Along the way we also learned what's preventing TiVo and Microsoft from adding our favorite features to their latest CableCARD host devices.

Doth our eyes deceive us? Have we finally happened upon a real life computer with real life CableCARD after all these years? It looks like PC Mag's finally got that early review up of the Dell XPS 410 with ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner (and Blu-ray, to boot!), which we've come to find out is, unfortunately, still just a working prototype (read: not hitting the market just yet). That didn't stop them and their dual CableCARD tuners from jacking into some serious HD cable though. Interesting notes:

• Dell claims that the sales rep who takes the order for your CableCARD-equipped Dell box will also schedule an appointment with your local cable company to have the CableCARDs delivered and installed the same day your system comes. (Really? We're skeptical.)
• The initial CableCARD install apparently took three friggin hours to drop in, provision, and get running; one of the two tuners continually didn't work for PC Mag, which caused lingering issues. Both the cable company and Dell eventually had to reflash the tuner and CableCARDs.
• HD (and some SD) video had problems: "stuttering and video artifact issues". Bummer.
  
• Dell said "the company went with Blu-ray instead of HD-DVD [sic] simply because BD-RE is a writable drive now" -- does that mean when writable HD DVD drives are more commonplace Dell will offer both?
• Streaming live and recorded TV to your Xbox 360 works flawlessly, as expected.
• Blu-ray playback worked well with 3rd party apps, but like HD DVD, it can't yet be done in Media Center (yay DRM)
• The system hit some performance limits when playing back Blu-ray flicks and streaming or recording media. More power!
• We don't agree with PC Mag's assessment that "TV on Vista's MCE interface is still a niche product". Perhaps because many millions of Media Center PCs have been shipped -- but let's not split hairs.

There, are you as stoked as we are for this? Problems and crappy CableLABS DRM and CableCARD issues and all?

We already know how fond CableLabs is of HD VOD content, so it makes perfect sense that the gurus behind the scenes are aiming to provide media that satisfies the discerning eye of the HD viewer. Considering that nearly every HDTV owner has a sneaking suspicion that they're not getting the bandwidth they're paying for at times, CableLabs new specifications hope to ensure that HD VOD viewers don't get the "HD Lite" experience. While the recommended SD VOD rate remained steady at just 3.75Mbps, CableLabs has named 15Mbps the "safe harbor bitrate" to allow all forms of HD VOD content (including talking heads and fast-moving action films) to be seen at a quality that represents what HDTV should be about, including 5.1 audio and an absence of pixelation. Of course, these latest suggestions are entirely based on MPEG2 transfers, and could very well change if MPEG4 starts running the show, but at the very least it's good to see someone making sure we get our due bandwidth.

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 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]