Switched Digital Cable coming 2008

[Quicksilver]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/zd/20071126/tc_zd/220176

Mark Hachman - ExtremeTech
Mon Nov 26, 10:17 AM ET
The cable industry has developed technology that will allow CableCard-based set-top boxes and other devices to access a technology called switched digital video.

The work was done by CableLabs, the development and certification arm of the U.S. cable industry. CableLabs partners included TiVo, Motorola, Scientific-Atlanta, BigBand Networks and C-COR.

TiVo said the new adapters would be available for its customers in the second quarter of 2008. The new external adapter will attach to TiVo Series 3 HD DVRs and TiVo HD DVRs via USB, to ensure the DVRs can directly access all digital channels including switched digital cable channels.

Current cable set-top boxes, including those that use CableCards, are what the industry refers to as a "Unidirectional Digital Cable Ready Product", capable of one-way data transmission. The problem for cable operators, however, is that all of the channels available to a particular home must be carried on the optical fiber, and then selected by an individual set-top box.

Switched digital, on the other hand, is a derivative of video-on-demand services: each set-top requests a channel upstream to the distribution hub, which then sends the channel out to the fiber, where it can be tuned by one or more boxes. Cutting out the unwatched channels frees up additional bandwidth, which the cable companies plan to make available for additional services, such as VoIP or HD video.

Existing unidirectional devices have had no way of communicating those requests upstream, however, and all of the boxes on the network must apparently use the USB adapter to access services. The adapters are designed to solve that problem, and will connect to set-tops via a USB connection.

Whether or not users will be forced to buy the additional adapters, however, appears to be up to the individual cable provider.

CableLabs representatives were not available for comment. In a statement, however, industry executives called switched video a critical technology as the industry approaches the analog-to-digital switchover in 2009.

"We are gratified that the cable industry has agreed to work quickly to develop a solution that will enable existing TiVo CableCARD DVRs to directly access switched digital cable channels and ensure the adapter is part of an easy installation process for cable subscribers," said Tom Rogers, TiVo's president and chief executive, in a statement. "We look forward to working with the cable industry in other ways to improve consumer access to cable services."

[soccerjunky]

So am i getting more hd cable channels?

[motordavid]

Interesting news, but I find that our "local" ComCrap is not the
trendsetter/early adopter of stuff, here in FL.

And, when the new boxes arrive, you can bet the customer "wants
it" line is long and the cable co. will charge more for new box/cable
card adaption deal.

I enjoy our Comcrap pkg here; I just know they are doing what they
can to squeeze every dime out of the customer and the regional
variances/offerings make little sense to me.

No techie here; jes' a consumer...but they are not flexing much to
"current users". All the companies chase the "new hookup customer"
and let the current users eat cake, imo.

[GUINNESS]

Well, Cox is going to have to do something to keep me as a customer next year. I think AT&T was saying mid to late 2008 is when we'd receive fios video. Right now, you still need a satellite if you bundle through AT&T, but phone and internet is fios. They said they're working on our area to get rid of the satellite and it will work as explained above.

[Quicksilver]

You got that right.....

Originally Posted by motordavid

And, when the new boxes arrive, you can bet the customer "wants it" line is long and the cable co. will charge more for new box/cable card adaption deal.

[Meiac09]

Originally Posted by GUINNESS

I think AT&T was saying mid to late 2008 is when we'd receive fios video.

AT&T has FiOS?

[GUINNESS]

Originally Posted by Meiac09

AT&T has FiOS?

They sure do... in certain areas of course.

[08WhtX5]

Originally Posted by Meiac09

AT&T has FiOS?

I believe FIOS is a Verizon offering not AT&T

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by 08WhtX5

I believe FIOS is a Verizon offering not AT&T

Exactly.

[08WhtX5]

Fios actually has a great deal in my area, competion is a good thing, but they require a digital set top box for each TV.

That was the deal breaker for me.