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play for digital cable
New standards to ensure sets work on all systems
By David Everitt
Sending out a digital TV signal doesn’t mean a whole lot unless people can get that signal on their TVs. And for cable TV viewers, that’s been a problem.
The digital cable hook-up has not been compatible with current digital TV sets. Most observers blame the cable industry for dragging its feet in coming up with an interface that would provide a solution.
As a result, the distribution of digital TV has been hampered.
Finally, though, there may be a breakthrough.
In the first week of this month, Cable Television Laboratories published the software specifications that promise to pave the way for consumers to be able to simply plug in their cables to get digital services, from interactivity to HDTV.
"Clearly, this is an important step forward," says Jeff Joseph, spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association. "The publication of the standard gives us the opportunity to make sure that it is workable."
The second half of that statement makes it clear that there still might be problems ahead. But first, the good news.
"The fact that the major MSOs have signed on to this standard is very encouraging," Joseph says.
Perhaps most important, according to Joseph, is that the major cable operators have come together to address the issue of portability.
The idea here is that customers’ ability to plug in and receive digital cable is not enough by itself. They should be able to take their TV equipment with them when they relocate to a different area and a different cable system and still be able to plug in and receive.
Assuming that the new specifications for portability satisfy the CEA and the TV equipment manufacturers, there is still another issue that might become a stumbling block. This has to do with–brace yourself–the Point-of-Deployment Host Interface License Agreement (PHI License Agreement, or simply PHILA).
Essentially, this deals with copy-protection, a way for programmers to keep people from making unlimited copies of extra-sharp digital content. TV manufacturers have to sign the agreement in order to take advantage of the compatibility standard.
The cable industry says it is neutral on this issue.
"We’re basically caught in the middle on this one," says National Cable Telecommunications Association spokesman Mark Smith. "Programmers want to protect their property, and consumers want to keep what they’ve had for years, the ability to copy shows."
As Smith explains it, PHILA requires that programs go out with a digital code that regulates the number of copies that can be made, depending on the value of the broadcast.
When a major HDTV event is aired for the first time, for instance, the consumer cannot make any copies. When it is rebroadcast on a premium cable network, the consumer will be able to make one copy, and so on through the various distribution windows.
So far, Motorola, Scientific-Atlanta and Pace Micro have signed on. The CEA, though, is reserving judgment.
"We still have to take a look at the language of this version of the license," says Joseph.
"In an early version, some of the language was alarming. The way it was worded, if a consumer bought a TV set from a manufacturer that had not signed the agreement, the cable operator would be able to detect that electronically, and it could then prevent the consumer from viewing a particular channel or shut off the cable signal altogether. We need to make sure the new version has corrected that problem."
The CEA has urged the Federal Communications Commission to publish the PHI license agreement as a first step to opening up discussion on the issue. According to a statement released by CEA president Gary Shapiro, the agreement "must protect the security of cable systems without compromising consumer home recording and fair use rights."
All of which makes it pretty clear that digital sets and digital cable are not going to be completely compatible tomorrow. When can we expect the new technical standard will become a reality for consumers? When will the new digital-cable-compatible sets become available?
"I don’t know," says Joseph. "All I can say is that it generally takes 18 months for manufacturers to go from product design to market."
January 16, 2002 © 2002 Media Life
-David Everitt covers technology for Media Life, writing from Huntington, N.Y.
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