[opendtv] Re: 20041213 Mark's Monday Memo
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:53:24 -0500
At 12:34 PM -0500 12/14/04, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
> > In a somewhat related story, Multichannel News
>> reported today that NCTA president Robert Sachs has also
>> been lobbying Powell to get the FCC to drop its
>> requirement that cable systems cease providing "integrated"
>> (channel navigation with conditional-access control)
>> set-top boxes as of July 2006. Once again, the full story
>> requires a paid subscription:
><http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA487462.html?display=3DBreaking+New=
>s>
>
>Is there such a requirement? It sounds unlikely that cable
>STBs are forbidden, certainly not until a two-way cable
>plug and play agreement has been developed.
>
>This FCC consumer facts sheet doesn't mention anywhere that
>cable STBs will be unavailable after a certain date.
>
>http://ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/plugandplaytv.pdf
>
>Bert
I believe that the FCC has rules that the cable industry must
separate the security pod from the rest of the STB next year, rather
than integrating it in the motherboard design. I believe that this is
intended to level the playing field between the traditional suppliers
of cable STBs, and the new digital cable ready STBs and integrated
receivers being sold by the consumer electronics industry.
This has nothing to do with forbidding any party to build and sell
STBs. In this case the FCC is regulating the physical design of cable
receivers, requiring that the security POD be a separate, removable
component. The rationale behind this decision is that it "should"
force the cable systems to make security pods available to all
customers, regardless of who made the STB or integrated receiver.
Regards
Craig
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