CableLabs Conducts First Wave of OpenCable Interoperability Testing.LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 2, 1999-- Cable Television Laboratories Inc. (CableLabs(R)), along with a number of manufacturers, conducted successful tests during the week of July 26 that focused on the removable security cards that allow for retail availability of cable digital set-top boxes The cable TV box that sits on "top" of the TV "set," although it is often located several feet away in an equipment rack. The set-top box descrambles the premium channels and provides a tuner for the higher cable numbers that very old TVs did not support. . Manufacturers that successfully demonstrated functionality were General Instrument, Mindport, NDS See eDirectory. NDS - Netware Directory Services , Nagra, Philips Electronics, SCM (1) (Software Configuration Management, Source Code Management) See configuration management. (2) See supply chain management. Microsystems, and Scientific-Atlanta. Many of the firms that demonstrated this functionality also partnered with suppliers of headend equipment and set-top boxes, including Divicom, Samsung, and Panasonic. Approximately 40 representatives from these companies were at CableLabs for the week of testing. CableLabs expects to attract additional supplying companies to future interoperability The capability of two or more hardware devices or two or more software routines to work harmoniously together. For example, in an Ethernet network, display adapters, hubs, switches and routers from different vendors must conform to the Ethernet standard and interoperate with each other. events. This event focused on testing the scrambling and de-scrambling functions associated with the removable security cards for compliance with the OpenCable point of deployment (POD) module interface specification. OpenCable is the CableLabs managed project that seeks to facilitate the development of advanced digital devices from multiple suppliers that will communicate, or interoperate, with one another. The project is working to achieve a retail available set-top box or integrated television set that employs a POD module by the July 1, 2000, deadline established by the FCC (1) (Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC, www.fcc.gov) The U.S. government agency that regulates interstate and international communications including wire, cable, radio, TV and satellite. The FCC was created under the U.S. . Additional interoperability events are scheduled to help meet the FCC deadlines. In preparation for these future interoperability events, CableLabs issued a request for information (RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) High-frequency electromagnetic waves that emanate from electronic devices such as chips. RFI - Radio Frequency Interference ) that seeks to identify companies interested in providing set-top boxes, integrated television sets, or computer cards as part of OpenCable(TM) interoperability waves starting in September. Responses are due at CableLabs August 16 to Paul Zimmerman Paul Lionel Zimmerman (born October 23 1932 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), known to many fans as "Dr. Z", is an American football sportswriter who currently writes for the weekly magazine Sports Illustrated. He is sometimes confused with (but not related to) Paul D. , systems integration manager for CableLabs. The RFI is available on the CableLabs website, www.cablelabs.com. "These interoperability milestones demonstrate the very real advantages of inter-industry cooperation," said CableLabs President and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Dr. Richard R. Green. "We appreciate the great support from cable's traditional suppliers, software companies, consumer electronics suppliers, the Hollywood studios and retailers." "Last week's interoperability efforts, coupled with issuance of this RFI, are significant steps in the cable industry's efforts to meet the expectations of the FCC and of Congress. The overall cooperation, teamwork and focus were very encouraging," said Lisa Lee, OpenCable project director. "In fact, one consumer electronics manufacturer said that this phase of interoperability testing was a real project breakthrough." CableLabs is a research and development consortium of cable television system operators representing the continents of North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. and South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. . CableLabs plans and funds research and development projects that will help cable companies take advantage of future opportunities and meet future challenges in the cable television industry. It also transfers relevant technologies to member companies and to the industry. In addition, CableLabs acts as a clearinghouse to provide information on current and prospective technological developments that are of interest to the cable industry. CableLabs maintains web sites at http://www.cablelabs.com; http://www.cablemodem.com; http://www.cablenet.org; http://www.opencable.com; and http://www.packetcable.com. |
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