Document 1513487

OpenCable™
Is this the future…?
The Birth of OpenCable™


In September of 1997, CableLabs and its members
established OpenCable,. a project aimed at
obtaining interoperable set-tops.
“The lure of billion-dollar markets that can only
be tapped with standards-based gear is doing
wonders for the previously non-existent
colaborative spirit of cable operators.” Brian
Robinson, Contributing Editor tele.com Magazine, Apr,98
The OpenCable™ Initiative

To develop interoperability among set-tops from multiple
vendors for use in two-way cable networks.

OpenCable™ is consistent with, and furthers the goals of,
Section 629 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that
requires competitive availability of navigation devices

OpenCable™ was established to develop the key interface
specifications for the use of advanced digital set top box
terminals in broadband two-way cable networks
Telecommunications
Act of 1996
“The Commission shall, in consultation with
appropriate industry standard-setting
organizations, adopt regulations to assure the
commercial availability of equipment used by
consumers to access multichannel video
programming from vendors not affiliated with any
multichannel video programming distributor.”
Goals of OpenCable™
Competitive set-top box marketplace
 Scaleable STB design
 New services
 Retail availability
 Branding

OpenCable™
Specification Process
Industry consensus.
 Open spec writing process
- Cable MSOs
- Vendor companies
- CableLabs
 Submission to standards bodies
- SCTE, ITU, etc.
 Bilateral MSO/vendor negotiations.

Consensus Areas





MPEG-2
Harmony Agreement for Security.
DOCSIS Cable Modem
Services will be implemented at the middleware layer:
HTML, CGI, JavaScript, etc.
OpenCable will not specify a single microprocessor or
operating system. Instead, it will spell out "rules of the
road" for operating system vendors to follow.
OpenCable™ RFI Respondents









Microsoft
NextLevel, Inc.
Scientific-Atlanta Group(IBM,
Pioneer Electronics, PowerTV,
Sun, Toshiba)
Scientific-Atlanta
Intel Group (Cisco, Netscape,
Network Computer Inc., (NCI)
Oracle, Thomson CE
Intel/NCI
Oracle/NCI/Netscape
Thomson CE/NCI
Sony












Thomson Sun (OpenTV)
Samsung
Pioneer Digital
ACTV/Sarnoff
IBM (IP issues only)
Criterion Software
Lucent Technologies
SCM Microsystems
Zenith Electronics
Worldgate Communications
Wink Communications
Texas Instruments
Oh no…Mr Bill!!
Microsoft has been maneuvering
furiously to influence the design
of the new set -top boxes that will
help bring the Internet to the
nation's living rooms through
cable wires. -- The Wall Street
Journal
Application Programming Interfaces
The purpose of defining APIs is to enable the
cable MSOs to purchase and deploy the nextgeneration set-top box, while ensuring their ability
to keep costs low, choose between flexible
architectures, maintain a multi-vendor, modular
environment, and to not have to compromise on
feature sets and functionality.
Extra! Extra!
AT&T Merges With TCI…
 The Telecom Industry Is Giddy...
 Is This Broadband’s Validation?

OpenCable™ Interfaces
OC-H1
Operations
OC-H2
Internet
Content
Video
Content
OC-N
Headend
Security
Module(s)
Applications
Other
Content
OC-H3
OC-C2
OC-C1
Display
Remote
Other
Headends
Supporting
Software
& Hardware
ASTB
OC-C3
Q. How does OpenCable™
account for High Definition
Television?
HDTV is foreseen as a key component of the cable
television's programming service for the future. The cable
industry is format agnostic on HDTV. So, the
OpenCable™ boxes will pass through any of the formats
approved for advanced television by the Advanced
Television Systems Committee. The industry intends to
pass signals without impairing either the audio or video
quality to a HDTV set. The cable industry through
CableLabs has been involved in the HDTV process since
its inception
Key Elements of the
OpenCable™ Interface
MPEG-2 format for digital cable television
signals
 IEEE Standard 1394-1995 as the link
between set-top boxes and digital devices

– peer to peer communication
– data transfer rates of 400Mbps

64/256QAM
OpenCable™ Set-Tops

OpenCable™ set-top boxes will be based on high
performance microprocessors with real-time
operating systems. OpenCable™ will not specify a
single microprocessor or operating system.
Instead, it will spell out "rules of the road" for
operating system vendors to follow. Most
interactive services will be implemented at the
middleware layer using existing open Internet
specifications, including HTML, CGI, JavaScript,
and popular plug-ins.
Standardization


“In recent years, standardization has been a huge intangible
glowering above the seemingly unlimited potential of advanced
services over cable’s HFC networks…” LK Hamilton
Communications Technology, May,1998
“Critical Harmony” technology, such as the agreed upon
modulation and MPEG formats, has been tested. The Harmony
core decryptor has been designed and initial testing has been
performed. GI and SA are in the process of implementing an
architecture that will allow an operator to use DigiCipher II and
PowerKEY in the same system.
Possibilities
Possibilities...
OpenCable™ Consumer
Models

Basic TV Users
– reception of digital and analog programs

TV Plus Users
– Basic plus graphics and central processing
power

TV and PC Users
– Dual use TV/PC, such as pc card with MCNS
modem and digital tv for simultaneous use
General Instrument OpenCable Devices
The Current Crop
DCT-1000: Digital Interactive
Consumer Terminal
DCT 1000

Offers real-time interactivity for revenue-generating applications such
as: impulse PPV, video-on-demand, Internet access, educational
services and more

Expands channel capacity: 64QAM for the DCT-1000, 64/256QAM
modulation for the DCT-1200.

Provides improved audio/video quality: MPEG-2 decoding technology
/ Dolby Digital Audio.

Enables popular onscreen programming guides, menus and navigators.

Supports downloadable third party software applications through an
open architecture.

Enables interactive applications such as Internet access, VOD,
community networking, electronic commerce, and more.
DCT 1000

Equipped with either STARVUE II RF return path or STARFONE
telephone return path modem.

Backward compatible with existing analog systems.

Clear analog capability (standard)

Analog descrambling (optional)

Forward-upgradable via Application Interface Port (AIP) which opens
door for future revenue-enhancing products and services.

Easily upgradable TV Pass™ Card security capability.

Able to interoperate with other DCT models to provide maximum
flexibility in deploying digital networks.
The Next Generation
DCT-5000: The Advanced Interactive
Digital Set-Top
DCT 5000











Builds upon GI's digital interactive platform to provide a powerful
processing and networking platform for advanced digital applications
High-powered processing platform
High-powered central processor
3D and animation capable graphics engine
High volume internal memory
Field upgradable memory architecture
Built-in internal IDE hard drive for local storage capability (optional)
High-end networking capabilities
TDMA return path for dedicated upstream bandwidth
Dual digital tuner to enable watch & talk/surf capability
Built-in MCNS compliant cable modem
DCT 5000










Powerful applications enabler for advanced revenue generating
services
Enables operators to choose their operating system to best meet their
service deployment needs
Supports OpenCable software interfaces such as JavaScripting and
HTML to further enable applications development
Additional interfaces to offer operators maximum flexibility in their
digital service deployments
1394 (FireWire) interface (optional)
Universal Serial Bus to provide connection for peripherals such as
keyboards, joysticks, printers, etc.
Complete compatibility with currently installed base of GI digital settops
Industry-wide, high-volume platform
Attracts more developer interest
Drives down product costs quickly
OpenCable™
OpenCable will be the umbrella
under which everything will happen
in digital services.
The cable industry’s confidence in its
digital future seems unlimited.
This is the future…
A TCI/ Saxman Production
Presented by Chris Dickhoff
of Plano
Copyright 1998
All Rights Reserved