Can Tru2way succeed where CableCard failed?

If the industry press is to be believed, Tuesday's announcement that Sony would be producing TVs with Tru2way compatibility was a watershed event--the electronics world equivalent of the Magna Carta or the Treaty of Versailles. But let's step back a bit and examine what this really means.

Tru2way is a digital cable technology developed by CableLabs that's designed to be built directly into TVs, eliminating the need for an outboard set-top box. In theory, you'd be able to buy a Tru2way-compatible TV, bring it home, connect it to your coaxial cable, and instantly be able to receive your entire lineup of digital cable and high-def channels--including all the interactive video-on-demand and pay-per-view channels that currently require a cable box.

(Credit: CableLabs)

If this sounds familiar, it's because many of the same promises were made several years ago with a technology called CableCard. TVs that shipped with a CableCard slot were called "Digital Cable Ready" (DCR); they required a smart card, provided by your local cable operator, to receive digital and HD channels. The problem with CableCard was that it was an interim solution that satisfied nobody. Everyone--cable companies, hardware manufacturers, government regulators, and consumers--found CableCard technology lacking. Among the problems:

• CableCard was effectively a one-way technology, so it was incompatible with any interactive services, including video-on-demand and pay-per-view services that customers have grown to like, and cable companies depend on as a major revenue stream.
• CableCard was incompatible with Switched Digital Video (SDV) technology, which more cable providers are--or will soon be--utilizing to deliver more HD channels despite bandwidth limitations. As a result, CableCard devices such as the TiVo HD DVR need an outboard tuner (basically, a second cable box) to receive those channels, which often include the newest and most desirable HD stations.
• The CableCard installation and setup still required the cable companies to "roll a truck" to the customer's home--so it didn't save the company any time or money versus a cable box setup.
• Original CableCard setups were limited to just one tuner, so dual-tuner applications--such as picture in picture and the ability to record one show while watching another--were unavailable. (This issue was addressed with dual slots on the TiVo HD, as well as the multi-stream "M-card," which allowed for dual tuning--it was rarely deployed by cable operators.)
• CableCard setups are notoriously finicky, and often require one or more follow-up visits from the cable technician.
• The electronic programming guide (EPG) interface on most CableCard TVs was either bare bones or nonexistent. That was bad for users who've grown used to increasingly sophisticated EPGs (on TiVo and satellite DVRs). It also frustrated cable providers who were used to controlling that interface on their own boxes, where--for better or worse--they could add advertisements, customized graphics, and other "branding" that so excites multimillion dollar corporations.
• TVs with CableCard support often charged a slight premium over their non-CableCard counterparts--meaning that consumers were often paying more, but (as evidenced by the laundry list of issues above) getting less.

Not surprisingly, there was an immediate clamor for "CableCard 2.0" to address all of those issues. And that's effectively what Tru2way is: the next-gen CableCard, without the physical card. (You may have heard it mentioned during its years of development, when it was alternately referred to as "OpenCable" or "Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP)".) And--on paper, at least--it seems as if CableLabs and its partners finally got it right this time.

Tru2way is designed from the ground up to be interactive, customizable (for the cable provider), and plug-and-play. Switched digital video, video-on-demand, pay-per-view, HD channels, dual-tuner support--it should all work without a hitch, and deliver an identical experience on your local cable system, no matter which Tru2way TV you're buying.

There are plenty of other potential advantages. Tru2way TVs should be able to offer additional functionality, such as built-in DVRs. (A handful of CableCard DVR/TV combos were released, but they never took off, thanks largely to the problems outlined above.) And including the tuner inside the TV would offer the potential for better picture quality, since a TV signal native to the TV would no longer be reliant on the so-so video processing found on most set-top boxes.

Beyond the TV, Tru2way functionality could be built in to third-party DVRs (TiVo is already said to be working on a "Series4" DVR that utilizes the technology) and accessories. Among the other possibilities: a Tru2way Slingbox with a built-in tuner; an adapter that turns the Xbox 360 or PS3 into a cable-ready DVR; true home theater PCs; and portable TV viewers (such as the Comcast/Panasonic player shown in January).

So what's not to like? Nothing--except that none of this yet exists in the real world. Until you can actually buy one of these Tru2way products at Best Buy, Circuit City, or Amazon.com, it's all theoretical.

Sony joins Panasonic, Samsung, and RCA on the Tru2way roadmap, but whether any of these companies will actually deliver a real world Tru2way product before the end of the year remains to be seen. And even if they do, there are plenty of other questions. How much will cable companies charge you for the privilege of connecting a Tru2way product to their pipe? (Our guess: exactly the same fee they charge for renting the box you have now.)

And why will companies like TiVo bother developing Tru2way boxes if the consumer will be forced to use the drab cable company interface versus the far superior TiVo UI? Just imagine, for instance, if a future Apple TV offers Tru2way compatibility, but instead of its slick Apple home screen, you're stuck with a Comcast/Time Warner/Cox EPG the minute you toggle to live TV. For most users, that would eliminate the whole reason for upgrading in the first place.

Color us skeptical
The bottom line is this: Tru2way certainly looks to offer the potential for cable customers to return to the simple, halcyon days of "cable ready" TVs--just one wire, just one remote. But until we see the products hit stores in the real world, and see how--or if--they work as advertised on cable systems around the country, color us skeptical. In the meantime, we'll be waiting patiently in the downstairs rec room, sitting on hold with tech support, trying to get the CableCard PC up and running.

What do you think: Will Tru2way make for a better cable TV experience? Or will it be the latest consumer electronics scheme to overpromise and underdeliver?

Update (5/29/2008): Be sure to read the detailed comment below from reader MegaZone (who runs the Gizmolovers website). He offers some important corrections and expansions to my CableCard/Tru2way analysis.

[lederemc]

This will be nuked by the cable companies just as quick as Cablecard was because they make too much money rented the stupid boxes.

[lackskill]

I would be happy with a cable or satellite service that didn't have severe functionality issues regularly. My Comcast STB had the eternal FF and REW issue, so I went to dish. Now I lose signal on my HD dish after ~30 minutes. After repeated phone calls and visits from inept tech support, I have nearly given up all hope that I will get reliable service. Maybe FiOS will deliver...in about 10 years... As for the gadget above, sounds like a great idea that will get little/no follow through. /rant

[megazone]

John,

A good article, but you've made a couple of fundamental errors. Where you refer to 'CableCARD' you're generally referring to UDCP specifically, and not really CableCARD. CableCARDs are ALL two-way, and they're all compatible with SDV. It is the *host* platform, the UDCP, that has those limitations. Also, the Tuning Adapter for SDV is not a 'tuner', it is basically a transceiver. The TA provides a data connection with the cable head-end, via protocols like DSG (DOCSIS Set-top Gateway), to handle the back channel communication required to tune SDV channels. The actually tuning is still done by the on-board tuners in the UDCP, such as a TiVo HD.

And M-Card is very common now. While S-Card was deployed first, and it took a while for M-Card to hit and then ramp up, these days all of the major MSOs offer M-Card. Most users won't have a problem getting an M-Card, they're the default much of the time these days. A single M-Card supports six channels, but your host device needs to have the hardware. The best I'm aware of today are dual-tuner boxes.

Also, you said tru2way is effectively CableCARD 2.0 - without the card. That's very much false. tru2way, formerly known by the less snappy names OCAP (OpenCable Application Platform) and then just OpenCable Platform, is a programming platform, a set of standards and APIs. CableCARD is an access token system that provides authentication and authorization for the box. tru2way sits *on top of* CableCARD.

Boxes using tru2way still use CableCARD. tru2way/OCAP is what often used to erroneously be called 'CableCARD 2.0' - you still have the physical cards, but the added software and APIs supports two-way communication. And it is more than that, since it is meant to provide a Java-based 'write once, run anywhere' platform for STB software development. So instead of a myriad of different STB platforms to code for, developers can code for tru2way and (theoretically) have their software run on any tru2way host device.

The 'CableCARD without the card' is DCAS - Downloadable Conditional Access System - which is what has been proposed as the following to CableCARD, and is still in development. With DCAS the box would have a secure module built in and the access system code would be downloaded to the box, no physical cards required.

As for the UI issue with vendors such as TiVo, I think you've missed one of the key factors in the agreement. The big issue with OCAP *was* the problem with the UI, where OCAP devices would download whatever the cable company shoved at them. What good is supporting OCAP to TiVo if they lose all of their differentiation?

But the cable industry softened and TiVo was the first to announced a compromise, whereby the device could use a 'native' UI for all of the linear content (what a TiVo HD can do today, plus SDV), but would call upon cable MSO applications for advanced content like VOD and PPV. A hybrid basically. So you'd still get your TiVo UI most of the time, breaking out of it only when you go to access specific features. Not dissimilar to using one of the HME applications on a broadband connected TiVo, when you leave the TiVo UI and enter the HME-apps UI, which can be very different.

I think tru2way will be an improvement. Basic CD devices, like TVs, which really don't have their own EPG, UI, etc, will be able to use tru2way to add richer features. And the more advanced CE products, like TiVo, will be able to use the hybrid implementation to go beyond what they have today and add missing features like VOD & PPV - plus things like Called ID, Start Over, etc, when offered by the local MSO.

[markntravis]

We have a TiVo HD and I installed both Cable Cards myself without the Comcast truck roll.

[MooseBoys]

Why merge all these components into the tv? I'm not going to buy an uuber expensive new tv with an 8+year lifespan that's got a ~2 year lifespan component stuck inside it.

[SkiingUSA]

I work for a Cable Company testing everything mentioned in this article and i can assure you that this is a VERY HIGH priority for all cable companies. True2way will offer a number of additional functionality such as CallerID to TV or PC (If you have Voice services) and other big things that are being rolled out over the next 2 yrs. The OCAP standard will allow vendors to write applications similar to what Google wants to do with cellphones on the 700MHz spectrum. This pretty much gives programmers a lot of different possibilities.

I think 5 years from now, TV will be very different than it is today. It will be totally interactive, youll be able to do things such as Vote and stuff like that, but the problem is really that society is obsessed and in love with their TVs, so cable companies are sort of put in a bind with development because of fear of disrupting service. This greatly slows down the development life cycle for new products but hopefully as this technology matures, that curve will decrease.

[Jacob Yu]

Hi! does anyone have idea on the progress of DCAS? Assuming we are buying a true2way compatible TV today and DCAS is rolled out later. What will happen to our TV purchased today? Thanks,

[ITVsomeday]

To follow on John and Megazone's points, a few comments and questions:

1. CableCARDs do indeed suck. However, tru2way really shouldn't be positioned as a replacement for CableCARDs. Although they work hand-in-hand in the retail TV scenario, CableCARDs address separable security requirements and tru2way addresses bi-directional signal functionality and interactive application capability.

2. A better solution than CableCARDs (seemingly) is DCAS -- downloadable conditional access. The cable industry has been working on this and it's my understanding that the FCC would have to approve it. Anyone have any updates on DCAS progress?

3. How does tru2way help to overcome the issues around switched digital video? I'm not seeing the connection.

4. How will tru2way interactive applications (not the UI but interactive content) work with DVR viewing? If I'm watching a baseball game and want to get a batter's stats instantly, will those stats be accessible if I'm time-shifting the game, or even if I've recorded it?

5. Tru2way deployment will move slowly. Panasonic and Samsung will have some HDTVs and DVRs available at retail in select markets by this holiday season. I doubt Sony could have HDTVs ready by this holiday season (notice they didn't promise any) but I suppose they could make a play for the digital transition in February.

6. Tru2way does not mean that we'll all be discarding set-top boxes anytime soon. The big set-top makers, Motorola and Cisco (nee Scientific Atlanta) and several market newcomers are building cable set-tops with tru2way bells & whistles, which cable ops will lease to consumers as they do now. Those manufacturers aren't jumping in to the retail market yet because the current thinking is that the better retail play (depending on price, etc) is to offer HDTVs with set-top capability inside for easy plug-and-play.

7. The real benefit of tru2way is to establish a broad platform for Java-based interactive applications and cross-platform capabilities. That requires that programming networks and third-party developers ramp up to create interactive TV applications and that they closely tie their development to the slow yet steady rollout of the tru2way platform over the next couple of years.

[megazone]

ITV - DCAS seems to have reduced priority. DCAS was pushed by cable as an alternative to CableCARD, but once it was clear they couldn't get out of CableCARD they seem to have focused on CableCARD and tru2way, with DCAS work taking a back seat. There has been some mention of DCAS, such as a few tidbits from the recent Cable Show, but tru2way is really dominating the news. With all the money being invested in CableCARD and tru2way, I suspect DCAS will be delayed several years. As for what happens when DCAS arrives, due to the investment in CC I don't see support for CC being dropped. And there has been speculation that a 'DCAS Card' could be used, some kind of DCAS module in a CC form factor that would allow legacy CC devices to work with DCAS. tru2way encompasses SDV. Any tru2way device automatically handles SDV. As for t2w applications - that's up to the individual application. It is certainly possible to put flags into the broadcast to tie into an application so that it could work from recordings, etc. In the end it comes down to the apps and how they're written and supported. There is no reason they have to be restricted to live TV.

[galusi]

you all are much more advanced than I in understanding all this...but can anyone answer a simple question?...i am a comcast subscriber, all i want is a 37" tv i can mount on a wall, get HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and all my other premium channels without using a box...is there a solution today, or do I wait until this new technology hopefully comes out.?

[gconnery]

galusi - You can install such a TV today BUT... if it just has a cable or QAM tuner, it will only receive the cable signals that are "in the clear" (not encrypted) by Comcast. If it also has a cablecard slot it will be able to receive ALL of the channels, including those premium ones like HBO that would be encrypted and wouldn't decode properly on your QAM tuner alone. Now, if your cable operator deploys some channels using Switched Digital Video (SDV) in your area, you wouldn't be able to get those channels (actually you would, but you wouldn't know where they were, since they change all the time, and you would only be able to watch them when someone else in your neighbourhood had asked for them via a STB). However, Comcast hasn't rolled out a lot of SDV yet, unlike TW and some others, so you're okay so far. However, once they do start rolling out SDV and assuming you care about those SDV channels (at first you might not, if its all specialty channels like Spanish or whatever that you're not interested in, but later when it starts being new HD channels...), you'll be somewhat screwed because your cablecard TV won't be able to tune those channels. And there's no real fix on the horizon. A "tuning resolver" has been proposed and will be supported by Tivos, but (a) its unlikely TVs will support it, (b) your TV probably can't support it since it won't have a USB port and the needed interfaces internally, (c) it'll look just like a STB anyway, so your STB-less setup won't be so nice and clean anymore.

Which is why cablecard TVs are pretty much dead at this point. I might stomach throwing out my $300 Tivo, but I'm not going to obsolete my $$$ TV anytime soon.

[Riverledge]

I HAVE TWO HDTVs BOTH WITH MOTOROLA CABLECARDS INSTALLED BY COMCAST. I'VE NEVER NEEDED ANY RETURN TRIPS FROM COMCAST (THANK GOD.)

WHAT WILL HAPPEN ONCE "TRU2WAY" IS ACTUALLY REALIZED???

WILL I NEED TO GET CABLE-BOXES FOR MY SONY & PANASONIC HDTVs???

THANKS,

RIVERLEDGE

[Riverledge]