CES Wrap-up Part 1

re: CES Wrap-up Part 1

Brian — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:27:55 GMT

So, I think that I have this now:

- Tru2Way is just the new name for CableCard 2.0, or bidirectional device communications.

- OCUR and BOCR are **PC specific** cablecard device specifications, of which BOCR hasn't been defined by CableLabs yet.

- Assuming it is ever defined by CableLabs, a BOCR would be a Tru2Way device.

- So, the Tru2Way devices that we saw at CES are indeed bidirectional cablecard devices but obviously do not need nor use the pc cablecard device, BOCR.

Walla!

re: CES Wrap-up Part 1

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:35:01 GMT

Tru2Way is nothing but a new name. It is CableCARD 2.0. The bi-directional communication (PPV, SDV, etc) and OCAP (which CableLabs requires for bi-directional products). A BOCR would now be a Tru2Way product, but the announcement and everything else has nothing to do with BOCR getting to market. CableLabs hasn't finished the BOCR specs or even publicly announced it.

OCURs will never work for bi-directional communication, you will have to buy new hardware (BOCRs). No firmware upgrade would matter.

The question is do BOCRs work on existing machines. As CableLabs has not even announced BOCR, there is no official word on whether BOCRs will work on current machines. My guess is that they will work just fine on any machine that shipped with a CableCARD BIOS (eg. OCUR machines).

re: CES Wrap-up Part 1

Erik — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 22:24:25 GMT

Thanks. Sorry for being so dense, but I'm still confused. Once you mentioned CableCard2.0, I read your excellent:

msmvps.com/.../1055657.aspx

But this left me uncertain: what does it mean to have CableCard2.0 WITHOUT BOCR? The article explains that CableCard2.0 enables "two-way communication" but then it seems to suggest that this won't work without BOCR. However, all the Tru2Way material sounds like you get PPV, EPG etc. immediately (no need for BOCR). Is this because STBs and TVs can make use of CableCard2.0 WITHOUT extra hardware but for Media Center PCs, you need BOTH the platform, i.e. Tru2Way, and additional harware, i.e. BOCR, to make it all work?

Finally, if I get the 420 now, and you say OCURs will work fine with BOCR, am I just waiting for a True2Way compatible version of MediaCenter or do I likely need to wait for AMD/ATI firmware upgrades to the receiver too?

re: CES Wrap-up Part 1

chrisl — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:57:46 GMT

Tru2Way is the new name for CableCARD 2.0. Overall, the name change has no impact on BOCR. CableLabs still hasn't finished the specs and it is going to be a while before the are released. I'm expecting BOCRs to work just fine on current OCUR systems. There is no reason for them to change the BIOS or any other part of the system.

re: CES Wrap-up Part 1

Erik — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:56:15 GMT

Chris,

Isn't Tru2way the new name for BOCR? Isn't this what we've all be waiting for? Should I hold off on that new XPS420 purchase?

re: CES Wrap-up Part 1

Erik — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:53:42 GMT

Chris,

Isn't this "Tru2Way" the new name for BOCR? Isn't this what we've been waiting for? If so, should I hold off on the new XPS420 until we see if the ATI Tuner is upgradable? Thanks