CableCARD

Abstract: Under Section 629 of the Communications Act, Congress directed the FCC to adopt regulations to promote a retail market for set-top boxes. The Commission’s first attempt was the ill-fated CableCard experiment, which - by the Commission’s own admission - was a dismal failure. In response, the Commission is now contemplating an aggressive new “AllVid” regime, whereby the agency would mandate multichannel video program distributors (“MVPDs”) to provide an adapter to serve as a “common interface for connection to televisions, DVRs, and other smart video devices.” Because the FCC is again proceeding without any formal economic analysis of the nature of the service-equipment relationship in the MVPD market, we do so here and our findings are significant. First, our theoretical analysis reveals that the set-top box conveys no additional market power to the MVPD. Second, our analysis indicates that the MVPD has no anticompetitive preference for self-supply. If the equipment can be produced more efficiently and sold at a lower price in a competitive retail market, then the provider will embrace such a market. Third, we show that a government-directed commercial market for set-top boxes is unlikely to provide substantial gains in terms of lower costs, lower prices, or increased innovation. If the set-top box can be made cheaper and sold at a lower price, or made better and sold at the same price, then the MVPD will embrace these changes. In sum, MVPD profits and consumer surplus are aligned. Accordingly, our analysis indicates that until the underlying economic reality changes, perhaps due to some technological innovation, the FCC’s anticipated aggressive AllVid approach towards set-top boxes is likely - as FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell notes - to keep the agency in “the Valley of Unattained Goals.”

Abstract: A security processor may be embedded within a digital cable ready (DCR) digital TV (DTV) system-on-chip to performing content protection operations during digital TV signal processing. The embedded security processor may be used to perform operations that are currently performed by an external entity, such as, for an example, a CableCard. The embedded security processor maybe configured to use a conditional access function including, but not limited to, CableLabs® Downloadable Conditional Access System (DCAS) based function. The security processor may be reprogrammable to enable the system-on-chip to be reconfigured with a different function and/or to allow operation with a new cable service provider. The security processor may enable secure reprogrammability of the system-on-chip utilizing security algorithms and/or other mechanisms including use of chip-specific identification information. The SoC may be enabled to operate with a CableCard whenever the security processor may be disabled.

Abstract: A copy protection method of a digital cable broadcasting channel according to a predetermined digital cable broadcasting standard is provided which comprises changing a channel to a first digital cable broadcasting channel and exchanging a copy protection value of the digital cable broadcasting standard between a CableCARD module and a video device corresponding to the channel change operation of the first digital cable broadcasting channel without regard to at least one former channel with respect to the first digital cable broadcasting channel.

Abstract: An enhanced cable card device is described that operates in host devices without requiring an out-of-band data channel. One embodiment includes a broadcast receiver for receiving a broadcast signal, a processor for coordinating processing in the cable card, a memory for storing data normally received by the cable card over an out-of-band signal, an in band data receiver for receiving an in band data signal, and a control program running on the processor to signal reception of an out-of-band signal to a host device electrically connected to the cable card. In addition, the control program processes data from the memory and provides processed output data to the host device simulating data normally received over an out-of-band data channel, and the cable card allows the host device to operate normally without an out-of-band receiver.