Analyst sees tough going for tru2way

Despite the apparent tru2way lovefest between cable ops and electronics manufacturers, ABI Research isn't convinced. Add together the cable operator's unwillingness to forecast exact tru2way deployments, and a lack of focus on interoperability testing portend a future where customers can't be sure their equipment will work across different cable systems. Without that, electronics manufacturers could drag their feet supporting it, as has occurred with CableCard, leaving operators (and customers) with expensive and distinctly unglamorous set-top boxes. Despite all that, the report predicts half of all cable customers will have tru2way by 2013, but it won't be easy.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2008 6:29PM]

I'm really thinking any "open" cable thing is never gonna appear. So then, any other news on that DirectTV tuner that got previewed a while back?

[Dalhectar Posted Jul 2nd 2008 7:04PM]

Its pretty clear that SDV is the way of the future, as it allows cable to offer more channels without losing quality, and they will need to do this to keep up with FIOS and Sat. That said, the cable co's more or less nerfed cablecard version 1.0... why won't they make the next generation tru2way cablecards equally unattractive to the average home user.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 3rd 2008 9:18AM]

Exactly what I was thinking.

The Cable Co support CableCards....until they implemented SDV, which basically negates CableCards.

What's to stop them from doing the same thing to tru2way in the future??

Those leasing fees for the STB must be profit monsters...

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 2nd 2008 8:50PM]

Not to nag on this, but as I wrote yesterday, but there's no CableCARD 1.0 or 2.0. And truway will require CableCARDs (at least until DCAS), but they're the same CableCARDs.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 4th 2008 12:54PM]

The devices are coming:

1. tvs that won't need a cable box and still receive all content paid for - sweet
2. dvrs that don't require subscribtion (ie tivo, cable) - solid

look for them in your local stores at year end holiday season