March 25, 2004

By: Matt Arp
Website: http://www.1st-in-hdtv.com

FCC eases digital TV transition for consumers

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today took another step forward in the transition to digital television. The FCC adopted rules for digital “plug and play” cable compatibility, which is a key piece of the digital television puzzle. In a “plug and play” world, consumers can plug their cable directly into their digital TV set without the need of a set-top box. The FCC said the new rules will ease the transition to digital TV by promoting competition, convenience and simplicity for consumers.

On December 19, 2002, the cable and consumer electronics industries filed with the FCC a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) containing both voluntary and inter-industry agreements and a package of regulatory proposals. Today’s Second Report and Order adopts the proposed technical, labeling and encoding rules with certain modifications. The new rules will permit TV sets to be built with “plug and play” functionality for oneway digital cable services, which include typical cable programming services and premium channels like HBO and Showtime. Consumers will have to obtain a security card (often called a “POD” or “cable card”), from their local cable operator, to be inserted into the TV set.

Consumers will still need a set-top box to receive two-way services such as video on demand, impulse pay-per-view and cable operator-enhanced electronic programming guides. The FCC noted that the cable and consumer electronics industries continue to work on the development of an agreement for two-way “plug and play” receivers that would eliminate the need for a set-top box to receive these advanced cable services. The FCC encouraged the cable and consumer electronics industries to consult with interested parties and affected industries as the two-way negotiations progress.

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Author Notes:

Matt Arp contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-hdtv.com.  Great information on high definition, plasma, projection, LCD TV's plus home theaters and more.