TiVo Lovers - CableLabs Ready To Test Tuning Resolver, TiVo Owners Await SDV Support

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Switched Digital Video (SDV) has been the bane of CableCARD users, notably owners of the TiVo Series3 and TiVo HD. SDV channels cannot be tuned by UDCP (unidirectional digital cable products) CableCARD devices, such as TiVo, as SDV requires bidirectional communication with the head end.

Enter the Tuning Resolver. As previously reported, the Tuning Resolver is a bidirectional communications terminal which is designed to connect to a UDCP via USB, to enable SDV support. Of course, the UDCP most people refer to when discussing the Tuning Resolver is TiVo. Release is expected in 2Q08, and it is eagerly anticipated by many users.

Now Multichannel News is reporting that CableLabs has received the first version of a PC-based testing tool which will allow them to test the Tuning Resolver's functionality. The tool was developed by Solekai Systems in Boulder, CO and is known as the Tuning Resolver Interface Simulator (TRIS).

“We at CableLabs are encouraged by the flexibility this tool offers to allow us to validate the interfaces between UDCP [unidirectional digital cable products] and tuning resolver devices, and ultimately provide UDCP devices with the ability to access switched digital video services in the field,” CableLabs vice president of advanced media platforms So Vang said, in a prepared statement.

This brings the Tuning Resolver one step closer to release. Development was only agreed upon last August, so getting the box to market in 2Q08 is really a fast-track development cycle for the cable industry. Charter isn't using SDV in my area (yet?), but I know there are a lot of TiVo users out there for whom the Tuning Resolver can't arrive fast enough.

Tags: cablecard, cablelabs, multichannel news, sdv, series3, solekai systems, tivo hd, tuning resolver, udcp
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	From: ninaf	Date: February 8th, 2008 06:47 am (UTC)		(Permalink)

So is it hardware or software that would get SDV working with Tivo 3? I wonder if this will be supported now that they have stopped selling them.

	From: zonereyrie	Date: February 8th, 2008 07:02 am (UTC)		(Permalink)

Yes. :-)

It is both - you'll need the Tuning Resolver, which is hardware, and the TiVo needs a software update to support it.

I asked TiVo about the Tuning Resolver when I heard about the S3's EOL, but they never answered my questions. I do expect it to be supported, since it is not dependent on the hardware in the TiVo and the code would be shared with the TiVo HD.

	From: unteins	Date: February 9th, 2008 03:19 pm (UTC)		(Permalink)

Does the HD support CableCard 2 or SDV? Did I miss that somewhere...

I hope they make something like this available for non SDV systems, unless of course Comcast goes SDV, then that's fine :)

	From: zonereyrie	Date: February 11th, 2008 05:58 am (UTC)		(Permalink)

No, it doesn't. I mean the SDV dongle code would be shared between the devices.

Why would you need this for non-SDV systems? The Tuning Resolver is just mean to allow UDCP devices to access SDV channels. If they're linear and not SDV then you don't need it, the UDCP device can access it as-is.

	From: unteins	Date: February 12th, 2008 01:57 am (UTC)		(Permalink)

Sorry, I was using a bit of shorthand.

What I meant was I wish they would make a tuning resolver for standard digital cable networks so that UDCP devices could take advantage of things like OnDemand and PayPer View. The USB dongle approach should be able to work for those customers as well.

	From: zonereyrie	Date: February 12th, 2008 02:51 am (UTC)		(Permalink)

Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. There is a lot of work needed just to support the various SDV systems, and SDV is relatively new. VOD/PPV is a bigger mess, and they'd get into the sticky situation of having billing involved. A lot of this is the mess the cable industry is fighting so hard with the CE industry's DCR+ proposal. And they're sticking with OCAP as their official solution.

I think the only way we'll see those supported is the compromise TiVo and the NCTA have talked about, where the box would use the TiVo software for linear content and SDV, and then use OCAP for PPV/VOD. But I don't know if we'd see that in a current box, using the Tuning Resolver, or only in new hardware with integrated upstream communication.