DENVER – The growing demand by consumers to have their video content everywhere poses an ongoing conundrum for cable’s engineers.
They acknowledge that one day everything now delivered to TVs on RF will transition to IP delivery so that it can go anywhere. But, they are bound to today, making that RF world stay relevant, efficient and consumer friendly as IP video delivery further develops. However, there are myriad challenges (like just explaining how IP delivery is different than delivery over the public Internet, for example, let alone making it all work), according to the leading engineers at the opening session of the 2009 Cable-Tec Expo in Denver.
For example, from a Canadian context, while the U.S. cable industry is bound by the FCC and a deal with consumer electronics makers to roll out Tru2Way technology in their cable systems and boxes for the next generation of more open interactive middleware, there is nothing like that binding MSOs in Canada.
Dermot O’Carroll, Rogers Cable’s SVP engineering and network operations said he is looking at Tru2Way (still a cable-only thing, but more open) as a possibility, but he is keeping an open mind. “We think there’s probably a better answer out there,” he said.
Each of the engineers represented on the panel, which also included Charter Communications’ CTO Marwan Fawaz, Bresnan Communications’ VP engineering Pragash Pillai and CableLabs CEO Dr. Paul Liao agreed that since consumers want their video wherever they are, as operators, they also want to have a common user interface across platforms to properly serve those customers.
Currently, with RF/MPEG2 delivery on one platform and IP on the others, this can’t be done very well or easily.
“We need a UI than can bridge from our devices to CE devices on internet and cable,” added Pillai.
Referencing Rogers’ ‘other’ business, wireless, and the impending TV Everywhere portal the Canadian company is launching November 17th, O’Carroll confirmed the company wants “to deliver the same experiences across both platforms.”
While Liao defended Tru2Way for its flexibility, predicting “lots of deployment” (and most US MSOs have committed to be T2W ready very soon), the panellists can see the early writing on the wall. “We’re very confident IP distribution will have economic advantages over the way we distribute video today,” added Fawaz.
And considering the additional, growing complexities of in-home networking, the IP transition, while a must, is going to be incredibly difficult for the industry.
The takeover of MPEG by IP “is not an if, it’s a question of when,” he added.
“People want to watch the Toronto Maple Leafs playing hockey no matter where they are and we have to figure that out,” added O’Carroll.
One of the other key differences, however, between cable and other platforms is that cable has been traditionally delivered to a household while the others, web and mobile are all personal. “Personalization is the huge trend of the internet,” added Liao, “and in some sense, cable is behind all that.”
Just imagine the growth if cable could move to a more personal and less of a family home business. “If we could move to a model to sell to individuals instead, you would increase the marketing opportunities,” understated O’Carroll.
Cartt.ca editor and publisher Greg O’Brien is in snowy Denver this week for the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo.
