May 1996 -- Volume 8 Number 3
The cable data services specification process is progressing. The first set of interface specifications has been issued to vendors for review, and work on the next two phases is continuing.
The cable industry is very interested in getting contributions and comments on phases two and three from a wide variety of equipment suppliers. Interested parties should look at http://www.cablemodem.com for more information and guidance on the interface process.
In the meantime, while work on the specifications is continuing, cable operators are aggressively deploying first-generation cable modems that are superior to existing telephone modem technolog.
The specification process involves MCNS Holdings, which includes Tele-Communications Inc., Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Cox Communications, as well as CableLabs, Rogers Cablesystems and Continental Cablevision. They are seeking to coordinate with the many equipment suppliers interested in manufacturing cable modems in order to achieve consensus on specifying cable data network interconnections.
Once interface specs are established, then cable operators expect to purchase devices that comply with these specifications. Also, in time, consumers may purchase cable modems at retail outlets. It is the intention of the cable operators and CableLabs to present completed interface specifications to recognized standards-setting bodies for adoption as international standards.
The cable data services interface process was announced in late November at the Western Cable Show. Since then, the work has been broken into three phases, each of which involves a set of interconnections, or interfaces, in a cable data delivery process.
The proposed interfaces in the first phase - which involves the connections between the cable modem and the computer as well as the cable headend to the wide area network - were released to the equipment suppliers for comment on April 15.
The proposed phase two specifications - for data over cable system operations support systems and for the interface for cable modem return using telephone lines - will be available for equipment suppliers' comment in the second quarter.
To be defined in phase three are specifications for security management, the downstream RF transmissions, upstream RF, and the cable modem to RF connection. Establishing these specifications is contingent upon cable operators conducting field performance trials; proposed specifications would be released as soon as possible after that testing.
A.D. Little to Help Cable Data Services Specification Process (Back to Top of Page)
The MCNS Holdings group of leading North American cable companies and Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. (CableLabs) have selected the consulting firm Arthur D. Little, Inc., to assist in the creation of international specifications for data equipment for cable networks.
CableLabs, Rogers Cablesystems, Continental Cablevision and the MCNS members Tele-Communications Inc., Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Cox Communications, will work to establish these open specifications throughout 1996. Having open specifications will enable cable customers to efficiently connect to the Internet and to other on-line data services at high speed.
The ultimate goal of the process is to specify requirements for interfaces so that the consumer cable data equipment manufactured by various suppliers is interchangeable and may be sold at retail once the technology is more mature. These interfaces include such points as the link in the home between the cable data modem and the personal computer.
The open interface specifications process is important because it should benefit consumers by lowering prices for the devices called modems that are required in order for cable networks to carry data services. This process is intended to give consumers a wide selection of modems from which to choose because any supplier could build to the international standards.
The project team is soliciting input from all interested parties, including the supplier community. It is drafting the technical open specifications and is participating in the coordination of comments and finalization of the open specifications. Several specifications will be released for comment by mid-year and the intent is to complete the more complex open specifications as soon thereafter as possible.
Once open specifications are established, the cable companies will seek to have the appropriate bodies establish the open specifications as international standards. At this point, it is expected that equipment manufacturers will build products meeting these specifications and that many cable operators would use these specifications as a basis on which to purchase interoperable modems. This will bring broadband interconnections into homes around the world through massive, efficient deployment of cable data modems.
General Instrument and DiviCom MPEG-2 Encoders Pass CableLabs Tests (Back to Top of Page)
Digital video bitstreams produced by encoders from General Instrument and DiviCom have been found to conform with the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG-2) standard during testing at Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. The testing was part of an established program that uses CableLabs' world class digital video test facilities at its Louisville, Colorado, headquarters.
"CableLabs has been proactive in bringing MPEG-2 technology to the cable industry. We have participated in the definition, evaluation, and intellectual property rights availability for this new technology which will foster many innovative applications and services," said CableLabs senior vice president and chief Technical officer Dr. Richard Prodan.
"The MPEG-2 standard consists of a very complex set of specifications, and implementation errors are common. A number of manufacturers have been tested, and we have worked closely with some to correct and refine their encoders. As a result, we are pleased to announce that both the General Instrument and DiviCom encoders have demonstrated conformance to all our checked compliance requirements to the MPEG-2 video and system layer specifications by successfully completing our first battery of more than 200 tests."
Dr. Richard R. Green, CableLabs president and CEO, said the success by these companies was critical to the cable television industry. "The industry appreciates the effort and refinements that these companies have made during the last year in their products. This is good news for cable," Green said.
The testing currently involves verifying some 104 system transport stream elements and 73 video stream elements. Verification of bitstream syntax and semantics, program multiplexing information, buffering, timing, synchronization, as well as system and video valid parameter ranges is performed. These elements are checked to comply with the MPEG-2 Main Profile at Main Level definition.
Further enhancements are under development to augment current conformance testing capabilities. Final, detailed results of the testing will be made available to CableLabs members later this year.
CableLabs at NCTA - Reinforcing the Message (Back to Top of Page)
CableLabs stepped up its activity at the NCTA National Show in Los Angeles this year, helping the industry to reinforce the message that technology deployment is on track.
CEO Dick Green set the tone by appearing on the opening plenary and year-in-review session. "In terms of reliability, 1995 has been a year of intense lab and field testing, and we have emerged even more confident in the workability of cable modems over hybrid fiber-coax networks."
CableLabs' Communications and Technology Transfer (CATT) Department teamed with the Labs' Technical Services crew to support the presentation of the side-by-side demonstration at a private seminar. This comparison of cable modems to phone company technology was shown to an audience of FCC commissioners and key members of Congress. Dick Green walked the guests through the demonstration and answered questions about the costs and viability of cable's high-speed data transmission technology. Green followed up the demonstration by escorting FCC Commissioner Susan Ness on a tour of the exhibit floor.
CATT and Technical Services also collaborated with the NCTA Public Affairs Department by providing the National Show press room with three Internet "surfing stations" equipped with high-speed cable modems provided by LANcity. Bay Networks contributed a router connection to the Internet point-of-presence.
CableLabs helped assuage the concerns of financial analysts about technology deployment by leading tours of the exhibit floor and providing intelligent guidance to working, real-world hardware and software being shown by various vendor companies. CableLabs' Senior Staff also provided briefings for CableLabs' member companies.
Finally, significant contributions came from CableLabs' staff technical papers, selected by the NCTA Engineering Committee's Technical Program Subcommittee, and featured in the technical sessions at the National Show. These included:
l Dr. Rich Prodan - Analysis of Two-Way Cable System Impairments l Brian James - The Advanced Television System - Will It Work On Your System? l Dr. Mukta Kar - MPEG Standard Conformance Testing for Interoperability l Bronwen Lindsay Jones (CableLabs Contractor) - Video Compression Performance: Subjective Evaluation of Picture Quality.
These papers are contained collectively in the 1996 NCTA Technical Papers publication and can be obtained through NCTA.
Doug Semon Joins CableLabs as Visiting Executive (Back to Top of Page)
Douglas J. Semon, an engineering executive with Viacom Cable, has joined Cable Television Laboratories, Inc., (CableLabs), as a visiting executive, network operations.
Semon was an integral part of Viacom Cable's Castro Valley, California, Advanced Services Laboratory, which included projects such as high-speed cable modems, on-screen program guide, enhanced pay-per-view and interactive television trials. He has more than 20 years experience in the areas of technology and business development for cable operations and cable-related industries.
He has spent the last 15 years with Viacom, most recently serving as director of engineering for new technology development with Viacom Cable, based at the company's Pleasanton, CA, headquarters.
Semon joins Dr. Jerry Bennington of TCI as executives on loan to CableLabs.
"Having two executives of the caliber of Jerry and Doug as the cable industry is pushing into areas of new business such as data services is a great boon for CableLabs," said Dr. Richard R. Green, CableLabs president and CEO.
Semon has been chairman of the NCTA/Electronic Industries Association Joint Committee, and is an active member of the NCTA Engineering Committee. Semon holds an associate degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toledo and has participated in UCLA's continuing education program on data communications.
CableLabs Announces Senior Staff Promotions (Back to Top of Page)
Cable Television Laboratories, Inc., President and CEO Dr. Richard R. Green has announced a series of promotions of CableLabs staff.
"We have a high quality team at CableLabs and these promotions recognize significant accomplishments on the part of the individuals involved, and set the stage for us to continue providing the industry with high quality work for the future," Green said. "There will be additional promotions within the company as a result of our reorganizing our efforts to meet the competitive and technical challenges facing the industry," Green added.
Dr. Richard Prodan is promoted to senior vice president and chief technical officer. He had been vice president of engineering. His new duties include focusing on the technology tracking initiative that CableLabs is implementing this year. This will entail being more proactive in searching out potentially critical technologies for the cable industry. He also will have a significant impact on digital system testing and evaluation for compression, networking, and transmission that is a high priority area for the Labs in 1996.
Dorothy Raymond is promoted to senior vice president and general counsel. She had been vice president and general counsel. Mike Schwartz is promoted to senior vice president, communications, with new duties to include the CableLabs World Wide Web initiative. He had been vice president, communications.
Karen Mandeville, vice president and chief administrative officer, is promoted from director of corporate services. Julie Nicoletti, advances to vice president and chief financial officer, from director of accounting and finance. David Reed is promoted to vice president, strategic assessment, from senior advisor, strategic planning. His new duties will include an expanded assessment effort at the Labs, a new initiative in 1996.
Copyright © 1996 Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. All Rights Reserved.