MaxFAX

Cable-Tec Takeaways Last week while a convention committee of Democrats was touring the Denver Convention Center for Denver’s bid for the national nominating convention in 2008, almost 8,000 cable engineers and vendors were busy on the exhibit floor trying to figure out what really works. After moderating the opening panel, I spent a few days walking the floor and listening and enjoyed a really cool outdoor BBQ at Open TV CEO Jim Chiddix’s mountain home. After those activities I found consensus … and a little controversy. The panel was remarkable for Cable-Tec Expo in featuring a classy female CEO perspective. Oxygen’s Gerry Laybourne brought more than that, though. She brought some interesting research about technology (guys like "fast and sexy" and rarely get beyond that, while women prefer "function" – more from Oxygen sometime soon), experience as a corporate executive and an entrepreneur and a delightful sense of humor. Her main point about the cable industry? A laudable history of a "win-win" tendency with new ideas. CableLabs’ Dick Green echoed that. "In this industry, the guys have always found the business case to go with the ideas." Dick’s mantra was "innovation." (See below for another take on that as current "fact or fiction.") Suddenlink’s Jerry Kent and Liberty Global’s Mike Fries – both operators, one domestic, one everywhere but – cautioned about rolling out too much too quickly too, too, too … that is, get it right, then go-go-go. Mike had one other pertinent caution: beware the irrational competitor. That’s something a telco might become. C-Cor’s Dave Woodle (don’t feel for him too much, this week he’s in Athens) brought his customer-centric control perspective to the discussion. He sure did agree with "get it right." One overriding point of view emerged from all five panelists, with Mike saying: (cable) knows video best. Bet on it. Not to mention the telephone company history of video attempts (lame). And the best video is Hi-Def … it should be our advantage. While DISH currently, and accurately, trumpets the most HDTV … don’t leave ’em with the lead. Go Hi-Def and get ahead. Make it so. Random Notes