OCAP Dithering

Why has it taken the cable industry so long to implement OCAP? Tracy Smedlow at Interactive TV Today has posted a lengthy interview with John Allen, founder and CEO of DigiSoft, who argues that "there’s a lack of willingness to build on what’s already out there." He also notes "an enormous culture on the part of the cable companies in favor of building in-house." For more, visit ITVT at www.itvt.com/wvisigitvtissue6.40.html (and keep scrolling down.) Microsoft/CableCARD Agree with him or not, but see the opinion by Diffusion Group Consulting Analyst Gary Sasaki on why Microsoft has announced that the CableCARD will become part of future Media Center PCs—and why it may have taken so long. Here’s the link: www.tdgresearch.com/tdg_opinions_whats_behind_the_microsoft_cablelabs_cablecard_agreement.htm . Cisco + S-A = IPTV It’s pretty obvious, but here’s Telephony Online ‘sVince Vittore to say that the long view of Cisco’s purchase of Scientific-Atlanta is a larger footprint in IPTV: http://telephonyonline.com/mag/telecom_cisco_grows_iptv/index.html.