With thousands of gas-powered generators in use across cable systems, inventor Dean Kamen showed up at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo to pitch operators a new twist on an old idea: The Stirling engine, which uses heat energy instead of combustion. “Power is going to be the 800-pound gorilla soon, and this box is something that can help solve the problem,” he told Time Warner Cable CTO Mike LaJoie during an onstage Q&A. Read on for a look at the economics of the idea and possible business opportunities.

More top stories in today’s CableFAX Daily:
 
CNN’s Candy Crowley may have been the moderator, but NBC was the winner for debate night. Check out Nielsen’s ratings.
 
In a panel featuring some of cable’s most powerful female techies, execs agreed that cable must be more nimble to meet consumers’ ever-rising tech expectations. Here are their thoughts on creating intuitive devices and improving efficiency.
 
The FCC adopted revised rules Wed that should resolve interference issues between AT&T and Sirius XM and allow AT&T to deploy mobile broadband on its WCS band spectrum.

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Cut a Wire, Face the Consequences

It’s clear there’s a growing problem with network vandalism—but this week’s cross-industry summit also showed that law enforcement is taking the crime seriously. D.A.s, police officers, sheriffs and others weighed in during the day-long conference on how industry and law enforcement can work together to make sure justice is served.

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