Cable TV firms, Sony end dispute
Hollywood Newsroom is now Buzz Newsroom! Visit and bookmark our new site. Buzz is bigger and better, including sports, world news, gadgets and the entertainment news that you're used to. Same staff, just more stuff! Why Fark, Drudge and Huffington when you can Buzz!?More interactive TV soon could come your way, after Sony Electronics Inc. and top U.S. cable TV providers said Tuesday that they had resolved a technology dispute.
Analysts and industry representatives hailed the deal as a breakthrough in the quest to offer TV viewers more Web-like interactivity, in many cases without the need for those bulky cable set-top boxes and remote controls.
The agreement could lead to a slew of new interactive services, such as personalized programming guides, customized news and sports tickers, live on-screen chats during TV shows and far more video-on-demand options.
Sony plans to incorporate the cable industry’s interactive technology, called tru2way, into TVs that will enable people to plug the cable directly into the back of the set. Sony had been a major proponent of a competing interactive, plug-and-play technology known as DCR Plus.
With Sony on board, other manufacturers are expected to sign similar agreements with the six largest cable TV companies, including Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc., Cox Communications Inc. and Charter Communications Inc. The deal also could keep the Federal Communications Commission from stepping in to resolve the dispute.
“We are pleased that this technical challenge has been addressed through a voluntary, private-sector solution,” said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Assn., which represents leading manufacturers. FCC officials declined to comment.
Lawmakers and regulators have been trying to free consumers from cable set-top boxes since 1996. Although some programming can be viewed by plugging a cable line directly into the TV, premium and digital channels require boxes to convert the signals.
Cable companies have developed special cards to insert into newer TVs to eliminate the need for the boxes, but the cards have been plagued by problems and don’t allow for two-way communication that enables viewers to order movies and send other data requests to the cable companies rather than passively receive programming.
- From LAtimes