CableLabs, the consortium of cable companies tasked with developing new cable technologies, has announced that it has approved the first devices to offer plug & play compatibility with DTV sets.
Sony, Hitachi and LG Electronics (Zenith) have all received approval from CableLabs for their unidirectional digital cable products (UDCP). The companies had to undergo CableLabs "Joint Test Suite" (JTS) tests for verifying the plug & play devices which are designed to allow consumers to connect coax cable directly to digital monitors or integrated DTV sets. The testing is required under the FCC rules agreed upon by the cable and consumer electronics industries in 2002.
"This verification process is an important step in insuring quality cable products and services," said Dallas Clement, SVP Strategy & Development for Cox Communications.
With the verification status, the three companies may now self-verify DTVs against the agreed tests. The tests, however, do not certify conformance with intellectual property licenses or any other legal requirements applicable to UDCPs.
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