Manhattan-based Cablevision has signed a multi-year agreement to buy digital set-top boxes and headend equipment from Scientific-Atlanta, with conditional access supplied by NDS.
The agreement includes the purchase of SA's Explorer 4200 digital box, which feature high-speed DOCSIS modems and DAVIC capability; an HD option will be available later this year. Additionally, Cablevision will buy SA digital headend equipment and license-related headend and application software. The equipment is designed to drive Cablevision's digital cable service iO (Interactive Optimum).
The deal follows Cablevision's announcement earlier this summer that it was scaling back its purchase of digital set-tops from Sony. Cablevision expects to have 3.4 million digital video-capable homes by the end of 2002 and 4.4 million by year-end 2003. The SA Explorer boxes are expected to be delivered by this fall and will be seamlessly integrated into Cablevision's digital plant; current iO subscribers' existing service will not be affected.
