Cable industry consortium CableLabs extended the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) middleware specification with the release of OCAP 2.0, aimed at portability over a range of home devices and cable networks. The spec builds on OPAP 1.0, released in January, adding Web-based technologies such as XHTML, XML and ECMAScript.
Among the companies contributing to the testing effort:
* Philips pitched in its "Silver Box" set-top box, which supports test case and code development. Philips has also provided a DVB-S QPSK modulator to help convert the Silver Box for use on North American cable networks.
* Thales provided its Amber product, for remultiplexing video with data streams for server output of interactive services, and its Pearl product, which provides the ability to aggregate PSIP program data from multiple streams, and its Coral, which doubles as an object carousel or server.
* S&T Technologies is providing an Object Carousel, software and sample interactive applications.
* Sun Microsystems will include CableLabs in its Media Appliance Early Access Program and lend its Sun Blade platform to CableLabs.
* Tektronix will provide a new DSM analyzer.
CableLabs said it is "closely monitoring 'interim'" standards efforts such as TVXML and the iTV Standards effort.
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