cablelabs

ZDNet Resources

• sort by:
• Relevance
• Date
• Popularity

TechCrunch throws down on cable boxes: Who can argue?

Cable cardsCable Labs = evil. Just let me buy the damn box from a company like ATI, rather than having to spend a crap load of money on a new computer that is certified by CableLabs and runs Vista, neither of which I need or want.Hulu or similar services...

Tags: Network technology, TechCrunch, cable box, cable

Discussion threads 2009-10-08

Media Center gives digital cable tuners a new lease on life

Blu-ray ...... I'm surprised to see you mention Blu-ray ... While I have Blu-ray capability, I've taken the upscaling route because I have a vast DVD library and after objectively looking at it, can't see the benefits. Going from DVD to upscaled DVD is an improvement, but when I compare...

Tags: Media Center PCs, Consumer electronics, Media Center PC, CableLabs, digital cable tuner, cable, cable tuner, DVD, CableCard, BIOS, PC

Discussion threads 2009-09-10

5 Things I'd Like To See From My (Or Any) Cable Operator

5 Things I'd Like To See From My Or Any Cable OperatorA decent freaking interface on any cable box would be nice.Lets just start with the basics.. then move on to what direct tv is doing with remote dvr record.Yes, more movies.. you know.. ones that havent been at the...

Tags: Network technology, CableLabs, cable, cable company, cable box

Discussion threads 2009-04-07

Cable research industry working on new standard for VoIP enhancement

CableLabs, the research arm of the U.S. cable television industry, is preparing an updated standard that would enable its members to enhance their current VoIP offerings with video telephony, TV-based instant messaging, and integration of VoIP service with wireless.This would be done via the forthcoming PacketCable 2.0 communications standard,an upgrade...

Tags: cable, CableLabs, PacketCable 2.0, Russell Shaw, SIP, VoIP

Blog posts 2006-02-02

CableLabs RFP reveals tech wish list for cable VoIP providers

CableLabs is a consortium of cable television access providers charged by member companies with developing enhanced services.... They've just put out an RFP ("Request For Proposal) for solutions that could, in CableLabs own words, "enable the development of a production-grade infrastructure to allow VoIP traffic exchange among MSOs and...

Tags: CableLabs, VoIP, RFP

Blog posts 2005-11-29

Additional Resources

Windows 7 in action: smarter search

As much as I love to bash Vista.....Vista's search engine at least to me is pretty impressive.While I still like Windows 7 more, I think Vista was the one that laid the groundwork for this feature. I wouldn't really call Windows 7 any smarter for searching, but I am...

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating systems, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Vista, killer feature, Microsoft Windows, operating system

Discussion threads 2009-10-13

TV Everywhere: (Almost) everyone is at least trying it

Media CentersWhat I am looking for is integration into Windows Media Center, or any other media center app that requires Cable Card for HD subscription content. In the beginning, they should at least give us a plug-in to Media Center to access this limited content, but ultimately I would like...

Tags: Media Center PCs, TV, Media Center PC

Discussion threads 2009-08-27

Microsoft struggles with Xbox vs. Windows Media Center positioning

Microsoft struggles with Xbox vs. Windows Media Center positioningUnacceptableI am hoping they will change this. Media Center is a good product. I do not want to have to hook my laptop to my TV just to watch a movie. If this is the direction they are going with their 3...

Tags: Media Center PCs, Game players, Digital rights management (DRM), Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Digital media, Consumer electronics, Windows Media, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Media Center, positioning, Microsoft Corp., NetFlix Inc., Microsoft Xbox, Medi

Discussion threads 2009-05-21

Interactive Television Is Here Again. Want Anchovies With That?

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- You’ve been waiting for more than three decades to “interact” with your television, voting for your favorite local candidate, shopping for shoes, or, of course, ordering a pizza. That was the implicit promise of cable television systems, since the launch...

Tags: Cable Television, TVs, Tv & Home Theater, Cable, Network Technology, Personal Technology, Home Entertainment, Telecommunications, Networking, Tom Steinert-Threlkeld

Blog posts 2009-04-02

Going back to Windows Media Center

I'd been using Media Center as my primary DVR since shortly after the release of Windows Vista several years ago. At the time, my intention was to learn more about the other TV-oriented technology at Microsoft, which was of particular interest to me as I worked, at the time, in...

Tags: Channel, Windows Media, Media Center PC, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Media Center, Digital Video Recorder, CableCard, Media Center PCs, DVR, Digital Video, Cable, Personal Technology, Home Entertainment, Telecommunications, John Carroll

Blog posts 2008-11-24

Verizon fixes P2P problem - on its network at least

Verizon fixes P2P problem - on its network at leastnice to hear!I approve of their position, but since I'm not on their network however I will keep my VPN account up. Providers like the ones below may be some customers only options to bypass P2P controls on ISP's.http://www.strongvpn.comhttp://www.blacklogic.comhttp://www.bananahosting.comMany...

Tags: Internet service providers (ISPs), Peer to peer (P2P), NETWORKING, Network technology, P2P, network, P4P, Verizon Communications Inc., Internet Service Provider, P2P problem, cable

Discussion threads 2008-03-14

Poll: Where do you stand on digital media ethics?

Poll: Where do you stand on digital media ethics?ethical stanceI find the result of the poll quite strange, answer being to my view non coherent.There a different ethical approach tocopying other's IP, but they can be described I think preetty well with few basic archetips:- Strict contractual view : When...

Tags: Business ethics, digital media ethic, ethics, digital media, CD-I, CD, music

Discussion threads 2007-10-09

Best storage strategies for the multimedia PC

Best storage strategies for the multimedia PCCan FreeBSD or Linux use ICH Raid?I'm looking at building a NAS server for my video surveillance DVR at work. need lots of storage I am looking at rack mount cases and boards for this, my question is does the Intel ICH RAID only...

Tags: Operating systems, strategy, RAID, storage, Microsoft Windows, multimedia

Discussion threads 2007-08-26

The battle for the living room platform

Nintendo announced yesterday WiiWare, a program which will enable developers to create games that can be downloaded to the Wii console. Such games can be sold through the Wii Shop Channel, creating revenue opportunities for smaller-scale developers who wouldn't have the resources to create more labor intensive productions of a...

Tags: Digital Media, DRM, Media Center, Microsoft, Nintendo, PS3, Sony, Television, Wii, XBOX, XBOX 360

Blog posts 2007-06-28

Sony VAIO XL3 Digital Living System

Sony's VAIO XL3 Digital Living System is a welcome improvement to previous versions of Sony's high-end home theater PC. The multidisc DVD changer is thankfully absent, and the PC itself comes with almost all the features we expect from a modern, living room-style computer. Similar to its older Digital Living...

Tags: Home entertainment, Consumer electronics, TV & Home Theater, DVR, Desktops, Blu-ray, Sony Vaio, Sony VAIO XL3 Digital Living System, XL3, Sony Corp., Velocity, home theater

Product reviews 2007-05-01

Thoughts on Windows Media Center

I just finished signing up for the Media Center "Fiji" beta program discussed by Mary Jo Foley in a recent blog post. Media Center is the way I watch television these days. It provides guide and DVR functionality for my TV watching, turns my TV into a categorized jukebox for...

Tags: Vista, Television, Microsoft, Media Center, General, DRM, Digital Media

Blog posts 2007-04-18

Who's got the best seat in the digital living room?

[Update 25-Oct 2:30PM PDT: I've revised the chart originally published with this post to incorporate feedback from the Talkback section. Thanks to all the commenters who added details.]A lot of hardware and software companies, including Microsoft, are betting big bucks that they can take over the living room and be...

Tags: Beyond TV, digital video, digital video recorder, recorder, video recorder

Blog posts 2006-10-25

Vista Mythbusters #7: How much DRM is too much?

Myth: Windows Vista is loaded with new forms of digital rights management DRM that will make the Vista experience more frustrating than ever.Reality: A new code-checking subsystem that protects the Windows Vista kernel and signed drivers is arguably a new form of DRM. How well will it perform in the...

Tags: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista, Corio:Code Integrity, digital-rights management

Blog posts 2006-10-10

TiVo sits at nexus of DRM conundrum

Recently, I've been hearing a lot about how movie studios and other providers of video content are significantly more senstive to the idea that the High Definition versions of their content might get pirated than they are to other lower resolution versions. I'm not sure what the implications of this...

Tags: TiVo Inc.

Blog posts 2006-09-18

Why DRM transparency is good for users and vendors alike

As I've written many many times, digital rights management technology (DRM, also known as C.R.A.P.: Read why or watch CRAP: The Movie) is nasty stuff that I'd just assume be without. In the course of trying to manage rights, the "R" in most DRM technologies now stands for...

Tags: Navio, digital-rights management, entertainment

Blog posts 2006-05-23